Consider having your next business retreat at these new multi-concept restaurants that come with all the right fixings.
Tucked away on a tree-lined road and amid a cluster of charming black and white bungalows, The Summerhouse could easily be mistaken for an idyllic hideaway in the English countryside. Until the humidity sets in and you realise this sprawling property – all 1.18 million sq ft – is the latest addition to the aerospace park surrounding the former Seletar Airbase.
It has a garden, patisserie/cafe and florist on ground level, and a restaurantbar on the upper floor. Consider the airconditioned venue, with total capacity of 460, for your next business retreat – if you’re looking for a place that doesn’t require your staff boarding a plane.
So, besides getting fresh flowers and sweet treats on the table, companies who book the venue for a corporate do will also have access to meeting essentials like projectors, screens, a solid sound system and plenty of writing materials. The layout of the venue furniture can be customised accordingly as well, which means The Summerhouse can also double as an art gallery or a seminar room, depending on what the customer wants.
More than just
sweet treats and
fresh fl owers, The
Summerhouse
also offers
essentials like
projectors and
sound systems
to meet your
business needs.
Its restaurant has
its own edible
garden.
To be sure, more restaurants are turning into multi-concept spaces. FOC Sentosa, for instance, is another that marries good food with entertainment. The restaurant opened late last year along Tanjong Beach Walk, with the idea of bringing Barcelonian beachside culture to Singapore.
“We are also looking to fill a gap in the market with a purpose-built multifunctional venue on the beach that can cater for corporate off-sites, weddings, and team-building activities,” says a representative from FOC Restaurant Group.
At FOC Sentosa, guests have access to a pool deck and lounge, bar, and a private dining room on the second floor that is furnished with projectors and screens. The various break-out areas provide for endless possibilities when planning for events, from meetings to product launches and mega parties that can spill over to the beach.
But, if a 30-minute drive from town to either place seems like too much hassle, VLV at Clarke Quay is another multi-concept venue in a more central location. At the historic River House (formerly Indochine Group’s restaurant-bar Forbidden City) is a 140-seater modern Chinese restaurant that serves luxe offerings such as Canadian lobster wonton, a lounge, and an outdoor riverfront dining space. It is owned by chief executive Dolores Au, who used to head global branding for the Ku De Ta club, now known as Ce La Vi, at Marina Bay Sands.
“We have had guests use our space as discussion rooms. These were largely casual, round-table discussions,” says Jessica Loo, senior manager of marketing communications at VLV. “It’s a great opportunity to take meetings to a more informal space which could be conducive to more creative and productive sessions,” she says.
And, in case you’re wondering, free Wi-Fi is always a given.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
These three venues might check all the boxes when it comes to business essentials, but how does the food measure up? We find out.
THE SUMMERHOUSE
With chef Florian Ridder (formerly from one Michelin star Alma at Goodwood Park Hotel) helming the kitchen, expect simple produce elevated by refined techniques. Many ingredients here are sourced locally as much as possible, with garnishes coming from the restaurant’s edible garden. Goes well with a wide selection of freshly pressed juices.
3 Park Lane.
FOC SENTOSA
If there is a sure way to bring the intensity of a business meeting down a notch, it’s introducing childhood favourites like fish and chips to snack on while brainstorming. And FOC Sentosa does a delicious version. The fish and chips here is made with tender, flaky sea bass coated in a light, crisp batter, served with elegantly thin slices of potatoes.
110 Tanjong Beach Walk.
VLV
Depending on the time of day for your meeting, the menu here could go from dim sum during tea to a set lunch with restaurant signatures like General Tso’s chicken with fried rice. For large-scale functions, there are bite-sized items like chicken rice sushi and house-made carrot cake that make mingling easy.
#01-02, 3A River Valley Road.
