It’s not very often we can say we cheated death on a regular day at work, but when you’re working at TSL, there’s no such thing as a regular day at work. When my editor mentioned that my latest event would include having dinner in Malaysia, and it was going to be “fun”, my face lit up.
Then I found out “fun” meant having dinner in the sky with my legs dangling 45 meters from the ground, and I realised I might need to get him a dictionary for Christmas this year. So yes, this happened:
Dinner in the Sky was held in Puteri Harbour from 20 May to 19 June 2016, and we were lucky enough to be invited along by Deliveroo, the food delivery service in Singapore that’s focused on crafting unique dining experiences for Singaporeans.
Deliveroo turned six months on the 20th May and as a little celebration, we were hosted by Deliveroo General Manager Tristan Torres and the Roos to enjoy a heightened experience.
45 meters of nothingness below you.
These air conditioned tents serve as a waiting area.
It looks grand on the inside!
Past Dinner in the Sky locations have included Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, the Marina of Dubai, and Villa Borghese in Rome – iconic locations the world over. Their 3rd iteration in Southeast Asia was held just across the Causeway at Puteri Harbour, 30 minutes away from the Checkpoint, making it easy for us to be Deliveroo-ed swiftly there.
Sneak peek at the crew making final safety checks.
Deliveroo Singapore’s General Manager, Tristan Torres, mingling with guests.
Everyone’s getting ready for takeoff.
Smiling for the camera, despite the nerves. #IGLife
“You can do anything you want. Just don’t jump!” – Helpful staff member
After safety checks – including 2 sets of seatbelts – and a quick safety brief, we’re up!
The mind does weird things. Seatbelts that feel extremely secure on the ground suddenly feel like tiny ropes incapable of holding your weight. Every slight movement your neighbour makes feels like a minor earthquake.
And the scariest thing? Swinging your legs and suddenly realising the chairs rotate. My advice: get some wine in your system. It helps.
The menu served is from Double Tree by Hilton, and as with anything with the Hilton Brand, you’d expect it to be top notch. If you’re wondering how food gets served – as I was – you’d be disappointed to find out that no, they don’t use drones to get the food up to you. Instead, the food is prepared by chefs standing in the middle of the platform, Ichiran Ramen style.
The meal started off with Marinated Wild Strawberries, Yellow Frisee, Feta Cheese, White Anchovies and Balsamic Jelly. A colorful dish, and with flowers! The chef gave us quick reassurance that everything on the plate was edible, including the flowers!
The feta cheese provided a savoury counterpoint to the sweetness of the strawberries, and the frisee provided a satisfying crunch to the appetiser.
Course #2: Green Pea and Basil Soup, Truffle Cream Basil. I’m not a huge fan of greens, and with fear heightening my palette, this wasn’t the best experience for me. Still, the taste of peas was balanced out by a slight carrot undertone, and there was a slightly overpowering taste of basil.
Also, it’s around this time when you realise that the dinner table rotates, giving you a 360° view of the surroundings.
This main course was THE bomb. The Free Range Chicken Breast Koffman’s Cabbage, Fondant Potato and Porcini Mushroom Sauce was great, with the chicken being incredibly tender and additional toppings of porcini mushroom sauce available if you ask. The fondant potato complemented the chicken + mushroom sauce well, and the portion was much larger than I expected.
Alternative choices for main dish:
Australian Lamb Rump, Cherry Tomato on the vine, Grilled Parmesan Polenta and Jus Viande
OR
Slow Cooked Wagyu Beef Cheek, Gaufrette Potato and Baby Spinach
OR
Baked Cod Fish, Red Pepper Chutney, Spinach, Horseradish Mash, Fresh Passion Fruit
As my colleague Julian wittily pointed out, the Cherry Tiramisu we had for dessert was “the cherry to top it all off”. The tiramisu came chilled, which surprised me as I didn’t see any refrigerators on board. The cherry’s sweetness cut through the savouriness of the previous dish, providing a satisfying end to the meal.
Oh, and the tiramisu comes a side biscuit that had a surprise filling of popping candy in it. The young at heart will be pleased.
There’s a theory that people love roller coasters because they mistake the relief they feel at the end of the rides with enjoying the actual ride. All I know is that touching down was one of my highlights of the year so far. If this is a sign of things to come, and Deliveroo successfully delivers (ha ha) on its promise to bring unique dining experiences to Singaporeans, foodies in Singapore have much to look forward to.
To more unique experiences!
If you haven’t heard of Deliveroo, they’re a food delivery service that broke into Singapore’s food ecosystem in 2016 and are forcing traditional vendors to rethink how the food industry is run. There are many restaurants they work with closely to get your food to your doorstep within 32 minutes of your order. Oh, and their General Manager occasionally wears a onesie to work!
A company known for their non traditional marketing ideas, Deliveroo’s next moves in the market have the potential to surprise everyone in the industry.
If you’re like me and are always on the lookout for Singapore’s best food, here are some articles we did that feature the best food in SG that now deliver to your home thanks to Deliveroo:
From 20 June to 14 August 2016, Deliveroo is a launching Because You Deserve The Best, a campaign that offers 1-for-1 promotions as well as taste menus from some of Singapore’s best restaurants. They’re kicking off their first week with burgers from more than 40 mouthwatering burger establishments, including MEATliquor, Potato Head Folk, Harry’s, BERGs, and Barossa!
All you’ll need to do is launch the app (filter by cuisine type, and look out for the participating emoticons (⯑ for burgers etc) and order away under the category to enjoy the food 1) from the comfort of your home and 2) at a much lower price than if you visited the restaurants.
Plus, key in the code “TSLROO” if you’re a first time user and get $15 off your total bill before 15 August 2016!
Download Deliveroo here (Android/Apple).
This post was brought to you by Deliveroo.
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