Food Review: JUMBO Signatures at Marina Bay Sands

JUMBO Signatures opened in early 2022 as the new premium restaurant concept of JUMBO Group. Located at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, JUMBO Signatures features iconic dishes from JUMBO Group’s multiple dining concepts. Contrary to what most people think, JUMBO Group is so much more than the JUMBO “Chili Crab” with other well-known restaurants such as Chui Huay Lim, NG AH SIO Bak Kut Teh, Chao Ting and more under their belt. 

With JUMBO Signatures, diners can order dishes on an ala-carte basis or as a set from their Signatures Tasting Menu or Executive Lunch Menu. During my visit, I got to try their Signatures Tasting Menu (S$158) comprising 6-courses. Wine pairings are also available at a charge.

We started off with the Amuse Bouche – a little snack to awaken the palate.

A trio of starters came next – Chilled Hand-Shredded Live Australian Lobster with Fruit Salad in Sesame Dressing, Shelled Prawns Fried with Seaweed and Pork Floss and Scallop Wrapped in Yam Ring. These were relatively small bites, but each appetizer was so exquisitely prepared. The Shelled Prawns Fried with Seaweed and Pork Floss in particular, was inspired from the Pork Floss Custard Bun which is a snack in China. The other two are bite-sized and lux-ed up portions of what are normally regarded as full-fledged sharing dishes that are popular in zichar places. I particularly enjoyed the scallops with the diminutive yam ring surrounding it.

The soup course – Collagen Soup with Fish Maw and Bamboo Pith – was a highly nourishing affair with the thick soup having been boiled for hours prior to serving. It was served with chunks of fish maw with each sip a testament to the perfect boiling mixture of chicken bone, pork skin and fat. I only wished that it were more.

For the main dish, diners have the option to choose between Pan Fried Lamb Chop with Foie Gras and Black Pepper Sauce, Cod Fish Steamed with Preserved Radish and Diced Chili or Crispy Fried Cucumber with Abalone Sauce or Chili Mud Crab. This being JUMBO, I decided to go for the Chilli Mud Crab Pincer. This is the most popular dish at their flagship JUMBO Seafood. The chili crab sauce is made with a blend of over 10 Southeast Asian spices including chili, turmeric, lemongrass, candlenut and ‘Tau Cheo’. It also possesses a velvety smooth texture due to egg being stirred into the mixture. It is precisely this addictive sauce that brings in the crowds. It goes very well with their deep-fried golden brown ‘Man Tou’ and even my individual portion came with a bun. The crab meat itself was fresh and very sweet – a good juxtaposition with the chili sauce.

Like I said previously, I loved the collagen soup and wished there were more. I got my wish with the next dish – the Sliced Luffa Melon in Collagen Soup. The luffa melon here is meticulously hand-sliced into thin noodles while the collagen soup (same one as the soup course) is boiled for several hours until it becomes rich and creamy. They are then combined together and topped with fried shredded conpoy, Sakura ebi and fried shredded ‘Jinhua’ ham.

There are 2 options to choose from for the carbohydrate dish – either the ‘Yuan Yang’ Fried Rice With Cod Fish and Fresh Mushroom OR Sliced Abalone with Udon (+20). The former is quite a hearty affair for rice lovers with generous amounts of seafood topped on a bed of rice dotted with tobiko.

For desserts, guests can opt for the Mango Pomelo Sago or Cheng Teng with Bird’s Nest and Peach Resin. I went with the latter as I love cheng teng in general. The one here is a lux-ed up version. 

Fans of various JUMBO brands – JUMBO Seafood, Chui Huay Lim, etc will take pleasure in visiting a venue that offers the best of what the chain can offer. I am again reminded that JUMBO is so much more than chili crab. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole tasting menu, from start to finish and appreciated how I was able to try iconic dishes from their specialty restaurants all in one place.

JUMBO Signatures
2 Bayfront Avenue
#B1- 01B
The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands
Singapore 018972

Opening Hours: Daily, 11:30AM to 3PM / 5:30PM to 10PM (closes at 11PM on Friday and Saturday; lunch service from 12PM to 3:30PM on Saturday and Sunday)