Welcome to Da Bao Diaries, a column dedicated to what Time Out Singapore's editors are eating and drinking at home. Da bao is a Singaporean colloquialism derived from Mandarin that refers to having a meal to go instead of dining in at an establishment.
This week, savour the best of what the land and sea have to offer. Bring home a lavish lobster-filled meal from the iconic Burger and Lobster, mix-and-match across various winning specialty restaurants in Marina Bay Sands, or sample the debut delivery offerings from local eatery Ebi Bar.
Burger and Lobster
Burgers and lobsters might make for strange plate-fellows, but this iconic London-based chain somehow makes it work. You’ll find juicy stacks, made from Nebraskan family farmed cattle, glazed with barbecue sauce ($18) or topped with mashed avocado ($14) – alongside fresh Atlantic lobsters prepped in various ways.
The original lobster roll combo ($34) is a classic hit; succulent pieces of shredded lobster meat come dressed lightly in lemon mayonnaise, then stuffed till overflowing in a buttery brioche roll. Salad, fries, and garlic butter complete this winning meal. But the prized crustacean can also be sampled as is ($55) – steamed simply to retain all its natural juices, or grilled to impart a touch of smoke. And there’s no need to choose between the two; the half-and-half option offers variety served in a take-out box.
It might be hard to imagine getting anything else from Burger and Lobster, but the restaurant does serve up an unassuming kale and quinoa salad ($20) that is hard to resist. A base of kale and quinoa comes studded with cranberries and dried figs for sweetness, then finished with a generous dollop of fresh lobster meat to make for a guilt-free addition (or even light lunch) to an indulgent meal.
Minimum order $60
Delivery fee $8
Order here burgerlobster.oddle.me/en_SG
Marina Bay Sands
The Gourmet Takeaway platform by Marina Bay Sands was launched last year, during the ‘circuit breaker’ period, as a convenient way to bring home a feast from the integrated resort’s many specialty restaurants. Since then, the take-out menu has expanded to include even more dining outlets – boasting over 280 dishes and beverages to choose from.
Fresh on the list is the newly reopened Waku Ghin. You get to skip the typically long reservation list and savour a winning meal prepped by acclaimed chef Tetsuya Wakuda and team. The main highlight: Marinated grilled Ohmi beef bowl ($58), where the prized wagyu, tender and buttery, comes packed in its own umami marinade to lock in all the flavour. When ready to eat, top the bed of steamed Koshihikari rice with stir-fried leeks and finish with a soft-boiled egg. Also a recent addition is Rise Restaurant, where you’ll find local flavours done well, including seafood XO fried rice ($24) jam-packed with tiger prawns, char siew, Chinese sausage, then crowned with plump crab meat.
Ordering across multiple restaurants in possible via the platform, which means that in a single sitting, you can enjoy mod-Chinese cuisine from Mott 32, tuck into hearty British fare from Bread Street Kitchen by Gordon Ramsay, before knocking back a handcrafted cocktail or two from the bar at CUT by Wolfgang Puck. Start with some crispy free-range chicken bits, tossed with dried chilli, Sichuan peppercorn, and cashew nuts ($24) for an addictive snack; or savour a slow-roasted pork belly ($29) that spent over two hours in the oven to develop a crackling top. Then wash everything down with some barrel-aged negroni ($72).
For a sweet ending, getting the iconic 20-layer chocolate cake ($28) from Lavo Singapore is a must (and yes, the oversized dessert can be packed for takeaways). The epic treat, with alternating layers of chocolate sponge and peanut butter mascarpone, is a joy to look at, and provides even more fun when shared with friends and family.
Minimum order None
Order here marinabaysands.com/deals/restaurants/gourmet-takeaway.html
Ebi Bar
The delivery menu of many restaurants is largely a mirror of their dine-in offerings. But for Ebi Bar, which specialises in jazzed-up bowls of prawn mee, the owners took the trouble of re-designing a new selection of takeout items that will travel well – and taste good.
This means switching out its usual base of springy noodles (they tend to clump up) in favour of fluffy grains. But the main highlight – pure prawn broth boiled for over 10 hours – remains the star of the meal. Slurp it up in its version of comforting pao fan ($18.90), or rice soaked in broth, which comes crowned with charred, almost palm-sized prawns. For maximum enjoyment, re-heat the umami-rich soup, then mix in steamed rice, pan-seared chicken, and toppings of rice puffs that add crispy texture to every mouthful.
Besides plump prawns, rice can also come topped with fried chicken, coated in a salted mackerel marinade, and egg crisp ($14.90). Of course, its signature ebi noodles ($14.90) remain available, too, with the strands packed separately from the broth to prevent them from getting soggy. Do note that a la carte options are only offered for takeaways; its island-wide delivery platform provides hearty bundle deals that start from $39.90 instead.
A combo set for four ($88) will feed a family comfortably. Each comes with your choice of four mains, along with four side dishes and canned drinks. We loved snacking on the piquant achar, fancied up with slivers of jellyfish; and throwing in extra slices of smoke-kissed chicken into our bowls. Onion rings and the prawn-studded vegetable fritter might lose their crunch along the way, so opt for the salted mackerel fried chicken instead. Ebi Bar even provides fun flavour ‘boosters’ that can change up the taste of the meal – from heady truffle ($2.90) to tongue-numbing mala ($1.90).
Minimum order None
Delivery fee $10
Order here order.tabsquare.ai/EbiBar