Eco Gourmet Cafe

Every once in a while, I give myself a pat in the back for an exceptional restaurant find. One that possesses a remarkable quality—be it transcendental views, a brilliant chef in the kitchen, first rate service or a cuisine that simply invigorates the palate.

Eco Gourmet Café is one such venue. Tucked away in an atmospheric villa within the idyllic confines of Labrador Nature Reserve, the foliage-fringed 70-seater cafe is as close to jungle dining as one may ever get in Singapore. Think dressed-down Au Jardin minus air-conditioned comfort—a piece of Bali in Singapore, if you will.

And her interior is equally disarming–flickering tea candles ensconced in terracotta pots, gargantuan bell-shaped lamps that overhang the white-swathed lounge and rustic wooden furniture crafted by the Orang Asli community from recycled wood.

With an inspirational setting like this, it’s easy for diners to be lulled into a view-triumph-over-food state. Indeed, the menu of formulaic soups, starters, pastas and mains of grilled and pan-seared meats did, at first, appear staid on paper. But, true to its name, Eco Gourmet Café serves up its gourmet-driven café menu with aplomb—with some Asian accents and Mediterranean twists to boot.

For the perfect meal, don’t miss the Thai-meets-Mediterranean mound of goat’s cheese on a bed of heady tom yam jam alongside mesclun greens and caramelised pear ($19), and the marbled tile of grilled wagyu ribeye ($58) in balsamic shallot and red wine reduction. Equally if not more remarkable are the desserts–just take a spoonful of coconut gelato with fresh mango salad ($12) or a sip of cognac-steeped lychee in a tall glass of red wine with lime sorbet ($16) and you’ll wonder why this bewitching venue with restaurant-quality cuisine has slipped media attention all these months.

If the food and setting fail to lure you, perhaps this will: Eco Gourmet Café’s parent company, Villa Samadhi from Kuala Lumpur, is a member of the prestigious Relais & Châteaux association of hotels and restaurants worldwide. Perhaps this knowledge will erase any doubts you have of its prowess.