Marina Bay Sands added another exciting dining venue to their already stellar selection with the opening of Mott 32. Originally from Hong Kong, this famous brand offers Cantonese cuisine with Beijing and Szechuan influences. But don’t expect your run-of-the-mill Chinese restaurant. Everything about Mott 32 is sumptuous from the extravagant decor to the lavish dishes made with specially sourced organic and sustainable ingredients. We recently dined at Mott 32 and walked away thoroughly impressed.
Our Experience:
Mott 32 took over the now defunct Nostra Cucina, and the changes are absolutely stunning. Designer Joyce Wang transformed the space into a beautiful mix of New York City grandeur, classic Chinese elements, and nods to Singapore’s reputation as a ‘garden city’. Throughout the space there are botanical patterns on porcelain vases and hand-painted lanterns. The bar boasts eye-catching Chinese tiles, the walls sport pops of gold, and the chairs have plush cushions.
Another thing that caught our eyes was the evening dim sum menu. Of course, we had to try some of the enticing light bites to start. We began with the wild mushroom and water chestnut dumplings ($6 for 3) as a vegetarian option. Then we dug into the hot and sour Shanghainese soup dumplings ($10 for 4) with scallops and prawns and the siu mai ($9 for 2) with soft quail egg, Iberico pork and black truffle.
All the dim sum bites were delicious, but our favourite by far was the Peking duck buns ($10 for 3). The buns came crispy and sugar coated on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and packed with savoury Peking duck. Honestly, these were some of the best bites we’ve had this year. For mains, the signature smoked black cod ($56) was also a winner for us. Just the aroma wafting up from the fish was enough to make our mouths water.
About:
Mott 32 is named after the first Chinese convenience store in New York City, which opened on 32 Mott Street in 1891. Originally from Hong Kong, the brand now has five branches worldwide. Each restaurant features a fusion of East and West design elements and cooking techniques. If you can only try one dish, make it the apple wood roasted Peking duck. The duck is placed in a special fridge set to a temperature that you would find in cooler Beijing, then it’s roasted for 24 hours to produce crisp skin and luscious meat.
UJ Tip:
The restaurant has a beautiful bar in the front, so we recommend starting there for a drink before moving into the dining room. They also have a private room that’s great for group dinners and a small room with a few tables tucked in the back behind the bar.
Not sure you want to make a whole night out of the experience? Just head in for a few of the dim sum bites. They’re very reasonably priced and go down great with a bottle of wine. Of course, you’d be missing out on some of the insanely good main dishes.
We know we’ll be back soon to try some more of the menu items and soak up the good vibes and opulent ambiance. This is definitely a welcome addition to The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands.
Mott 32, 2 Bayfront Avenue, B1-42-44, Galleria Level The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore 018956. p. +65 6688 9922. Open daily 11:30am – 12am
