Botanico and Bee's Knees at The Garage @ Botanic Gardens
Botanico – nestled in lush greenery and inscribed as a UNESCO world heritage; as well as having a 9 World Gourmet Summit win as Rising Chef of the Year (Female) Chef Sue as its new head chef. Chef Sue and team brings forth pristine flavours and experiences to the kitchen and to the table focusing on Southeast Asian flavours. The new offerings are inspired by Chef Sue and her team’s pride in their diverse South East Asian heritage that are curated with utmost care and dedication.
Start things off with Chef's Sue's Southeast Asian interpretation of "Tacos" ($18), served on a platter so you can customise your own "Taco" creation. The platter comprises of fresh bok choy leaves, zesty jicama slaw, and meticulously prepared tender beef tongue that has been brined, sous-vide, and seared, served with a dollop of housemade creamy cashew spread. There is also an option of Kurobuta Pork Belly for diners that do not consume beef.
Find yourselves immersed in this deconstructed classic Indian snack – The Corn Panipuri (3pcs; $10) are puffed little pillows of Indian-inspired puri pastry, filled with an espuma of bold curried Japanese corn, as well as spiced baby corn. It is then brushed lightly with buttery corn foam, gently spiced with French vadouvan and dusted with curry powder. I'd definitely recommend eating the Corn Panipuri as soon as it arrives and in one mouthful for the best experience as the pastry does get soaked up by the liquid pretty quickly.
A remarkable appetiser that left a lasting impression was the Wing Bean Salad ($15). The newly introduced dish comprises of thinly sliced raw wing beans, accompanied with cubes of housemade chickpea tofu, chopped hard-boiled free range egg, and thin slices of bird’s eye chilli; tossed with a smooth lime aioli and a tangy dressing made of lime juice, lemongrass, fish sauce, belacan, and Thai palm sugar. It is then finished with a generous garnish of crunchy deep-fried ikan bilis for an added crunch factor.
New mains on the menu include a modern twist on the Classic Chinese “Herbal Chicken” ($29). Savour in this modern classic dish that uses tender sous-vide chicken breast, topped with melted comté cheese; served alongside ginger-garlic flavoured quinoa, crispy deep-fried kale, and finally served with a smooth and flavourful Herbal sauce. The sauce is made from rich and nutritious chicken broth, Danggui (Angelica), Huaishan (Chinese yam), Yuzhu (Solomon’s Seal) and Chinese red dates that has been reduced, resulting in an intense flavour.
Seafood aficionados may find a palatable experience filled with familiar Nyonya elements from the "Assam Pedas" Snapper ($32) that is grilled on a fragrant banana leaf, complemented with saffron risotto, okra cooked 2-ways, assam pedas and ginger flower.
Another interesting, unforgettable umami-rich dish was the Crab Rissoni ($32) – Small rice-shaped pasta is cooked with Japanese nori, served with a generous mix of sweet deep-sea red crab and blue swimmers crab meat, creamy comté, then garnished with freshly cured and shaved octopus bottarga.
Finally, we had The BGR ($12) for dessert, inspired by the elements of rice. Featured in The BGR are black glutinous rice, black glutinous rice foam, and cubes of black glutinous rice cake, served with scoops of nutty and fragrant toasted rice ice cream.
A dessert worthy of packing calories on is Botanico's Ondeh-Ondeh ($12), a staple Southeast Asian dessert here in Singapore and Malaysia. Chef Sue's twist to this classic rendition consists of velvety coconut foam, fragrant kaya ice cream, and bouncy pandan infused glutinous rice cakes. It is drizzled gula melaka syrup, which enhances the dish with a hint of earthy sweetness.
Like its sister restaurant, Bee’s Knees was inspired by the Gardens–by the herbs and spices grown where The Garage sits. Bee's Knees was conceived as a space for friends and families to relax and socialise while enjoying the soothing sound of nature.
New offerings at Bee's Knees like the Spicy Duck Loaded Fries ($17) makes a great starter to share. The aforementioned consist of a generous serving of golden thick-cut fries, drizzled with mayonnaise, mozzarella and an all-important Sriracha cream that adds a nice hint heat. With that, a handful of savoury smoked duck chunks are layered across, then finally garnished with finely sliced scallions.
A gather at Bee’s Knees is not complete without the New York-style pizzas. The pizzas here uses specially made dough that holds a crispy, crusty exterior and an airy, fluffy interior. For those who adores seafood should opt for the Fiery Shrimp Pizza ($30) which uses a squid ink garlic aioli and fresh tiger prawns, and is further elevated with a subtle spice of chilli dressing made of palm sugar,chilli, garlic, lime juice and coriander.
Last but not least, The Garage is also having exciting Christmas promotion and offers that is ongoing now and can be viewed here.
The Garage
Address: 50 Cluny Park Road Singapore Botanic Gardens Singapore 257488
Website: www.thegarage.sg
Operating Details:-
Botanico: Tues to Fri : 6pm to 10pm
Sat & Sun : 11am to 3pm6pm to 10pm
Bee’s Knees: Daily: 8am to 10pm
Email:-
Botanico: reservation@thegarage.sg
Bee’s Knees: beesknees@thegarage.sg
Contact:-
Botanico: +65 9831 1106
Bee’s Knees: +65 9815 3213