Eco Gourmet opens at Labrador Park

by Evelyn Chen
inSing.com - 212 days 19 hrs 50 mins ago

Foie gras

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.

Eco Gourmet Cafe at Labrador Nature Reserve

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.

Goat cheese with mesclun greens and caramelised pear

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.