Dining at Corner House can be defined as a Singaporean experience. The reasons: this restaurant is located in the heart of Singapore's World heritage site, and the chef is a local one who incorporates local influences into European cuisine. Now it is obvious how the title of this post came about. In fact, I had been wanting to visit this restaurant since the first Michelin Guide for Singapore had been revealed. I had dined in quite a number of "not Michelin Star restaurant then but it is now" restaurants, but not counting in Osia—my regular haunt, this is the first Michelin Star restaurant I visited after the guide was out. And I was not disappointed.
Location wise, this restaurant takes the top spot in Singapore. On our way from the carpark to the restaurant nested in lush greenery, we are constantly surrounded by beautiful tropical flora of different kinds. I consider the journey through Botanic Gardens part of the dining experience, and this is a good start. The entire restaurant is seeped in Old World charm, from the exterior, the staircase to the casement windows. And when stepping into veranda, we are treated to the amazing panoramic view of the dense greenery surrounding the restaurant. In Singapore, the concrete jungle, the sight of such verdure is so refreshing and awe-inspiring. In fact, no fanciest building can compete with the beauty of nature when it comes to the feast for eyes.
Basking in such wonderful ambience, we find it so easy to truly indulge in the goodness of the freshly baked, warm croissants. The numerous thin layers of dough is so crispy, and every bite yields the homely aroma of homemade bread. We would prefer to have French butter to go with these croissants, but the homemade jam, which is not too sweet, does very well to complement the bread. The molten chocolate in the chocolate croissant makes the bread taste so heavenly with its rich flavours of cocoa butter and toasted nuts. While the croissants are absolutely delightful to tuck into, the French loaf is the weak link since it is too rock hard, making it a challenge to finish the bread.
Though we have no time on dwell on that loaf when the mouth-watering assiette of appetizers are served. I love how pine nuts, a scattering of Parmesan cheese, a splash of chef's concocted light sauce and crisp, fresh vegetables are combined to create a salad that tastes like no other salads and features multitude of flavours. The little balls of fish coated in batter is reminiscent of the fish n chips Singaporeans are familiar with. But of course, the ones here are far more flavourful and have better texture due to use of choice fish and soufflé-like batter.
The huge slab of foie gras is incredibly creamy, yet not oily, and the grapefruit served with them adds that bit of subtle zest and a lace of bitterness to balance the creaminess. The generous serving of duck rilette is packed with intense flavours, and the texture is very smooth. This is so good that it can be eaten on its own or used as spread.
62 degrees farm egg is toned down in taste with butter squash, and sprinkles of truffle, bacon and wild rice—all of which are earthy in taste. It is like the comfort food that one will like.
Egg Benedict is the more flamboyant version of the egg dishes. The tangy Vin Jaune hollandaise sauce, smoked salmon and spoonfuls of tobiko—flying fish roe introduced strong and exciting flavours to the beautifully set egg that holds a runny yolk. One ingredient I must call out is the rice cracker. The wholesome aroma of the rice is so pronounced in the cracker. Plus the crispy texture, this is one excellent artisanal cracker that I cannot get enough of.
The main course continues the great momentum the croissants, appetizers and eggs have generated. With his Singaporean, or should I say, East Asian roots, the chef knows how to prepare the fishes to eliminate the fishy smell while bringing out inherent flavours of the sea sealed in the pliable, creamy flesh of Atlantic cod. The lightly seared surface of the fish retains the soft texture of the fish and adds a hint of the aroma of grilled seafood. And paired with the salty squid ink, this is fish very well-done.
The Obsiblue prawn that goes with the cod deserves a paragraph dedicated to it. This is most probably the best prawn I ever have. Partially cooked, the flesh of the prawn has the perfect firmness—firm enough for a good bite while soft enough for the flavours to be released soon after tucking into it. It is absolutely saturated with the sweet flavours of the ocean, nuts, butter and brine. No other prawn can come close, for now.
This restaurant exceeds my expectations by getting the desserts absolutely right also. Speculoos not only looks pretty, it tastes delightful also. The milk roll is blissfully creamy, completed with nuanced fragrance of vanilla. And it goes very well with the snack bar-like chocolate. The dollops of milk chocolate cream and caramel all taste good on their own and do great when savoured together. And the mandarin orange sorbet refreshes the palate in between bites of the rich chocolate.
My interpretation of Kaya Toast is specially prepared for my guy since he has intolerance towards peanuts, and I am glad to be able to get a taste of this very Singaporean dessert, dished out in European style. The gula melaka foam, the well-set cylindrical cream of coconut and pandan simply burst with strong nonya flavours. As a fan of nonya cakes—I love the milky, nutty taste of coconut, the sweet smell of pandan and the unique smoky caramel flavour of gula melaka—this dessert definitely get the thumbs up from me. The best part is every component of the dessert is added in moderation instead of overwhelming the senses with truckloads of them, so we can appreciate every bit of it. The pineapple sorbet is like the mandarin orange sorbet, refreshing and mildly tangy—one of the few sorbets that impress us.
Service is wonderful because the friendly, professional staffs really make the effort to accommodate to our dietary restrictions. If I need to nit-pick, it will be the lack of warmth in the demeanour of the manager.
While I have raved about the setting of the restaurant, I do find that my dining experience is somewhat marred by a group of loud ladies at the table beside us. Due to the layout of the place, we feel like their voices are being blasted into our ears. I can catch every single detail of their conversation, and frankly speaking, I do not wish to know at all. On the hindsight, we should have requested to change tables. So for a quiet and enjoyable experience, which you wish to indulge in with that special someone, opt for the private room. Do take note that the charges are higher. Alternatively, hope for the best.
Despite this gripe, I still love this place. The food aims to please instead of dazzling one's taste buds. I do find that the chef tends to play it safe when it comes to experimenting with different tastes. What I appreciate about this place is that the standard across the different courses is consistent. I love to go back again to enjoy the food and scenery.
My Thoughts: Awesome!
Nearest car park: Car park A or B near Nassim Gate
Nearest MRT: Botanic Gardens
1 Cluny Road
Singapore Botanic Gardens
EJH Corner House
Contact No: 64691000
