- Vincent Lim
Beast & Butterflies, M Social Singapore
Just around the riverbend, nestled away from the hustle and bustle of Clarke Quay is Beast & Butterflies, a quirky and entertaining dining experience at M Social Singapore.
Photo by Beast & Butterflies
I absolutely love the vibrant and eclectic interior. Books and lava lamps litter countertops, electronic tablets adorn a grey concrete wall displaying images of landscapes, marble table tops that light up from the inside, mismatched upholstery and floor tiles. This restaurant just screams out to my inner child.
Photo by Beast & Butterflies
Its fun interior is only matched by a delectable and eccentric Asian Fusion menu. Separated into two distinctively different types of dishes, one will have you roaring, and the other, fluttering.
If anything else, their Tomato Latté ($9++) was a unique presentation for a dish. With a very light consistency, but still tangy and savoury, especially with the bacon-bits. Drinking it from a cup really messed with my mind but otherwise it’s a delicate starter to whet one's appetite.
Next, the Scallop Carpaccio ($26++) is another light and refreshing dish. The beautifully sliced scallops were so thin it melts in your mouth. The yuzu and sesame oil added a dash of savoury and zesty flavour without overpowering the freshness of the scallops. And I personally loved the crispy fried shallots that added a layer of texture to the dish.
Their Crispy Pork Knuckle ($26++ for half/$36++ for full) will be one of the reasons for your return. Nothing fancy about the the pork knuckle, just a perfectly roasted knuckle with incredibly crispy of skin and succulent, savoury meat that was just divine. Coupled with the two sauces that comes along with it, this dish was whole and complete. Dip into the hoisin sauce for a sweet and salty flavour, or my personal favourite, the nam jin for a dash of spicy.
If you’re looking for a main that’s less indulgent, the Scallion Soy Barramundi ($26++) was magnificently done. Baked with some assorted vegetables, It’s an unpretentious dish that is great if you’re looking for something lighter.
As Rihanna would put it “this is what you came for”, this decadent bowl of Lobster Porridge ($38++) was the bomb dot com. The crab broth in this teochew style porridge was simple yet extremely hearty and fragrant. There really isn’t anything fancy besides its more opulent ingredients which makes it even more amazing that something so simple could be so delicious. My only gripe is that it can be too much of a good thing, the broth was really rich and it can get a little overbearing but nothing a glass of water can’t fix.
The final main of the day was a Szechuan Lamb Steak ($38++). I might have been hoping for a spicier dish when looking at the name but alas only the szechuan peppercorns were used when marinating the lamb. The meat was a little peppery with the numbing effect, which is common in dishes with szechuan peppercorns. The sweet potato and coconut mash actually took me by surprise. The sweet, creamy and starchy combination balanced out the lamb steak really nicely.
And of course we had to end with some desserts. For the first time I couldn’t decide which dessert I liked better.
The Yam Brûlée ($12++) marries two of my favourite desserts into one, so I might just be a little bias. The yam paste itself wasn’t as sweet, but the combination of the caramelised sugar and coconut ice cream gave it the right amount of sweetness it needed.
Chocoholic ($12++) on the other hand combined some of my favourite ingredients in a dessert. A chocolate sphere encases a ball of coconut ice cream over chopped banana and raspberries, and the Malibu chocolate sauce was the icing on the cake. Pouring the Malibu sauce over the chocolate shell and watching it meld everything together into one rich concoction was gratifying, and it wasn’t as sweet as I was expecting it to be. It’s definitely one of my favourite desserts I’ve had in recent memory.
There’s so much about Beast & Butterflies that just excites me. From it’s quirky instagram-able setting, to it delectable menu with it’s own signature stamp, and with decent prices to boot. I would highly recommend Beast & Butterflies if you’re looking for a new place to check out.
Beast & Butterflies
M Social Singapore
90 Robertson Quay
Singapore 238259
Opening Hours:
Daily
Breakfast: 6.00 am to 10.30 am
Lunch: 11.30 am to 2.30 pm
Dinner: 5.00 pm to 10.30 pm
Bar: Open till 1.00am