Lucie Loves... Food & Travel // My not -so-light lunch at Pollen, Singapore
Nestled away in the back of the Flower Dome Conservatory, located at Singapore’s very instagramable Gardens by the Bay, is POLLEN.
POLLEN is just one of the many restaurants owned by Sheffield-born Chef, Jason Atherton. It’s the sister restaurant to London’s contemporary bistro, Pollen Street Social and also Little Social.
For many years now, my old boss, when I was working at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, would bring up Pollen Street Social and rave about their incredible dessert bar. I couldn’t wait to see what was in store for me.
No trip to Singapore is complete without a trip to this jewel in the city’s crown. I took advantage of POLLEN’s personalised VIP buggy service. It’s a great way of traveling to the restaurant without getting all hot and bothered by the infamous humidity.
On arrival at POLLEN you are given the option to take a leisurely – and refreshingly cool – wander around the Flower Dome either pre and/or post meal. It’s the perfect antidote to the city’s incessantly sticky humidity.
Entrance to the Flower Dome usually costs between $8 - $28 dollars per person a ticket.
A visit to POLLEN is the perfect excuse to treat yourself to a perfectly executed, fine-dining experience.
Executive chef, Colin Buchan (pictured below) began his career at Marco Pierre White’s L’Escargot in Soho, London. Following a stint there, he joined Gordon Ramsay Holdings at the start of the millennium and helped launch Amaryllis in Glasgow. Swiftly moving from senior chef fe partie to head chef in 2003.
Colin’s laid back manner and distinctive Scottish accent immediately made me feel at home, despite being some 11,000km away from England. It has quite a comforting effect on me, hearing a fellow northern accent, so far away from home.
Intrigued to find out more about POLLEN’s gourmet offering? Check out their menus online. Choose from A la Carte menu delights such as pickled and frozen beetroots, chestnut yoghurt, jelly and orange to start, followed by Angus beef short rib, celeriac, truffle potato and caramelised onions, with a side of duck fat chips.
Alternatively, go for the gourmet set lunch menu, which is available from 12pm to 2:30pm, from $55 per person, and dine on Stockyard beef tartare, saikyo miso, daikon, charcoal and garlic oil, and follow it up with poached duck breast. carrot purée, chicory, nuts and seeds and a decadent POLLEN dessert.
POLLEN specialises in creating exquisite British cuisine with Asian influences. Take a look at the opening times and find more information on the Gardens by the Bay website.
POLLEN’s delicious dinner tasting menu is available from 6pm to 9:30pm, and costs from $180 person, (with an additional supplement of $150 per person, if you’d like to go for the wine pairing option too.) It features gems such as raw Hokkaido scallops, pickled kohlrabi, calamansi, black olives, grapefruit and sea lettuce.
Sample delights from their extravagant Afternoon Tea menu, from $38 - $50 per person, and feast on tasty morsels like open-faced sandwiches stuffed with Norwegian salmon, or chicken liver parfait with verjus gel and cocoa nibs, and hummus dips with dukkah spices and toast.
And then follow it up with freshly-baked chocolate and macadamia brownies, a slice of banana tea cake with salted caramel chantilly, traditional buttermilk and raison scones with cream and homemade jam, passionfruit meringue tart and macarons. YUM!
I was treated to a seat at POLLEN’s famous dessert bar and invited to taste a couple of their seasonal sweet treats and a cup of fresh herbal infused tea.
If you’re looking to celebrate a milestone birthday or even a stag, hen or bachelorette party, POLLEN’s dessert bar is THE perfect place.
POLLEN’s General Manager and certified sommelier, Amir Solay, is one of the leading sommeliers in Asia and uses his expertise to create food and wine pairings that make the menu sing.
POLLEN’s traditional drinks trolley allows diners to choose from a selection of fine spirits and liquors to finish off their meal.
I really enjoyed by visit to POLLEN in Singapore and would definitely recommend making a booking here if you’re planning a visit to this beautiful place. Everything from the setting to the service, to the food and drink exceeded expectations. My mouth still waters thinking about the short rib beef in the earl grey gravy!!
Menus at POLLEN are updated on a seasonal basis, so it’s worth checking what dishes are available when booking a table.
In celebration of Singapore’s 50th birthday, all Singapore Citizens and Singapore Permanent Residents aged 60 years+ were able to enjoy free entry to both conservatories from 1 June - 31 December 2015. Which is a lovely touch.
The Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay is infinitely Instagramable.
Take a look at the Offers & Promotions page on the Gardens by the Bay website to check which offers are available at the time of your next visit.
