http://www.paradisegroup.com.sg/ The website shows that there are 7 tiers of restaurants + 1 catering group in the Paradise Group. And the latest addition is the Paradise Pavilion series of restaurants, the first and only one located in the new Marina Bay Link Mall.
According to the website, Paradise Pavilion and Taste Paradise are both the top tier restaurants in the group. Both restaurants served top end Chinese cuisines. What is different is that Taste Paradise serves Cantonese food in this Imperial Palace environment, while Paradise Pavilion serves Chinese cuisines in a French restaurant setting.
The restaurant is located on the 2nd floor, and diners have to take the lift up from ground floor. To access the lift, go up to the ground floor, adn the lift is opposite of the new Standard Chartered Bank building.
My first impression was WOW. It's grandeur and more grandeur as you walk into Paradise Pavilion. True to its vision, the whole restaurant looks more like a celebrity chef French restaurant that a Chinese restaurant.
Enjoyed the beautiful view of the entire Marina Bay while sipping on ice water. As the restaurant has just opened, we were the only diners on a cold Sunday evening.
Paradise Pavilion has one of the most beautiful cutlery among all its restaurants. And everything is made to order, as all the cutlery, from spoons to bowls, have their restaurant's name engraved below.
Greenpeace activists will be waving their arms and hands in disapproval, but the cold weather calls for some warm soup, and based on the recommendation by the manager, we ordered 2 servings of the pipping hot Claypot Shark's Fins Soup (S$38.80 - Opening Discount Price). Taste Paradise is famous for its hot stone sharks fins soup, and the claypot version here does not disappoint with its thick flavourful gravy and lot's of top grade sharks fins.
The Crispy fried fish tossed with crunchy garlic (S$12.80) was just okay only. Tasted better versions elsewhere.
I was quite disappointed with the Crackling Pork Belly (S$12.80). It's cold, skin is not as crunchy as it should be, and the pork has this gamey porky taste.
We also ordered 2 bowls of White Rice (S$1) to go with our food.
The restaurant has a beautiful wine cellar and fridge, where diners can check out what wines they have to go with their food.
Now, this Stewed Marbled Beef with Glass Noodles (S$26), is the best version of claypot stewed beef I have ever tasted. The tender marbled beef, thickly sliced, has been stewed in a dark brown gravy for hours. And the heap of glass noodles below it absorbs all the goodness from the stew. Portion is good for 3 or 4 people. Would strongly encourage everyone to order this dish. It's finger licking good. Writing and thinking about this makes me drool.
Our dinner ended with the Crisp fried tofu dipped in Truffle Sauce (S$24). I was not impressed with the tofu, Most restaurants use thick soya milk and eggs to steam their tofu before frying, but I have the impression that the tofu here is not as good as others I tried. Sure, the truffle sauce adds a luxurious twist to this otherwise ordinary dish, but still I am not keen to re-order this dish again.
For desserts, we had the nourishing Double Boiled Hashima (S$10)
and also a Pumpkin with Coconut Milk Ice Cream and Black Rice (S$5).
Our verdict is that it is really hits and misses here. When they are good in certain dishes, they are really good. But most of the other dishes here are really just above average. But we can (for now) all forgive them for the above average food as we love the decor (and view) here very much.
Paradise Pavilion
No 8A Marina Boulevard
#02-01
Marina Bay Link Mall