Besides an extensive music catalogue, the High Society brand now has another venture under its belt: a cafe and restaurant that serves up an eclectic mix of European fusion cuisine, seasonal dishes, and (dare I say it) cupcakes named after its award-winning records.

The name “high society” speaks for itself. Its chic, Italian-inspired premises, coupled with the infectiously upbeat jazz mix that permeates it, will have you convinced that you have left the bustling corridors of Marina Bay Sands for a sophisticated European district. So does High Society Cafe and Restaurant live up to its brand’s philosophy of “living life through the enjoyment of good music and good food”? The answer is: yes! 😀

A glance at the menu confirmed that extravagance was the order of the day. Not wanting to miss out on the indulgence that High Society promised, we settled for two foie gras dishes to start our meal. The result? Sheer, utter decadence in every single bite.

For starters (pun unintended), the Foie Gras was a delight. Pan-seared and embedded between a layer of toast and caramelised apples, it was just the thing to whet our appetites. The apples were not overly sweet, and the foie gras had an amazing melt-in-your-mouth texture that had me coming back for more. I’m not a huge fan of foie gras to begin with, so the fact that we polished the plate in a matter of minutes speaks volumes. 😉

To appease my Asian craving palate, I chose the Foie Gras Chawanmushi. Artfully plated with a selection of vegetables and bonito flakes (because hey, why not?), it was easily the best chawanmushi I’ve had. The egg custard had an incredibly smooth consistency, and the foie gras blended with the other ingredients perfectly, giving it an intense flavour that’s hard to forget and even harder to resist. I can safely say that I’ll never look at this Japanese staple the same way again. 😀

It’s pretty obvious that High Society’s claim to fame is its Western fusion dishes, since its signature offerings include the much talked about Seafood Laksa Spaghetti. Never mind the steaming bowls of broth and noodle that you’re used to, how about a delicate plate of pasta to twirl your fork around? 😛

Be warned, though; this dish is definitely not for the faint hearted. I was barely halfway through my first bite when my tastebuds exploded with the flavour of what seemed to me a hundred spices. Even the chilled bottled water at $8 a pop provided little reprieve, as the laksa sauce was just too intense.

Granted, I might be averse to anything above Japanese curry rice on the spice-ritcher scale, but that’s besides the point. Still, I would take it over the plain ol’ tomato or cream-based sauces any day. No pain, no gain, right? 😉

As for the dish itself, it could have been plated with slightly more finesse. I’ve heard reviews of it being too oily; this one had a tad too much pasta. But the prawns and scallops – oh my. Definitely the catch of the day with it juicy succulence and unbeatable freshness. This is one dish that tantalizes and spoils your palate rotten.

Duck Confit that my friend had, which was a sight to behold; a slow-cooked duck leg resting on a bed of carrot puree and seasonal vegetables. Declared by our resident DC judge to be the best Duck Confit she had ever eaten. Personally, the duck meat had a smoky and (slightly) overly salty taste, although it was also very tender.

As with any other Western joint, a trip to High Society would be incomplete without its artisan cakes and pastries. We had just enough room for dessert, so we got a Strawberry Short Cake (after minutes of deliberation and dilemma between its equally enticing counterpart, the Ispahan).

I might have been a tad too full by then, but the shortcake was pretty underwhelming considering the hype that High Society’s cakes and sweets have gotten. Still, it was a light enough dessert, with the cream managing to stay off the dreaded food-coma inducing heaviness, so that’s a huge plus point for all you diet-conscious diners. And not forgetting its downright cutesy appearance; isn’t it just the most enticing shortcake you’ve ever laid your eyes on? 😛

If you’re looking for a fine dining experience that’s worth every cent, High Society is the way to go. Although some of the prices are downright extravagant (let’s face it, an average of $7 per drink, bottled or not, is just absurd), you can get the most out of your meal without burning an unnecessarily huge hole in your wallet. With quantity and quality on its plate, High Society Cafe and Restaurant has certainly made it to the top charts of Singapore’s cafe and restaurant scene. 😉

Address: B2-43, Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Avenue

Website/ Facebook: http://highsociety.com.sg/wp/?page_id=38 / https://www.facebook.com/highsocietysg

Menu: http://highsociety.com.sg/wp/?page_id=245

Opening hours: 

Sunday to Thursday: 10am – 10.30pm

Friday and Saturday: 10am – 12mn

chueonit.