Cover Sugarra bar where a welcome cockail inspired by gazpacho is served (Photo: Sugarra)
Sugarra bar where a welcome cockail inspired by gazpacho is served (Photo: Sugarra)
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Sugarra, Resorts World Sentosa’s new restaurant, celebrates chef Aitor Jeronimo Orive’s Basque heritage through a tasting menu comprising regional specialities
Singapore may be a small island city, but it’s so easy to travel the world through our taste buds with the array of dining places that take us to the tapas bars in Spain, sun-drenched shores of Italy or the revered sushi-yas in Japan. The latest destination restaurant is Sugarra at Resorts World Sentosa, masterminded by lauded chef Aitor Jeronimo Orive to pay homage to his Basque heritage and the regional cuisines of Spain.
Unlike his now-shuttered concept, Basque Kitchen by Aitor, which focused solely on the Basque Country, Orive tells us that he expanded his repertoire to reflect the diners’ changing tastes. “It’s easier for guests to understand and relate more to Spain and its culture, rather than solely on Basque Country. It also gives us a wider range of cooking techniques and ingredients to work with,” he explains.
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Above The main dining room furnished with booth seats and high chairs
The main dining room furnished with booth seats and high chairs
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Orive also ensured that the space would reflect Spain as a whole. You only need to step inside to feel like you have been transported to another world, as you are greeted by a wall of olive oil bottles that show how this ingredient is a cornerstone in Spanish and Basque cuisines. Fun fact: the olive oil in the bottles is real and Orive jokes that you can get a refill here for your bread course. This key ingredient also features in the welcome cocktail inspired by the classic cold soup, gazpacho, typically made with tomato purée and olive oil but boozed up with a splash of gin.
The glass-walled open kitchen lets diners have a peek of the chefs in action without being disturbed by the noise and heat. Get comfortable as you admire the 68-seater restaurant dressed in shades of gold and green that recall the nature of Basque Country. Meanwhile, the warm lighting and high ceiling bring some form of sunshine and warmth to the space, furnished within the plush leather booth seats and casual high chairs.
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Bacalao
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We all know how the Spanish people are serious about their food, and that is why Orive picked chef de cuisine Aitor Gonzalez to helm the kitchen. Orive will remain permanently based in Australia but will travel to Singapore every quarter to oversee the menu development and operations.
Working closely with Gonzalez, whom he has worked with and now considers a close friend, the two Aitors have crafted a compelling nine-course menu comprising specialities across the country which they tweaked to suit the modern diners. The tapitas, for example, is a selection of eight bite-sized snacks from all around Spain and presented in an edible garden. Think gilda, Spanish lollipops of green olives, smoked sardine and peppers; Basque sushi, paella rice imbued with saffron and topped with Hokkaido scallop; and ostra, fin de claire oyster finished with a drizzle of cherry wine vinegar.
The next dish, remolacha, proves that vegetarian dishes need not be plain and simple. What you get is a beetroot tartare with an earthiness lifted by sweet and crunchy chunks of green and red apples, as well as avocado, mixed herbs and beetroot sorbet.
Above Chef Aitor Jeronimo Orive
Chef Aitor Jeronimo Orive
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With the Basque Country being surrounded by the sea, seafood naturally features in Orive’s tasting menu. He gives us a delicious taste of it with the invierno, made with hake fish seasoned with garlic then grilled on the Josper grill, and the bacalao ala vizcaina, delicately poached Atlantic cod presented with cod tripe, rich Biscayne sauce and a light piparras (pepper) foam.
From his earliest ventures, Orive has been celebrated for his txuleta (vintage beef), a tradition now carried forward at Sugarra. The latest iteration uses beef aged for 45 days and charcoal grilled that tenderises the meat and finishes it with a smoky taste. It is, indeed, good on its own so the piquillo pepper gel, beef jus and garlic mousseline served on the side are only meant to enhance the beefy flavours. To close the meal, Orive serves us with something more familiar, Coco, a tropical dessert with layers of flavours and textures from the coconut water gel, yoghurt, sago pearls and coconut sorbet.
Sugarra marks Orive’s return to Singapore’s culinary scene after his namesake restaurant closed in 2023. He observes that while the dining scene itself remains largely unchanged, “inflation has made it more difficult for restaurants to survive” as diners think twice before dining out. At Sugarra, Orive and his team are committed to providing a high-quality dining experience at competitive prices, meeting the current demand of gourmands in Singapore.
Sugarra
Address: 8 Sentosa Gateway, S(098269)
Credits
Images: Sugarra
Dudi Aureus is the senior dining and travel editor at Tatler Singapore, covering the city’s most exciting restaurants, global travel trends, and the personalities shaping the culinary and lifestyle scenes. She also serves as co-jury chair for the Tatler Best awards in Singapore, celebrating the very best in hospitality. When she’s off duty, she can often be found at a favourite hole-in-the-wall Thai spot, savouring a perfectly balanced pad thai.
