Luke Mangan’s Salt grill & Sky bar is the highest point in Orchard Road, being as it is on the 55th and 56th ION Orchard.
You do have to access it via the 4th, concierge desk, where a dedicated staff will lead you into pitch black spaceness where its lift delivers you to a wealth of Mod Oz, modern Australian cuisine you must have seconds of.
The night the irrepressibly well-humoured Luke Mangan – “In Indonesia my name means to eat, makan” – hosted us to dinner, it was an outstanding menu of nine dishes accompanied by six wines and two cocktails.
Yes, I know, you’re asking how come one drink short eh?
You forgot water, both still and sparkling.
Salt grill Sky bar by Luke Mangan is special, its location will take your breath away, floor to ceiling windows look out on Singapore – “I can see my block!” – and some say even as far as Sumatra. (Curse you, haze!)
If you’ve not been, treat yourself to Salt – in ancient times a gift of salt meant hospitality and friendship.
The freshest of specially sourced ingredients cooked the traditional way best describes Luke Mangan’s kitchen.
And he’s worked with the best, not least Michel Roux (3-Michelin-starred) and today owns and operates restaurants here, Tokyo, Jakarta, back home Australia.
He also consults with P&O liners and Virgin Australia.
There are menus from under S$100 (there is a minimum spend of S$40 & S$60 for lunch and dinner).
We tried the degustation menu: tempura oyster, lamb loin, coconut broth, sashimi of kingfisher (brilliant!), baby vegetables (another winner!), glass Sydney crab omelette (oh myyy!), tea-smoked quail (best), sirloin, and an inspirational Luke’s liquorice parfait lime (on the menu since day 1).
All this, and the panoramic view too; too too good.
The man has his own wine as well, 2010 Luke Mangan Shiraz from the Yarra Valley
