Keeping an eye on race cars zooming around at electrifying pace might prove to be more difficult at this year’s Formula One Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix.
Besides looking out for racers maneuvering sharp turns in the Marina Bay Street Circuit and struggling to have a convo above the ear-deafening engine roars, visitors might also be distracted by the revved up gastronomic line-up at the race.
A new addition to the hospitality enclaves this year is Twenty3, a food and entertainment complex that is aptly located along Turn 23 of the race track. The turn, which is across the Singapore Flyer, is where most of the exhilarating race action will take. It is part of the final lap to the finishing line and is directly opposite the podium, where champagne will be showered on the winner of the gruelling 308km race after making 61 laps.
The 3,000 sq m facility, which is equivalent to the size of seven basketball courts, houses three pop-up eateries, some of them are helmed by chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants, a two-storey Apex Lounge, where revellers can gyrate the night away and dig into indulgent confections along a 10m-long dessert bar.
Foodies who want a breather from the upmarket nosh can take comfort in local food and sip on tipples at the bars at the alfresco area of the complex.
Instead of watching the race within the confines of hospitality options such as the spruced-up Sky Suite and Paddock Club, Twenty3 offers a different vantage point experience.
Shamini Suppiah, Singapore Grand Prix’s director of corporate sales, says: “The race experience at Twenty3 is largely nomadic. With no fixed seating, guests can take their pick from myriad different dining and race experiences throughout the facility.”
Although single day tickets to Twenty3 starts from a whopping $955 per person, organisers say that they are on track to be sold out. More than 85% of the hospitality packages have been sold at this year's race, which can host about 9,000 guests.
The MICHELIN Guide Digital gets an exclusive sneak peek at the food highlights at Twenty3 by restaurants that are making their debut at the Singapore Grand Prix.
1. Italian Food By Franceschetta58
The sister restaurant of three-Michelin-starred Italian restaurant Osteria Francescana in Modena will make its Singapore debut at the race. While culinary maestro Massimo Bottura will not be in town, foodies can still look forward to signature dishes from Franceschetta58, a Michelin Plate contemporary trattoria.
Dishes at its pop-up restaurant include the Emilia burger, which is named after Bottura’s hometown of Emilia-Romagna and features a pan-fried Parmigiano Reggiano-infused beef patty slathered with salsa verde of herbs, capers and anchovies and mayonnaise spiked with aged balsamic vinegar. Other dishes include Baccala Mantecato, a Venetian salt cod fish with eggplant puree and toasted pistachios, and a southern Italy-inspired Mezze Maniche pasta dish with chicory, anchovies cream and spicy toasted breadcrumbs.
Innovative restaurant Le Charlemagne, which was recognised with a Michelin Plate this year, is renowned for marrying Asian and Burgundian flavours. Chef Laurent Peugeot from the restaurant in Pernand-Vergelesses in France will showcase dishes such as Hokkaido scallops with takuan (pickled daikon radish), pomelo and sake yuzu, and wagyu beef pot-au-feu with daikon, pickles and ravioli.
Home-grown modern Asian restaurant Blue Lotus Chinese Grill House teams up Tokyo’s avant-garde Chinese restaurant China Blue to fly the flag for Asian cuisine at the F1 race. Blue Lotus’ Ricky Ng and China Blue’s Albert Tse have come up with creative dishes such as green lip mussels with garlic, Chinese hua tiao wine and crispy mantou, angus beef brisket noodles with citrus spicy clear consommé as well as pickled chilli Atlantic octopus with fermented tofu barley risotto.
4. Cakes And More At A 10m-long Dessert Bar
Those with a sweet tooth can take their love for cake to greater lengths. Australian pastry chef Andrew Bowden of Saga Patisserie, will serve up decadent desserts along a 10m-long dessert bar.
Saga patisserie in Sydney is famed for its towering “naked cakes” that do not come with a final coating of frosting and are flourished with mousse, fudge, cream and fruit.
Delightful treats include Glow In The Dark vanilla slice, and the “Karl” cake, which is a indulgent chocolate fudge cake adorned with salted caramel, roasted peanuts, chocolate mousse and Snickers chocolate bars. The dessert bar is at the second level of the Apex dance lounge.
5. Enjoy Local Fare & Tipples Out In The Open
The casual alfresco Bay Terrace will serve up local cuisine such as satay, laksa, mee siam, tandoori and grilled meats from eateries such as Indian restaurant Earl of Hindh, American smokehouse MeatSmith and Fat Cat Ice Cream Bar.
Stay in high spirits at the bars managed by Edrington, which offers champagne, wines and cocktails. Over at the Whisky Bar by La Maison du Whisky, guests can say cheers to 23 types of scotch whiskies available straight, on the rocks or as cocktails.
Main illustration by Cindy Chua.
