Famous Chefs & Hawkers Offer Dishes From $10 Atop MBS On National Day Weekend
Eat Candlenut restaurant’s buah keluak burger & more at the Sky High Hawker fest.
The last we heard of Cé La Vi, it was the site of a Covid-19 cluster. Now, three months after a long closure and thorough cleaning — the chic restaurant and bar perched atop Marina Bay Sands is the glam stage for a fun new makan experience: the Sky High Hawker. Think an epicurean market of sorts featuring stands helmed by 14 well-loved hawkers as well as chefs of atas restaurants, both offering special-edition versions of their signature dishes, from $10 each. The line-up is curated by chef-consultant Jeremy Nguee of gourmet catering company Preparazzi and Dream Shop (nope, he won’t be cooking here). This inaugural event happening from 7 to 10 August will recur monthly, with the hawker/chef lineup changing each time.
The stunning setting
Bask in the glorious view from the 57th floor where Ce La Vi sits as you enjoy your meal. Entry to the event is complimentary (you’ll only need to pay for the food). There are individual stations for each chef to cook, along with table service so your food is served to you — on proper dinnerware, not disposable plates. And this being an atas kinda food market, orders will be taken at your table — you can download the menu via a QR code too for as contact-free a makan experience as possible. Important thing to note: there's a maximum of five guests per table, but you won’t be seated with strangers if your numbers fall short, so don’t worry. Pro tip: if you visit on 9 August, you just might be able to catch the National Day fireworks from the venue (fireworks this year will be set ablaze from 10 different locations across the island due to the Covid-19 situation, though exact spots remain vague).
Here’re some highlights from the makan line-up.
Photo: Cé La Vi
Har Cheong Chicken Wings by LG Han, Labyrinth, $10
Chef LG Han of one-Michelin-star mod Singaporean restaurant Labyrinth and its online casual spin-off brand Miss Vanda is known for his fresh takes on hawker faves. Such as his "Ang Moh" Chicken Rice dumpling. At the Sky High Hawker Event, he’ll be serving his boneless prawn paste chicken wings with sambal belacan from Miss Vanda’s menu. The wings are marinated for 24 hours in an "artisanal har cheong paste".
Available 7 to 9 Aug.
Photo: Miss Vanda
Buah Keluak Burger by Malcolm Lee, Candlenut, $20
Boyish chef Malcolm Lee of one-Michelin-star contemporary Peranakan restaurant Candlenut will serve his Insta-famous buah keluak burger. It features a beef patty and fried egg slathered in buah keluak sauce, all sandwiched between potato buns. This fab creation isn’t exactly on Candlenut’s menu, though it first appeared as a staff meal, which was posted on social media. It was later sold for a short time as part of a special collab at sandwich shop Park Bench Deli. Now, these juicy babies are making a reappearance at the Sky High Hawker shindig, albeit for only one day.
Available on 10 Aug only.
Photo: @aun_koh/Instagram
Mommy Boy Pork Belly Curry by Jason Tan, ex-Corner House chef, $15
We’ve previously covered the in-demand home-cooked curry made for charity by former executive chef of one-Michelin-starred European restaurant Corner House, Jason Tan. If you didn’t have the chance to taste his purportedly super tasty curry that takes around six hours to make, now's your chance. However, instead of chicken, pork belly will be used this time.
Available on 7 Aug only.
Photo: Jason Tan
Gula Melaka Putu Piring with Pandan Tuile, Caramel Sauce, Haig Road Putu Piring, $10
Well-loved Haig Road Putu Piring has come a long way since it opened its first hawker stall at Bukit Batok in 1985. Today, it runs five outlets, including two branches in malls. Second-gen owner Aisha Hashim will be steaming up the sedap gula melaka rice flour cakes filled with gooey palm sugar at MBS, this time tarted up with pandan tuile (crispy French-style wafer cookies) and caramel sauce.
Available on 7 Aug only.
Photo: Aik Chen
Mingzhu Roll, Keng Eng Kee (KEK), $10
Keng Eng Kee Seafood seems to be the zi char joint of choice in Singapore for culinary stars both local and foreign. While you won’t get to taste its signature gooey, yummy moonlight hor fun here, there’ll be a chance to sink your teeth into the expertly fried Mingzhu Roll — beancurd skin stuffed with goodies like salted egg yolk, ham, mushroom, prawns and Chinese parsley. And also the bittersweet Coffee Pork Ribs ($10), all prepped by chef and third-generation towkay, Wayne Liew.
Available 7 to 9 Aug.
Photo: Keng Eng Kee Seafood
Fishball Noodles with Sakura Ebi, Ikura & Beancurd Fish Sticks, Fishball Story, $10
A former Michelin Bib Gourmand stall at Timbre+ in 2016, Fishball Story, which has since relocated to Circuit Road, prides itself on handmade fish balls for their noodles. The usual bowl includes fish balls and fried beancurd, but the dish has been elevated for this event to include sakura ebi and ikura.
Available on 8 Aug only.
Photo: Fishball Story
Signature Mutton Biryani, Islamic Restaurant, $20
The historic Islamic Restaurant at North Bridge Rd has been serving plates of robust halal food since 1921. At Cé La Vi, its third-gen owner Kalil Wahab will offer the eatery’s signature mutton dum biryani that’s been (almost) a century in the making.
Available on 10 Aug only.
Photo: Islamic Restaurant
Pulut Serawa MSW Durian, Okinawa Sweet Potato Ondeh Ondeh, Ratu Lemper, $10
Ratu Lemper is most known for its artisanal lemper (Indonesian-style glutinous rice cakes stuffed with spicy, savoury filling such as chicken). At the event, you can get their signature lemper ayam pedas (spicy chicken) as well as bika ambon (honeycomb cake) for $10. There’s also a sampler platter with ondeh ondeh made with Japanese sweet potatoes, chempedak-flavoured lapis legit (thousand layer cake) and a special pulut serawa (durian with glutinous rice) made from Mao Shan Wang durian.
Available on 9 Aug only.
Photo: Ratu Lemper
The details
Sky High Hawker at Ce La Vi runs from 7 to 10 Aug. By reservation only, entry is complimentary. To book a table, call 6508-2188, email reservation-sg [at] celavi.com (reservation-sg[at]celavi[dot]com) or reserve online here.
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