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  Friday, Sep 3, 2010 1:09PM / Standard Entry / Members only
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  www.straitstimes.com

  Life!

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  Sep 3, 2010

  Staging a Ku De Ta

  Classy restaurant-club brand from Bali will open at the SkyPark at Marina Bay Sands this month

  By cara van miriah

  
  

  Guests can sip their drinks at the outdoor Sky Bar (above) located just above the public observation deck or party the night away at the club. -- PHOTOS: KU DE TA

  

  Singapore's nightlife scene has scored another coup. Bali's popular beachfront restaurant-club Ku De Ta is opening here in time for the F1 party season.

  Ku De Ta, which is a play on the phrase 'coup d'etat', is opening atop the 200m-high SkyPark at Marina Bay Sands.

  It is the third foreign nightspot brand that the resort has been able to bag, after signing up Hollywood clubs Pangaea and Avalon. Those will be situated on 'floating' glass-and-steel pavilion structures in Marina Bay.

  However, Ku De Ta will open four months ahead of them in the middle of this month. The sprawling 1,300 sq m venue will be the largest food and beverage outlet at SkyPark, boasting a 230-seater restaurant and a 168-seater club with spectacular views.

  Mr David Sylvester, senior vice-president (retail Asia) of Las Vegas Sands Corp, says: 'Ku De Ta has been a magnet for sophisticated clientele and it has put Bali on the global map with its distinctive concept. Now, with this latest location, we are elevating the entertainment selection for our VIP guests to the next level.'

  In Bali, the chic Ku De Ta restaurant, bar and beach club is in the trendy Seminyak district. It was founded 10 years ago by Australian businessman Arthur Chondros.

  Ku De Ta Singapore is a licensed brand and its holding company Ku De Ta SG lists Hong Konger Chris Au and Singapore permanent resident Samir Joshi as directors. This is the brand's second outlet.

  News that the Ku De Ta brand is opening here was announced in an interview on Monday with its management team, comprising executive chef Dan Segall, chief sommelier Dario Buonavoglia and entertainment director Vinnie Quek.

  Mr Segall, 35, who specialises in modern Asian cuisine, tells Life!: 'The SkyPark is a unique venue that embodies all the key elements of the Ku De Ta brand. With the infinity pool in the SkyPark, we can put an urban spin on the beachfront parties that Bali is famous for.' The Boston native worked in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai for seven years, including a stint at the award-winning Zuma restaurant in Hong Kong.

  SkyPark will also have the soon-to-be-opened Sky On 57, which will feature European and Asian fare by local celebrity chef Justin Quek. It will take up 929 sq m at the other end of the rooftop from Ku De Ta.

  Ku De Ta will be divided into three areas: the restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating and a Sky Bar just above the public observation deck; an intimate club and lounge; and a poolside terrace where guests can sip cocktails and chill out on daybeds. There are also outdoor VIP terraces for private bookings.

  At a glance, Ku De Ta's circular Sky Bar resembles Bangkok's famous rooftop Sky Bar at Sirocco restaurant at The Dome at Lebua Hotel.

  But a Ku De Ta spokesman says: 'It's an original design and it's a compliment if guests find similarities to the bar in Bangkok as it is an amazing venue.' Hong Kong-based Positive Partnership is behind Ku De Ta's chic, contemporary look.

  While Ku De Ta seeks to draw the sophisticated set, Mr Segall was quick to emphasise that the restaurant will not charge skyhigh prices and its atmosphere is nothing like a stuffy fine-dining eatery.

  He says: 'I don't believe that people should pay high prices to enjoy a meal. It is communal-style dining where the portions are small, so we encourage people to come in groups to savour different dishes.' An average meal will range between $150 and $180 a person.

  Guests have to pay a club cover-charge from 10pm over the counter at the hotel lobby at Tower 3. Entry is free for diners heading to the restaurant. Visitors who pay $20 to enter the SkyPark will not have access to Ku De Ta.

  The club will transform from a chill-out bar-lounge playing groovy tunes when it opens from 3pm to a dance club playing hard-hitting electronic dance tracks as the night progresses.

  If you feel like sipping champagne, you can pick from a list of more than 40, including rare vintages, says Mr Buonavoglia, 28, who was the former head sommelier at London's Michelin-starred Hakkasan.

  Although Ku De Ta is located at a tourist attraction, Mr Segall wants to attract Singaporeans as well.

  He says: 'Singapore has a vibrant dining and clubbing scene and we want locals to experience what Ku De Ta has to offer, especially those who have heard of the brand but have yet to visit it.'

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