Corner House @ 1 Cluny Rd, Singapore Botanic Gardens

So Singapore's food scene has gotten more exciting with the Michelin Guide being released, and as my blog name suggests, I went around looking for Michelin Star places to try. In particular I was interested in Corner House, with its newly minted one star Michelin, which offers high-end contemporary (but more Western) cuisine. Tucked inside Singapore Botanic Gardens, Corner House is a quaint colonial house that sits amidst the lush greenery. 

Now getting a reservation for your meal is pretty important as ideal slots are harder to come by, especially with Corner House getting its Michelin Star. I unsuccessfully tried to get a Saturday lunch slot for 3 pax about two weeks before the date. Fortunately I managed Friday lunch for two instead. Do note that like other high-end restaurants, the dinner menu is often more expensive than the lunch. 

So Corner House has a rather "small" menu, so you'll probably end up getting a set, and in this case, I would recommend the Business Luncheon Set below. 

Note that the 3/4 courses courses differ in that you get both appetizers in the latter instead of having just one. I would recommend getting the 4 course set as the appetizers are probably one of the best I've tasted.

Before talking about the food itself, let's talk more about the actual setting of the restaurant. It's quite a quaint place, particularly good for a small group of friends or a couple.The table I got for two people was similar to this but more private as we were hidden in a corner. The view itself was pretty refreshing, as its good to escape the city sights for some greenery. The interior of the restaurant is well-adorned, reminiscent of colonial displays seen in museums. 

Complimentary bread is always welcome, especially when it's fresh. The bread (for those really hungry people, it's refillable) came in two types: the sweetish raisin ones and the plain toasted bread. The butter was pretty nice as it was lightly-salted but it was the presentation of the butter that impressed me. On a side note, Corner House is fully air-conditioned, otherwise the butter would have meet an untimely end.

Appetiser 1: Foie Gras

A pretty good foie gras with a comforting fruity aftertaste. The texture of the foie gras is sufficiently smooth for my liking and the taste is comfortably strong (but this is often a reason why some people avoid or like foie gras).  This taste is achieved through the accompanying ingredients such as the citrus (grapefruit in this case) which help to offset the "raw" taste of the foie gras. The presentation of the meal seen in the picture speaks for itself.

Appetiser 2: Hokkaido Scallop

Probably my favorite dish of the meal. The scallops are completely raw and turned out to have a fine balance of chewiness and firmness. This was to my liking as I find the texture of cooked scallops too chewy. The usage of citrus once again does wonders to keep the brininess of the scallop in check. The tobiko

Main Course 1: Hungarian Mangalitsa Pork

I normally prefer beef as my choice of meat, but I would change sides in a heartbeat if all pork tasted like this. The pork is extremely tender and is easily comparable to kurobuta.  It was pretty amazing how the pork managed to be this tender and not have to compromise by being too thin. Though I wasn't fond of the yellow mustard, it helped to mask the overly meaty flavor that pork tends to have.

Main Course 2: Australian Wagyu Beef

Served medium rare, this wagyu beef is pretty average, although this was because  the earlier pork had already set the standards pretty high. The meat was surprisingly less tender than the pork. The taste of the beef was noticeably less flavorful than wagyu beef offered elsewhere. The fried potato crackers, sitting above the beef, was too firm for my liking.

I would recommend the pork over this, especially since the wagyu is $6 more expensive.

Dessert: Kaya Toast (Left); Japanese Cucumber Sorbet (Right)

The sorbet is unconventional as cucumber is used as the main ingredient. However the sorbet feels too "airy" and I felt that I was eating cool air half the time. Yet it's alright if you just wanted something light but refreshing to end off your dining experience.

Now, the chef's interpretation of kaya toast is an interesting one. It's like an atas sandwich ice cream but instead of taking huge bites of it, you're probably enjoy it more eating it slowly. The cream wedged between the "toasts" is neither too full nor too empty, and is a fine blend of gula melaka and coconut. This was easily the better of the two desserts I tried. 

Overall comments:

The setting of the place is really nice, conducive for a carefree and sunny weekend lunch with a small group of friends and family. The service is excellent, with the waiters meticulously introducing the dishes and its ingredients as well as diligently replacing cutlery and refilling water. (Note: if they ask you whether you want still or sparkling water, you can just opt for iced/warm water)

Overall, Corner House is deserving of its Michelin star in terms of food quality and service. The presentation of the dishes are impeccable and you can forgive them for being a bit small in portion size. Not terribly expensive, although if you opt for dinner, it'll cost a bit more. If you're looking for a nice place to celebrate a more private occasion, I would recommend trying Corner House.