Botanico At The Summerhouse Review: Popular Botanic Gardens Restaurant Moves To Seletar

The latter of late moved to a heritage building in Seletar and reopened its doors as Botanico at The Summerhouse , an Asian-inspired restaurant with a focus on grilled dishes. Roia Review: New Modern French Restaurant By Award-Winning Chef In Botanic Gardens Food at Botanico at The Summerhouse Expect an entirely new menu highlighting Asian flavours, with innovative sharing plates. There’s the Foie Gras Kaya Toast ($12++) , where house-made foie gras kaya and a thick slab of cold butter are sandwiched by char-grilled brioche toast.

While I appreciated how generous they were with the butter, I felt that the foie gras-infused kaya was a tad too rich for my liking. This cold salad was light with the right balance of sweetness and umami, perfect for starting any meal. Another appetising starter worth trying is the Asian Ceviche ($24++) , great to share among the table.

You get to DIY your snack; take a steamed Chinese bun and pile it with heaps of fatty Japanese Wagyu beef strips. The beef slices were tender enough, but I found the bulgogi sauce a tad too jelak, close to competing with the Wagyu’s richness.

Surprisingly, I found myself reaching out for the Sichuan Boiled Fish ($65++) more than I’d anticipated. Taking inspiration from the spicy grilled fish dish popularised in Chengdu, this gets you a whole seasonal fish sitting atop a medley of veggies. The fish is doused in a punchy Sichuan peppercorn mala sauce that’s, surprisingly, not too spicy or numbing.

Pair this protein with a bowl of Butterfly Blue Pea Pandan Rice ($6++) , which toned down the heat of the mala gravy and paired excellently with the tender fish meat. At this new establishment, you’ll find it in the form of the Wood-Fired Grilled Duck ($34++) . The herbal notes of the angelica sauce contrasted well against the sweetness of the baby leeks, while the grilled duck was fork-tender.

I had no faults with this dish, except that it was pretty pricey for the portion—you’re paying $40 for one duck leg! Dinner came to an end with the restaurant’s version of Min Jiang Kueh ($18++) , which I preferred over the Ginger Flower Panna Cotta ($16++) . Here’s a pro tip: before dinner, head down to the on-site garden to explore its gorgeous surroundings and glass domes that are available for booking with a minimum spend!

Botanico at The Summerhouse’s ulu location adds to its charm, though it’s inconvenient to get to by public transport. The verdict If you’re looking for an intimate date-night venue to impress your special half, Botanico at The Summerhouse is worth a visit.

Address: 3 Park Lane, Level 2, The Summerhouse, Singapore 798387 Opening hours: Wed-Fri 6pm to 10:30pm, Sat-Sun 11:30am to 3pm, 6pm to 10:30pm Tel: 8809 5840 Website Botanico at The Summerhouse is not a halal-certified eatery. This was a media tasting at Botanico at The Summerhouse.