A restaurant in a tree, a sprawling outdoor satay club and fine-dining in a cooled dome amid plants from the semi-arid Mediterranean region.

The Gardens by the Bay (GB) attraction plans to use food to entice visitors to view its exhibits, and will have 18 outlets in unusual settings when the first phase opens in November next year.

Among the spaces on offer is a 431sq m - about the size of one and a half tennis courts - restaurant bar at the peak of a 50m-high Supertree, a tree-like architectural structure with a concrete core.

Another is a 1,350 sq m space by the waterfront for a mass casual dining area. The aim is to recreate the atmosphere of the old Satay Club, which was demolished to make way for The Esplanade. Others include a two-storey fine-dining restaurant within a Mediterranean garden setting, a 700 sq m spa and wellness cafe at the edge of a lake and stand-alone kiosks in high-traffic areas.

GB, one of the so-called necklace of attractions around Marina Bay, is a three-garden attraction that will house more than 2,000 types of plant species from places such as Uruguay, Brazil and Madagascar.

The 101ha space - much larger than the 63ha Botanic Gardens - comprises three plots: the Bay South garden next to Marina Bay Sands, the 32ha Bay East on the western bank of the Marina Barrage, and the 15ha Bay Central Gardens, a 3km waterfront promenade.

Run by the National Parks Board, it is expected to be fully complete in four to five years.

GB's chief executive officer, Dr Tan Wee Kiat, said Singaporeans' love of food meant that food and beverage (F&B) had to be an integral part of the attraction.

'In order for Singaporeans to enjoy the gardens... we need to have good F&B,' said Dr Tan. 'My personal preference is that it has got to be local food, local food that is high-quality.' He added that much of the F&B space will be reserved for such fare.

GB is now looking for operators and plans to call a tender in September.

Meanwhile, its leasing agent Knight Frank has met interested parties both here and overseas, and expects to lock down tenants - who are likely to sign three-year leases, renewable up to 2014 - by early next year.

F&B operators contacted were excited about the new spaces on offer.

The Les Amis Group, which owns 15 restaurants in Singapore, including the high-end Les Amis, has met GB representatives and will be handing them a proposal early next year.

Spokesman Raymond Lim said the group was likely to open a more casual restaurant, along the lines of its Italian- style Casa Verde outlets, there. 'We are excited about the prospect of opening there,' said Mr Lim. 'It will definitely be world-class and we want to be part it.'

The owner of Ya Kun Kaya Toast, Mr Adrin Loi, said the chain will bid for a spot, most likely a kiosk. 'We are definitely bidding. It will be a tourist attraction and a good way for people to get to know our brand and local food,' said Mr Loi.

Other players like Kopitiam said it is waiting for the tender to 'get a better idea of what is on offer'.

'We want to see what the rental is, the space on offer and the tenure,' said its managing director Alden Tan.

The president of the Restaurant Association of Singapore, however, said many of its 200-plus members are adopting a wait-and-see attitude.

Though they are excited, they are also wary of rental rates, the lease, and other factors such as the manpower available in the industry, said Mr Ang Kiam Meng.

'As it is, a lot of members' expansion plans are being held back by a manpower shortage,' he said, adding that, as it stands, the three-year tenancy period GB is planning to offer is not feasible.

'It will be hard for us to invest so much if it's for such a short time.'

GB will also be putting up five retail spaces for tender before the end of the year for tenants to run souvenir shops and plant retail outlets, among other

things.

Source : The Straits Times © Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Reprinted with permission.