RISE

Elegantly set up with a buffet spread, boasting stations for different South East Asian cuisines, Rise is located at Tower 1 of Marina Bay Sands. I was there to taste an all-new buffet put together by Executive Chef Colin Thumboo.

Appealing to all my visual senses, it was a lovely sight to step into this naturally lit space and see such an extensive buffet. Fibre glass panels skirted around buffet counters as part of Covid protocols, so diners could feel safety and hygiene around food displayed.  

It was an honour to have Chef Thumboo walk us around the buffet showcasing every station that represented dishes of the Region. Accompanied by our other Expat Choice contributor Arisa Chang, we needed a strategy around this buffet. It all looked so good we didn’t know what to omit.

Rise made some decisions for us. Every table received a cold seafood platter on arrival, prawns, Australian Yabbies, mussels, clams and crab topped on ice. A wonderful start to this ever so reasonably priced buffet of $62++ for Sands Rewards LifeStyle members (which is free to join).

Rise was full to capacity on this weekday afternoon. I was not surprised. What a great experience of top quality food, great service and an exquisite ambience. It was a warm feeling and lovely sight that I had missed over the last two years. I felt in celebratory mode, hopeful for a future that would have people connecting again.

As I sipped on a glass of Pinot Grigio, the trio of sauces that accompanied this seafood platter seemed to have something for everyone. Black vinegar usually served with a hot and sour soup was my pick, beyond the usual Thai spicy and traditional Thousand Island ones.

Executive Chef Thumboo came by to explain that some of the Peranakan dishes were cooked from his grandmother’s recipes. We decided those were must-try dishes. But first, our strategy was to dive in to some starters from all counters.

Thai fish cakes, chicken wrapped in pandan leaves, prawn on sugar cane and Vietnamese spring rolls, all so fresh and tasty. We had to have some salads – papaya and pomelo too to fire off our taste buds.

The popular sushi and sashimi counter was also laced with a queue. We got some on our way back as the crown thinned out, a way of working through food stations without wasting time. We were on a mission to try the variety on offer.

The Peranakan station beckoned to us first. We had some blue pea rice which had a fantastic texture of chewy and soft, made to perfection. This went so well with the mother of all Malaysian dishes, a beef cheek rendang, truly a stunner. Having lived in Malaysia for a big part of my life I felt this was very authentic.

Another must-try was the Bakwan Kepeting (pork & crab meatball soup), Chef Thumboo’s grandmother’s recipe. I love clear soups as it cleanses my palate. This was light but full of flavor. Likened to a double boiled soup that is cooked for hours, I could imagine these clean flavours nurtured over a slow fire to extract what I conveniently spooned into my mouth.

The infamous Ayam Buah Keluak, another hot favourite with a very unusual tasting sauce was no different. Hard to crack I could imagine chefs behind the scenes scraping bits of paste inside the nut which form the sauce for a dish. A typically Peranakan dish, this is revered by those who love this distinct taste. The Buah Keluak tree is indigenous to Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore and produces a wrinkled dark brown nut with a tar-like flesh inside.

If I had a double tummy I would have had a plate of nasi lemak which is rice cooked in light coconut milk to give it a light fragrance paired with at least six condiments that looked so delicious. But it was something I knew I had to reserve for the next round, as with the mouth-watering noodles at the Vietnamese and Thai stations.

Since I was on the spice trail I thought it best to attack the Indian station next. It was beckoning with delicious treats like lamb vindaloo, chicken tikka masala, butter chicken and seabass tikka. How could I possibly not try this? They were some of my fav dishes. Very finely put together with superior marinades and sauces, a must try especially knowing how hard it would be if you had to attempt cooking these at home.

Unlike many buffets where food is thrown on counter tops for volume, the spread at Rise was top quality. Coupled with an ambience of natural sunlight streaming through high glass ceilings, Arisa and I could have sat there all day, taking in casual afternoon hues. A seriously wonderful spot to chill with a few friends anytime of week.

While there were loads of dishes on the Western and Chinese counters, I could not fit another morsel in. Ready for dessert I sauntered down to grab a chendol (shaved ice with coconut milk, brown sugar, kidney beans and green rice flour strips), a typical Peranakan dessert. With less sugar this hit the spot.

Refreshing from the spicy food before this, was a great accompaniment of ondeh-ondeh (glutinous rice balls coated with coconut shreds filled with brown sugar). Just for something Western I had one of my all-time favourite desserts, a slice of lemon tart. I loved the crunchy tart pastry - sign of a great pastry chef! I would head back to this dessert again next time round.

Coffee ended this amazing array of food that I had just consumed in two hours. So worth it I did encourage friends as soon as I got home, to rock on down to Rise if they were wondering where to go to next.

Included in the buffet are free flow sodas at the beverage bar which include about six varieties – lemon ginger, passionfruit, spicy mango to name a few. Sugarless sodas are also available for those watching their waistlines so check out the beverage list.

General Manager Daniel gave us insights into background information we would not have known. A herb garden for instance, growing outside Rise, for use with cocktails and mocktails. Fresh from the garden I guess. How much better can it get? We decided a walk through after lunch would be a good idea.

Calling it a day we looked around to find that most tables had been vacated. We were in our own little bubble tucked away from the noise of life in these lush surroundings. Rise truly lived up to being a plush and relaxing getaway.