When we received news of The Bird Southern Table & Bar opening at Marina Bay Sands last year, we were pretty excited about it. After all, here was a legit American restaurant, known for whipping up Southern comfort foods — which, for all our great variety of cuisines in Singapore, is one thing that we’re rather lacking. On top of that, this is the first international outpost from the F&B brand, which is already set up in Miami, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas.
Even though diners here were already well acquainted with the concept of fried chicken on syrupy waffles (which, to us, was initially bizarre), there are plenty of other signature dishes to get excited about at The Bird: fried green tomatoes, deviled eggs, mac ‘n’ cheese, and shrimp ‘n’ grits, for example. The slightly dry skillet cornbread, however, was somewhat of a let-down.
But fair warning, if you’re not ready to drop $38 on a plate of fried chicken (the recipe is 100-years old, they say!) accompanied by watermelon and waffles (however generously portioned it is), this is perhaps not the place for you.
That said, no meal at Marina Bay Sands comes cheap (not even the food court). And The Bird is one of our favorite spots in the mall to drop some dough when, on occasion, we’re feeling indulgent. So we anticipated a good, hearty meal of Louisiana-inspired dishes from the eatery’s newly expanded menu — and we weren’t disappointed.
For a light lunch, the Muffuletta Salad ($18) is a zesty, creamy, and savory dish of romaine, radicchio, green olives, red peppers, mozzarella, parmesan, mortadella, salami, prosciutto, and broken olive vinaigrette. A twist on the iconic New Orleans sandwich with origins steeped in the Italian immigrant community in Louisiana during the 1900s, this carb-light rendition takes the dish’s concept of classic cold cuts and cheeses, and tosses it into a (mostly) guilt-free salad.
But if you can’t do without rice for a day, try the Jambalaya ($46) — a pricier option, no doubt, but one that comes topped with scallops, tiger prawns, mussels, and fennel chicken sausage. With roots in French, Spanish, and Mediterranean cuisines, each bite packs a punch with spiced grains that have soaked up the flavors of a rich soup stock.
Then there’s the Shrimp Po’Boy ($26), a baguette stuffed with crispy, bite-sized fried shrimp, tomatoes, shaved lettuce, homemade pickles, and drizzles of spicy remoulade. Served with a side of fries, for when you’re feeling like a fancier version of your usual sandwich and chips combination.
As for the vegetarians among us — beyond the salad selection, there are also options such as the wild mushroom ravioli with truffled garlic broth ($23) or cauliflower steak with mushroom frites and Thai chilli chimichurri ($26).
If you still have space in your stomach and digits in your bank account to spare, we recommend you end with the Salted Caramel Bread Pudding ($16), a deliciously warm and gooey treat with pecans for crunch.
But those who prioritize Instagram stories over all else in life — we present you: the Flower Pot Mississippi Mud Pie ($18), an artfully arranged setup of chocolate cake, marshmallow chocolate ice cream, Oreo pecan “dirt”, and a colorful gummy worm.
On the booze side, drinkers with a sweet tooth can try Berry’d with a Secret ($24), a fruity variation on the Pisco Sour, with rosemary, strawberry, and lemon. Those who prefer a bit of a kick after each sip can go for Drunken Thyme ($24), a mix of The Bird banana bourbon, pineapple juice, yuzu, and chilli syrup.
However, our favorite has to be the deceivingly simple but potent concoction that is Grandad’s Cough Medicine ($26), made of Old Grand-Dad bourbon, Cointreau, Laphroaig, lemon juice, and zest. Its name may not sound like the most appealing of drinks, but after a couple mouthfuls, our day got instantly buzzier better.
The Bird Southern Table & Bar is at B1-07, Galleria Level, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11am-4pm; Dinner: Daily 4pm-11pm; Weekend brunch: Sat-Sun 10am-4pm.
