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34
thesundaytimes November 18 2012
Nature on the menu
Sylvia Tan says it is cool to dine in restaurants where you can hear birds chirping among the bushes and plants
NATURE is never far away in Singapore.
It is something we forget, living mostly
in the urban heart of the city, even if it is
beautifully landscaped everywhere.
But visiting Eco Gourmet Café right
in the heart of Labrador nature reserve
at Pasir Panjang reminded me of how
close to the jungle we are.
Here you can dine in a cantilevered
pavilion, cooled suitably by ceiling
fans, positioned just above wild tropical
greenery, lush with creepers and
palms, thick with undergrowth
and ferns underfoot.
And if you
pay atten-
tion, you can even hear the sounds of the
forest: the crickets, the birds and the frogs…
The approach to the restaurant prepares you for this unexpected experience, at least for urbanites.
On the ground at the entrance, there
is a swathe of small pots holding candles,
which make quite a display at night. The
gentle sound of falling water greets you,
coming from the row of fountain urns on
either side of the entrance.
The owners of this restaurant, Samadhi Retreats, are
experts at taking advantage of tropical
scenery for they
also own boutique hotels and awardwinning restaurants in Malaysia.
Sipping our suitably tropical cocktail of
vodka with lemongrass before lunch, we
peruse the menu designed by Chef Thiti
Thammanatr. He offers classic European
dishes but with fusion touches.
We finally sit down to a meal that has
clever touches of Asia, such as a seared
tuna tataki, marinated in a ginger vinegar syrup, and a roasted sea bass loin,
bathed in a salted egg yolk cream.
We particularly loved his wonderfully moist pork chop, which came with
traditional accompaniments of braised
red cabbage and apple compote but also
with an intriguing chamomile chutney.
And who would not like a molten
chocolate cake served with coconut gelato or a port wine poached pear, artfully
topped with the same wine, this time
made into a jelly, sitting on a slice of
lemon marscapone parfait, our dessert
choices that day. You could sit here all
day just contemplating your navel with
such views and after such a meal.
Eco Gourmet Café is located at
30 Labrador Villa Road, Singapore
119189. Call 6479-8885 for
reservations. From now till
Dec 31, 2012, Citibank
Cardmembers enjoy 15% off
a la carte lunch and dinner food
bill from Monday to Thursday.
By the reservoir
Seared sea bass bathed in a salted egg yolk cream (top)
and grilled pork chop with red cabbage, apple chutney
and chamomile chutney (right).
Published and printed by Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Co. Regn. No. 198402868E.
Wawawa Bistro By The Reservoir is also steps away from a
large body of water, sited in a
vast expanse of green.
It is sited within a park
built around Bedok Reservoir,
which is visited by exercise
enthusiasts even at night. And
why not, when they can catch
the sunset as well as the lights
A trio of bite-size
burgers that came
pink in the centre,
with melted
cheese on top and
smothered in a
toothsome sauce
and dessert from
Wawawa Bistro.
PHOTOS: SYLVIA TAN,
WAWAWA BISTRO
of the flats nearby, prettily reflected in the
water when night falls?
Bistro owner Chiam Wee Leong says,
families and couples turn up for dinner,
and younger folk drop in for drinks later
in the night. The food is suitably casual
and familiar: Who would not like ribs,
burgers, pasta or pizza, especially with
kids in tow?
Especially the mini-burgers we had.
This was a trio of bite-size burgers that
came pink in the centre, with melted
cheese on top and smothered in a toothsome sauce. A small pile of salad sat in
the corner and some flavourful fries,
tossed not with plain salt but with seasoned salt, that made a tasty difference.
A massive side of glazed barbecued
ribs came next, with the meat surprisingly tender and juicy, and yes, more
salad and fries. A pile of creamy coleslaw
delivered fresh crunch.
Sweet and savoury, the kids especially will love these ribs, while the next
dish was for adults. It was a whole pork
knuckle, fried till crisp but with meat
still easily forked off.
You eat it with a smear of mustard or
chilli mayonnaise to balance the meaty
flavours. And since this is a dish of German origin, there is sauerkraut to cut
through the richness.
Indeed, there are German touches
to the menu, taking inspiration from a
massive artwork from the Berlin Wall.
Beside the pork knuckle, there was
also an intriguing sauerkraut bacon onion soup, seared salmon with a creamy
German apple sauce and German pancakes with mixed berries, part of the
brunch menu.
According to Mr Chiam, the place is
buzzing for brunch on weekends when
the bistro offers a small but concise
menu of eggs Benedict, ham and cheese
sandwich and English breakfast of bacon, eggs and yum, fried mushrooms.
And why not? This is a lovely place
to spend a lazy Sunday, tucking into the
comfort food offered and enjoying the
water views afforded by the reservoir.
Like I said, nature is never too far away
in Singapore.
Wawawa Bistro By The Reservoir
is located at 901 Bedok Reservoir
Road, Singapore 479266. Call 62858038 for reservations. From now till
Jan 31, 2013. Citibank Cardmembers
receive a $20 return voucher with
minimum spend of $40.
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