Ola Cocina del Mar: Spanish delicacies in the heart of the CBD

PUBLISHED November 26th, 2013 12:52 am | UPDATED June 1st, 2016 01:26 pm

Hello, hello, well I suppose I should say ‘ola’ as we’re talking about the cuisine of España after all. Or Ola Cocina to paint the full picture.

After the tragic death of Santi, and then a year later, his restaurant at Marina Bay Sands, head Chef Daniel Chavez, decided to try out on his own and open his own casual dining Spanish restaurant at Marina Bay Financial Centre.

I’ll say upfront that I don’t think the homely and welcoming restaurant is suited to the enormous corporate setting that is MBFC. Having said, entering Ola Cocina Del Mar provides something of a refuge from the banking surrounding.

When I say welcoming, it’s not just because of the interior design. From start to finish on my evening visit to Ola, the service was not just impeccable, but phenomenally friendly yet not intrusive.

Starting out with a couple of glasses of quite pleasant Cava, we were treated to some complimentary tapas (part of their happy hour deal), however it was Ola’s Gazpacho ($8) which set me in the mood for the rest of the meal. Creamy, slightly spicy, smooth and delicious.

The other dishes we tried were all good, the Peruvian ceviche ($25), while not really being a ‘Spanish’ dish per se was extraordinary. This rendition done in a soupy, tomatoey marinade which just gave a phenomenal flavour profile to the raw fish. The texture of the fish was luscious, having been marinated in a rather surprising sour tomato marinade. It was so good, I ended up slurping up the excess juices.

However the absolute gem of the meal, was the Arroz Negro ($40), a cuttlefish inked paella rice dish. Aside from an extraordinary taste, I just loved the textural juxtaposition; crispy, slightly burnt rice to scrape off the side of dish, blended with soft succulent pieces in its centre. Magic. Oh, and let’s not forget the tender, salty, crispy calamaris decorating the top of the dish. Excellent.

Whilst I’m not a huge fan of its location, Ola Cocina Del Mar has proven to be well worth the journey into the labyrinth that is Marina Bay Financial Centre, dishing out a tasty mixture of authentic and contemporary Spanish delicacies. Of course, if you’re working in Marina Bay, this should be top of your go-to list.

Ola Cocina del Mar is located at Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 3, #01-06 12 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018982.