TOUCH THE SKY

Sarissa Rodriguez-Schwartz, co-founder of hospitality powerhouse SJS Group, is the lone woman at the Centre of the Universe (COTU), a regional first-of-its-kind multi-concept entertainment beacon.

- INDRAN PARAMASIVAM

SINGAPORE IS A LAND OF PLENTY, with a plethora of entertainment and nightlife options. Venues, whether secret and shrouded or gleamingly opulent, have sprung up to cater to an audience more discerning than it ever was, and more certain of slaking its thirst for curated thrills than before. Since her arrival in Singapore in 2011, Sarissa Rodriguez-Schwartz has steered the pulse of the scene. She opened the ever-buzzing cocktail fount Employees Only, the string of Papi’s Tacos taqueria temples, and the high-energy big-room Bang Bang, to name some.

Now, she, her partners, and shareholders beckon us to COTU. The five-in-one mega-concept marks a progressive refinement of all the categories that make up the twinned platonic ideals of entertainment and nightlife.

With Little Birdie (an experiential cocktail bar), Enso Steakhouse (modern Japanese grill), Whisper Room (live entertainment cocktail bar), Dashi Go Go (a boutique ultra lounge), and Dashi Sky Pool, all emanating their charms from the the totality that is COTU, Sarissa is confident the Singaporean nightscape now twinkles with an added brilliance.

How does it feel to be on the cusp of opening the doors to such a historical project?