Celebrity chef David Myers wants diners here to let loose and get social in his new restaurant Adrift, an East meets West sharing plates joint that has just opened at Marina Bay Sands.
The 4,000 sqft restaurant-bar will offer a range of dishes that incorporate Southeast Asian flavours and Californian flair, and a list of cocktails created by famed New York-based bartender Sam Ross.
Speaking to Life! at the new restaurant last week, Myers, 40, says he hopes the restaurant will "evoke a sense of wanderlust and timelessness".
"I want it to be a place where people can just get into a social moment with their friends and loved ones, have small plates that have fun, unique flavours that they can talk over, and a cocktail programme to help loosen things up," he says.
He says the name Adrift is inspired by a picture he saw of three friends swimming in the ocean, but instead of having their heads up floating, their heads were down and legs were up, hanging in the wind.
"To me, they're adrift on memory bliss," he says.
Among the dishes that he recommends is a playful take on the Singapore chilli crab sauce - a piece of fried black cod is served with a grilled mantou (chinese steamed bun) like a taco, and topped with chilli crab sauce ($31).
A traditional Vietnamese pork sandwich (banh mi) is made more rich and flavourful with the addition of foie gras ($32), and there is also Myer's take on the classic crab melt sandwich, which uses King crab and grilled pimento cheese ($35).
Australian bartender Ross, 32, who currently owns Manhattan cocktail bar Attaboy and was previously the head bartender of world-renowned cocktail bar Milk & Honey in New York for eight years, has created 16 cocktails for the bar.
This is his fifth project working in partnership with Myers. He has previously worked with Myers on restaurants that include the now defunct Sona in Los Angeles, Comme Ca, and Hinoki & The Bird, both in Los Angeles.
He tells life! the idea is to keeps things simple and focus on "really good quality booze" and fresh produce available in Singapore. All the cocktails are made using fewer than five ingredients.
Ross says a "showcase on the menu" is their take on the classic Singapore Sling cocktail ($23). It is less sweet, using Tanqueray gin, fresh pineapple and lemon juice, with a dash of cherry liqueur added at the end for a pop of pinkish-red colour.
"I love the sling when made well. It's got a mad reputation for being something overly sweet, so we're trying to offer the best Singapore Sling. When you don't overly sweeten it with syrups, it really is a refreshing drink," he says.
Other cocktails on the menu include his famed cocktail the Penicillin (Scotch, fresh lemon, ginger, honey, Islay float, garnished with candied ginger, $23), and Myers' favourite cocktail, the Troublemaker (gin, sweet vermouth, fresh lemon, cucumber and strawberry, $23).
Adrift, at Marina Bay Sands Tower 2 lobby is open for bar and dinner services till late daily. Lunch service is expected to start next month. For reservations, call 6688 5657.
