Not to be confused with Vue on mainland Singapore, 1-V:U (pronounced ‘one view, stable mate of 1-Altitude) at The Outpost Hotel, Singapore, is Sentosa’s answer to the much-needed three-in-one dining, clubbing and event space concept as exemplified by Stellar and 1-Altitude in the Central Business District. And who better to call-upon to execute this concept than the 1-Group?
Billed as Sentosa Island’s first and only rooftop dining and party destination, 1-V:U takes up the entire seventh-floor roof-top space at The Outpost Hotel that, in time to come, will also include two private dinning rooms and two speakeasy lounge rooms. For now, its 60-seat restaurant and breezy outdoor day club – and a swimming pool in between – are all set to welcome diners and party-goers alike.
Of course you could just come for drinks (suggest the coconuty Sunset on Vu) at the day club’s outdoor deck and it promises to be nothing less than stunning with sweeping panorama of sunset over the Palawan Beach.
But here’s a tip: Ace Tan, one-time executive chef of the short-lived Restaurant Ards at Duxton Road, now presides over the bevy of menus at the restaurant in 1-V:U. If you’ve tasted his New Asian menu back at Ards, you would know that Tan is prolific with reinterpreting Asian flavours and you wouldn’t want to miss his boundary pushing Asian-influenced creations here.
Opened only for dinner service (a more casual lunch menu is available at the Day Club exclusively), 1-V:U serves a concise a la carte Communal Menu inspired by “terra” (land) and “aqua” (sea) and judging by the unique amalgamation of deliciously familiar and curiously unfamiliar flavours, there is no lack of standouts, with gems in abundance particularly from the “aqua” menu.
Perhaps once the domain of great Spanish chefs, Josper oven-grilled octopus ($32) makes a splash, in fact an impactful one, with Korean fan fare, i.e. with gochujang sauce. Inspired by his one-year working stint in Seoul, Tan recreates the ubiquitous gochujang dressing but makes it his own with several tweaks – he sweetens the popular Korean sauce with fresh pineapples, infuses freshness and acidity by way of tomatoes and for for umami, he adds hondashi and homemade oyster sauce. Served on a bed of buttered white corn, slabs of potatoes and sprigs of garlic shoots, the sweet and sour flavours with notes of pungency, are arresting.
Equally if not more stellar is the steamed red snapper ($38 for 180g fillet, $70 for two fillets total of 360g). Like any well-steamed fish, it arrives moist as it should but what sets it apart from the garden variety fish dish is the garlic shoot beurre blanc sauce that rises to the occasion with a complex flavour profile – savoury, buttery and punchy all at once. Prepped with a reduction of fresh garlic shoots, fish stock and shiro dashi, this is one sauce that I wish I could slurp from a bowl.
To complement the repertoire of seafood, I suggest an unusual Asian-style salad that draws its influence from Indonesia. French beans and winged beans ($12) are not new but their surprise debut, unlikely enough as a couple, in a warm salad, sauteed and dressed in a mildly spiced Bumbu sauce enriched with coconut cream makes for a lasting impression, especially if you consider that it arrives with a mound of sticky and pungent natto (fermented soy beans).
Dessert options are plentiful. If you prefer something light, the Japanese inspired sweet of Chitose strawberries ($15) from Cameron Highlands with osmanthus honey drizzled yoghurt sherbet, hojicha jelly and cinnamon crumbs is your calling card. On the other end of the scale, if it’s sweet, heady and unconventional flavours that you’re after, take a chance with miso ice-cream in a smoked soy caramel dressing. I can’t guarantee that you’ll love it but at least you’ll remember it.
On days when you much rather leave the planning of your meal to Tan, 1-V:U also offers a pocket-friendly seven to eight-course tasting menu ($98++). While most of the courses on the tasting menu are taken from the a la carte, Tan may at times surprise you with off-menu items like the honest-to-goodness black chicken porridge with kabocha (Japanese pumpkin) and pickled goji berries.
Level 7 The Outpost Hotel, 10 Artillery Avenue, Sentosa Island, Singapore 099 951; 1-vu.sg
BIBIK GOURMAND 