Flutes at the National Museum, Singapore

On a previous trip to Singapore I remember loving Flutes at the Fort, so on my most recent visit I decided to book it again. I had my whole family with me, and I was looking forward to the laid back atmosphere of the Queenslander style building I'd enjoyed so much before. We had my niece with us, who is just under 18 months old, so a relaxed lunch with a nice outdoor area was going to be perfect.

Taking the taxi to Flutes, I started getting the impression that I was headed to a slightly different place. After walking around the museum, and through the gift shop, I found out to my surprise that I'd booked a different restaurant all-together to what I was expecting. At the time I wasn't sure the story here - whether Flutes moved, or whether there are now 2 Flutes.... As it turns out, the restaurant moved locations in 2013 as a way of 'coming out' as a hidden treasure. We happily sat down in a beautiful white space and proceeded to enjoy a great afternoon!

The Singapore National Museum is a charming colonial-style building which has been lovingly modernised, sitting in the hillside of Fort Canning. The high ceilings, modern lighting and white walls make the whole place feel majestic and historically significant, yet uncluttered. Flutes has a wonderful mix of modern and classic, with unique colourful artwork, crisp white linen and french style cabinetry. The dining hall is flooded with light, and backs onto a floral courtyard (very handy when baby needed some chill-out time to fall asleep!)

We ordered champagne to celebrate (by the bottle - the per-head brunch special is $90SGD for all you can drink! Too rich for me.... and potentially too much champers :-)) and all settled in to select our 3 course set lunches. I started with a light salad and then a pasta dish. They were light and tasty - perfect for lunch. We finished with a desert platter for the table to share. A celebration for my graduation.... lucky girl am I.

The lunch was very nice, however didn't leave a lasting impression of innovation or flavour. Good food done well, and a beautiful atmosphere. We may need to try dinner again to enjoy all the pleasures Flutes has to offer.

Add: The National Museum of Singapore, 93 Stamford Rd
Tel: +65 6338 8770
Web: http://www.flutes.com.sg

Tamarind Hill, Singapore

This is one of the best experiences I've had in Singapore.

The best thing about Tamarind Hill... the food, decor and hospitality are all impeccable, but the DESERT was my favourite. More on that to come...

The most troubling thing about Tamarind Hill: finding the place! I made the mistake of catching the MTR to the Labrador station - it looks pretty close on the map! However after walking around for a while, making a few calls to my Husband who was already sitting there waiting for me (he had caught an Uber taxi there, and he and the driver had also explored the area for a while before getting lucky). I finally asked some taxi drivers who were standing around - they didn't know where it was, but they were convinced it wasn't walking distance, so I jumped in the cab with one of them and we went hunting for my dinner. At first he dropped me off at the back kitchen door (where I was refused entrance :-)) so he kindly drove me another 40 meters or so around the front, and then watched me walk inside before he drove off. It really was a strange experience getting there, but as soon as I stepped inside it was all worth it.

Tamarind Hill is an old colonial building, with extensive verandahs and an impressive central bar with piqued roof. Everything is white with small details and quirks to be found around every corner. The beautiful hardwood floors creak with each step, and the law lighting creates a perfectly ambient mood. The lemongrass cocktail waiting for me on arrival was the perfect welcome before we moved out to sit on the wide verandah and enjoy the Singapore breeze.

The vegetarian menu was quite extensive. There was a page of options, all Thai curry style, and beautifully presented. We stared with rice paper rolls with apple and mint. These were fresh, and I'd say just fine. The menu description had my mouth watering for them, but actually without the sweet chilli they would have been left wanting. But we had a treat in store for our mains.

Lush green beans, chunky tofu and creamy curry never go amiss in my books! We enjoyed a red and a green curry, served with garlic rice and a beautiful white wine. We ate Chinese style, from shared bowls across pressed white linen napery, and the hostess was readily on hand to replenish our fresh rice stocks. Even seeing these photos again takes me back to the warm embrace of the food coma that I was enjoying - not because we were too full or the food was too heavy, but simply because the aromas lulled me into a mid-week relax. Tamarind Hill is known for its beautiful spas around the region too, with a new location opening in Singapore soon. Simply sitting on that wonderful verandah, drinking in the atmosphere and enjoying the subtle spices gave me a sense that this team takes relaxation seriously, down to every little design detail.

Bust as mentioned, desert was the final touch on an already fantastic evening. We ordered a mango dish which was nice, but by comparison to the pink diamond, it simply didn't stand up. I ordered the pink diamond mostly because of the name to be honest, and I was happily surprised to find out that it's a small pink fruit, which I'd describe as a mix between a lychee and a water chestnut. It has crunch and sweetness, and left Mr Lamb and I politely elbowing each other out of the little cup it was served in. 

Once you know where you're going, Tamarind Hill is simply one of the best dining experiences in Singapore. The waitstaff were personal, invisible at all the right times, and had a casualness to them which made the whole concept feel real. I'll certainly be going again - a new favourite, and with so many cousin restaurants around asia to visit too!

Add: 30 Labrador Villa Rd, Singapore

Tel: +65 6278 6364

Web: http://www.tamarindrestaurants.com/tamarind-hill-singapore.html 

The China Club, Singapore

Having tried The China Club in Hong Kong, I was interested to see what the modern high-rise version in Singapore had to offer! We were invited along for an INSEAD dinner with a big group, all intent on speaking about that days lecture topics - plenty of Freud, transference, and acid trips to discuss. The conversation was whole hearted and we had the makings of a really fun night.

The decore is very similar between the two restaurants in Hong Kong and Singapore, with lots of dark woods alcoves, and Chinoisery.

The meal was served chinese degustation style, with more than 7 courses, and all creatively presented. Being that many of my INSEAD colleagues are either from India, or of Muslim faith and not eating pork, there are quite a few non meat eaters among us. It's really nice not to be such a novelty in this company! We could all veggie enjoy the creations together.

The food at The China Club was ever-changing and very tasty, with a variety of soups and braised vegetables. The presentation was bright but had some nice quirks and modern plating. We sat at big round banquet tables, and the whole space was filled with noise a clatter, almost as if our laughter was bouncing off the highly laquered furniture. This is a great way to eat Chinese!

I can fully reccommend the Singapore cousin of The China Club. It has all the charm of it's Hong Kong counterpart, and the food is just as creative and beautifully presented. In every seat you feel like you're among friends in a private dining room, and the waitstaff move like ghosts around the party, making every comfort, with a little more tea here and a swift plate change there. Great hosts, and a classic Chinese setting.

Add: 168 Robinson Rd  Singapore 068912
PH: +65 6820 2388
Web: http://www.chinaclub.com.sg/

Eco Gourmet Cafe, Singapore

If you've seen any of my previous posts, you'll know that I go back and forth to Singapore fairly often. I was never too impressed by the food, which I found to be pretty generic and expensive (especially wine!) but now when I go I find at least one new great place each time. In a country known for it's Malay/Indian/Chinese food courts (which are rich in their own right, depending on what you're after), I'm coming to understand that there's also a wealth of international restaurants on offer too. Each visit gives me another reason to be wowed!

Eco Gormet Cafe has the feel of an outdoor, spa style restaurant. The dining room is open air, looking out into a curtain of leaves, and all you can hear is the sound of bubbling water in the fountains out front. You can't help but immediately feel like you should be relaxing as soon as you arrive. You're handed a drink in the lounge area, and then move through to the airy dining hall. It's a great space and I can imagine having a party here - plenty of room for mingling, and it feels so secluded. I really like their style, which has a south east asian feel, but they have chosen the location so well that it feels unique.

Eco touts itself as an Asian Fusion / European (French/Italian) restaurant. To me, that means a bit of everything. I started out with a bowl of soup which was nice and simple, and then moved on to a lettuce parcel, which might have been a mistake. In my small opinion, lettuce shouldn't be served hot. I know this is a personal thing, and I'm not sure where I picked it up from. Perhaps as a salad eater, I have cold lettuce engrained in my expectations. Anyway, this lettuce was hot and a bit soggy. Fine - we moved on again. I was starving by this stage.

The 3rd course was a vegeatble lasagne. It was plated nicely, but had a lot of zucchini and became watery and bland. Overall I felt a bit let down. The atmosphere was so promising, and yet the food really didn't live up. The veggie food didn't anyway. I think my colleagues eating steak and fish were having a fine time. The waiters hovering around us were insecure and hesitant, which didn't set us at ease at all. The bar staff seemed great, so I think they were just training up some new waiters.

I remember desert was something bizzare, with a strange unexpected taste. I wish I could remember it. I don't. It would have been worth writing up, but not for the right reasons I suppose. Agh... more bad things to say. What am I thinking doing so much complaining! I guess it just goes to show so many great places put their best foot forward with meat, and alcohol, and then put little effrort into the rest! Well... I am the rest.

So, not my favourite place in Singapore, but they get my points of decore and for supporting Earth Hour!

Add: 30 Labrador Villa Road  Singapore 119189
PH: +65 6270 1868 
Web: https://www.facebook.com/ECO.Gourmet.Cafe