Starbucks Reserve at Marina Bay Sands Singapore

Starbucks Reserve Marina Bay Sands Singapore is Starbucks’ new upscale store that features advanced brewing system, an ultra-premium line of coffees, chic furniture and artwork. However, this cafe in Marina Bay Sands (MBS) may be Starbucks’ coolest outlet in Singapore because of its location. This Starbucks Reserve is situated right at the edge of MBS Digital Light Canvas, a unique multi-sensory digital installation which is likely to be the next big thing to spice up the local social media feeds. The jaded patrons of ordinary cafes may well find delight both inside and outside Starbucks Reserve Marina Bay Sands.

The MBS ice-skating rink is gone. In its place is a 14 metre cylindrical light sculpture hanging from the ceiling and a 15 metre diameter circular lighted rink that reacts to movement. The Digital Light Canvas is described as an interactive digital experience where you can be “amazed as shoals of fish gather in the ocean beneath you while crystals light up above, or paint your own calligraphic art with your footsteps as flowers blossom to life”. We saw lots of children having a great time gliding and dancing on the Digital Light Canvas and many happy faces on the young and old.

Starbucks Reserve Marina Bay Sands gives you a ringside view of the Digital Light Canvas. The cafe itself is beautifully decorated. You can choose to sit at the front of the cafe and have a great view of the Digital Light Canvas and see the world go by; or you can sit deep inside the cafe if you prefer a cosy calm space to sip your coffee and forget the world a little bit.

Besides make to order beverages, Starbucks Reserve has a good range of cakes, desserts, pies and sandwiches. There are food for breakfast, lunch or a coffee break and whether you need a light snack or a full meal.

We ordered a latte ($6) and a black coffee ($3.80) together with a Country Chicken Pie and a Turkey Ham ($5.90), Egg White and Cheddar Sandwich($5.90). The pie and sandwich were simply served on plain white plates with no attempt at aesthetic presentation. The food themselves did not look too exciting either. There was also nothing too remarkable about the taste. The pie and sandwich were of decent quality and tasted sort of like homemade stuff prepared by an average homemaker.

Starbucks Reserve Marina Bay Sands might be a place for quality gourmet coffee but if you want gourmet food, look elsewhere. However, if you are happy with a reasonably priced meal of decent quality or just snacks to nibble with a cup of freshly brewed coffee, then the Starbucks cafe Marina Bay Sands may be a good option. There you can also have the bonus of marvelling at the beauty which technology can bring as well as the pleasure kids derived from the simplest of things.