The two defining features of Sky on 57 are the panoramic views from atop the Marina Bay Sands, and its executive chef, regional celebrity, Justin Quek.  While the rest of the Skypark is off limits to restaurant patrons, the views available from the restaurant are still quite magnificent.  There is an outdoor patio where you can sip away at overpriced but well-mixed alcoholic drinks while impressing dates, guests, etc…  As for the food, the upscale fusion cuisine is reasonably well-executed albeit uninspired.  Given the prices, there are better dining options elsewhere, but then again you are paying a premium for the views.

The occasion was a birthday party for a group of 8, with a degustation menu that was left to the chef.  The starter was a chicken liver pate with marmalade cherry tomatoes that while nicely composed, felt a bit “cheap” given the relative abundance of finer ingredients (ie duck or goose liver).  The demitasse of shark broth that followed was well balanced, but no more unique than what one might find at a mid-range chinese restaurant.  Similarly, the pepper lobster was also cooked just-right yet unremarkable.  At this point we were all waiting in anticipation for the main course that would wow us.

But before we get to the last half of the meal, this is a good time to highlight the biggest issue with Sky at 57- the service.  For a restaurant of this caliber, the coordination of service was nonexistent.  The waiters and staff were well trained, but it never felt like they knew what they should be doing.  It was like watching capable athletes milling around due to the lack of a good coach.  Details large and small were glossed over.  We indicated at the start that there were two clearly pregnant women yet they were still served dishes containing uncooked alcohol, as well as being offered wine.  The net result was slow and uneven service; wait staff were often nowhere to be seen, and it took 45 minutes to serve the main course.  If not for G pestering the staff twice to enquire on why our main was taking so long, who knows how long we all would have waited.

After 30 minutes, our waiter finally explained that the main course had not “turned out as expected”.   A few dishes were salvageable, and the kitchen could mix and match with additional beef and fish dishes.  Disappointingly, all three options came out botched.  The kurobuta pork tasted like overcooked honey baked ham, the sea bass was fishy (which I didn’t even know was possible), and the steak was in M’s words- meh.  The savory part of our meal ended with an overconfidently named JQ’s Beef Noodle, which save for an excessive spritzing of Johnny Walker Blue Label, seemed to lack any reason for attaching the chef’s name.  While I appreciate whiskey as much as the next alcoholic, my soup contained so much that it was all that I could smell or taste.

But the end was in sight.  We finally, came to the “surprise” birthday cake, which by this time was more of a relief (that the meal was over) than a pleasant surprise.  The birthday gal pleaded to just go home.  We had been trapped in this gourmand purgatory for over 3 hours.  On the bright side, the symphony of desserts was quite good but too little too late.

Ultimately, the food at Sky on 57 is average fine dining with a fusion twist.  There are hints of technical brilliance here and there that almost demonstrate why Chef Quek has earned a reputation for his cuisine.  However, one also has to wonder if a restaurant positioned as upscale, can afford to run breakfast, lunch, and dinner without sacrificing quality or service.   Based on our experience, the answer is a resounding no.  While our meal there was hopefully an anomaly, the string of failures during our meal and the poor handling of the situation indicate that there are larger systemic issues with the restaurant.  Which is a shame, after all the location and views are prime, too bad the food and service don’t match.

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Sky on 57
10 Bayfront Ave, Level 57 Sands SkyPark
Singapore
+65 6688 8868