Mott 32’s Signature Dish Is Its $108 Peking Duck — But We Prefer This $10 Alternative

Even with that, we were still impressed when we stepped into the space, which had gone through multiple face-lifts, from Osteria Mozza to Nostra Cucina and now, Mott 32.

The bar that greets one at the entrance exhibits New York industrial chic elements, with lots of metallic detailing. We kinda imagine Bruce Wayne’s mini-bar at home looking like that. And the drinks programme here is super cosmopolitan. Apart from carrying some 200 wine labels, it also has a pretty inspired range of cocktails: think rye whiskey and gin mixes with umeshu, yuzu, shiso, chrysanthemum and a splash of ginger beer, or a Negroni laced with ginseng, Lapsang Suchong tea and Sichuan pepper. Afterall, Ajit Gurung — a darling of the Hong Kong bar scene and part of the Global Mott 32 Taskforce — is the one responsible for shaping it.

Among these is a drink offered only in Singapore: Oak & Ash ($24), a deliciously balanced blend of bourbon with shiitake maple syrup, topped with a piece of walnut glazed with sesame butter.

The main dining room is more Oriental looking, with lots of dark wood grid panels, vaulted ceiling, and Chinese-y floral motifs. On another side of the restaurant is a feature wall with Oxford Green tiles and lush greens. Here, you can get a glimpse into the room where they air-dry the fat ducks in a custom-made fridge, and the army of chefs in action. Note that the window panel giving you a peek into the kitchen is a one-way mirror, so that the chefs will not be distracted by kaypoh customers sticking their noses against the glass.

We were told about the “impressive, life-like painting” of the lion outside the men’s room – a piece of art unique to the Singapore outlet. This is it (see picture attached). It is a fun piece nonetheless, painted on the spot by the Taiwanese artist, with just his bare hands and no other tools. The same artist also did the mural painting of Anna Wong, who is considered to be the first Chinese American Hollywood movie star.

The true opulence is in the private rooms, the largest one featuring Chinese artefacts specially sourced from Hong Kong, a round table inlaid with agate and walls flecked with real gold. The smaller private rooms, on the other hand, feature custom-made wallpaper with embroidery so intricate they will rival that on any wedding cheongsam.

That the restaurant manager used to take care of high rollers at the Casino gives a hint of the types of clientele the restaurant expects. (And the rest of the staff who we got to interact with were from CUT, Esora and other similarly atas places, and are as comfortable extoling the merits of Iberico Pluma as they are waxing lyrical about Chinese spices). The menu certainly has items designed for those flush with cash after playing a royal flush too. Granted, there are very down-to-earth, home-style classics on the menu, but there are also dishes like the $180-per-pax Buddha Jumps Over The Wall (pictured) and the $1080-per-pax braised whole Japanese dried abalone. Bring your Amex Centurion card.

But for us, the dish that screams Crazy Rich Asians is the $106 Signature Lobster “Ma Po Tofu”. Yes, the dish is very moreish, with just the right hit of buzz from Sichuan peppers, silky tofu squares, toothsome bits of diced mushroom and a very generous portion of succulent lobster chunks, and it certainly makes for a very visually impressive dish to wow the table with, but it is still a tofu dish for more than a hundred bucks. We would be very happy to order this, if we have cash to splash!

This writer literally cheered when presented with the evening dim sum menu – if only more places have that. This also serves to satiate those craving for a taste of Mott’s dim sum spread before lunch service starts on 11 February. This signature item – each pink dumpling sitting perfectly on a little bamboo disc with an elegantly arched handle – is built for the ‘gram. However, the eating wasn’t so impressive, with three of the four dumplings splitting upon being picked up, despite the skin being thicker than say, that of Din Tai Feng xiao long baos. This is such a shame because the piquant, vinegary broth is actually a delicious complement for the peppery filling of scallop and prawn. The last dumpling finally held its form, but its skin had by then cooled and toughened into an unsexy distraction from the flavours within.

We actually ditched our phone cameras and obediently picked up the siu mai upon serving, as instructed by the earnest wait staff: “The quail egg within will cook through otherwise.” Alas, the yolk was no longer runny when we bit through, just slightly sticky at best. The manager was most apologetic when he saw it though, and even took a picture to show the culinary team. These guys were only less than a week into operation when we visited, so we’d cut them some slack.

Think of this as protein chips. This starter of paper-thin US beef slivers is first air-dried for two days, then deep-fried, then stir-fried, then coated in a intense, sweet-and-spicy marinade of oyster sauce, sesame oil and Sichuan pepper. The result: shatteringly crisp wafers packed with sweetness, umami, and a lovely zing. Move over, deep-fried fish skin.

Also known as the “feather loin”, the pluma — of which there are two modest fillets, around 280g each at the neck end of the loin, in a whole pig — is a well-marbled and robust cut. The chefs at Mott 32 transform this into the most tender char siew we’ve ever had. While the meat was impressively moist and expertly roasted with just the right amount of burnt bits, we especially appreciate this dish for the fact that one could still taste the flavours of the excellent pork through its 48-hours of marinating. Culinary aficionados thinking of recreating this at home: stop dreaming. Mott 32 has monopolised the entire country’s supply of the cut. You’ve just got to come here if you want a taste of it.

This is one for those who order extra chunks of collagen to dunk into their hotpots. Deliciously thick and creamy, this soup made from fish maw, chicken and fish bones is comfort food for the Chinese soul. While decidedly luxurious with chunks of fish maw, slivers of garoupa, and bits of conpoy, it is also has a very down-to-earth quality to it. Imagine it as sick food for crazy rich Asian kids, and we mean this in the best way possible.

Served with a cloche that traps thick swirls of smoke with a slight jasmine scent, this seemed – and smelled – extremely promising. Unfortunately, the ethereal lightness and complexity of this perfume – which might have tempered the richness of the dish in some way is completely overpowered by the sticky marinade that reminded us of coffee ribs. The little nuggets of cod were crisp and caramelised on the exterior and relatively tender on the inside – if only there was such balance and contrast in terms of flavour too.

We were also a little bewildered by this dish: that the kong pao sauce was one-dimensionally sweet was one thing, that it sat on a rice-flour fritter/pancake dotted with corn kernels was another. The waitstaff very earnestly explained that kong pao dishes are meant to be eaten with rice, and the crisp rice-flour base was supposed to act as a substitute for it. But the overwhelming sweetness of sauce and the greasiness of the base was too avant-garde for our plebeian palates. Give us the zi char stall rendition with chunks of chicken and loads of dried chilli, any time.

A lot of pain went into this dish: first the team had to go through countless rounds of tasting before deciding on the source (in Malaysia). Then the ducks have to be raised for 42 days, to the specifications of Mott 32. The birds – about 2.8kg each – are then delivered fresh to Singapore. Why is this special? Because most Peking ducks on this island are made with frozen birds, imported from Europe for all the qualities that make them perfect for Peking duck. This dish probably is a prime example of Mott 32’s fierce emphasis on using the fresh and the best. However, it also meant a bit of a compromise. While the meat is certainly a lot less gamey, it is also considerably leaner and dryer than the fat, succulent specimens one would find at say, London Fat Duck. The skin, though sliced with a lot of panache at the tableside by a chef, is also not shatteringly crisp, like that at say, Super Peking Duck. There is a lot of pomp and ceremony that comes with the presentation of the dish, from the carving to the fascinating swirling of peanut and hoisin sauces, all done tableside. But all that just built our expectation even higher for the eating part. What impressed us, however, is the rice-flour pancakes, specially made for Mott 32 in a Hong Kong facility and flown to all Mott 32 outlets around the world. White as snow and with an excellent resilience, they remain supple throughout your enjoyment of the duck – and even beyond.

This is Mott 32’s rendition of the familiar bolo bao from Hong Kong-style cha chan tengs. A ridiculously fine-crumbed crust coats the light, fluffy bun made with charcoal for a sexy shade of inky black – something that is unique to this Singapore outlet. All other outlets get the usual blonde buns filled with pork. This one is stuffed with bits of Peking duck doused in sweet char-siew marinade. It’s probably one of the most sophisticated bolo bao you’d encounter. Ironically more satisfying (to us), than the whole Peking duck.

Gorgeously decorated restaurant. There were certainly misses (ironically, mostly signature dishes like the Peking duck) during our dinner, however, the hits such as that iberico char siew and Peking duck buns, were stellar. While Mott 32 is often called a modern Chinese restaurant, the dishes we liked were more traditional, which shows the team’s strong foundations in the fundamentals of Chinese cooking. We won’t say this is the place to go for grandpa’s 90th birthday – the older generation might find the décor and serving style a too avant-garde, but we’d return for date night or an evening with friends. The competent, charming service staff adds to the overall experience too.

Mott 32 is at B1-42/43/44, Galleria Level, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. Tel: 6688-9922. Open daily 11:30am - 2:30pm (from 11 Feb onwards); 3pm – 5pm; 5pm – 11pm. Bar & Lounge Open daily 11:30am – midnight (Sun - Thurs); 11:30am – 2am (Fri & Sat). www.marinabaysands.com/restaurants/mott32.html