Gardens by the Bay: Photo Journal

If you have not check out my review on Gardens by the Bay, please do so here (opens up in new window).

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit one of Singapore's newest and greenest attraction once again, this time with the company of my dear aunt and grandmother, who was so adorably afraid to step on the 6-storey high platforms at the Cloud Forest. Besides that, she did enjoy the vibrantly-coloured flowers to a great extent, as well as aunt and myself did. 

Look, I am not going to make this photo journal look like a blog post describing our journey to the gardens, so without furthur I present to you some of the wonders of God (aye, Christian here), which includes some of the very beautiful flowers and cacti (mostly nestled at the Flower Dome.) And obviously, these are not all of the sceneries you could expect!

Singapore Favourite Food 2013

In this exciting month of July - from the 13rd to 22nd, foodies can look forward to savour some of our local delicacies - which are voted by thousands of foodies themselves, including the mouth-watering Leo Satay, Leng Kee's BBQ chicken wing, rojaks, roti pratas, or how about some tantalising chilli crabs from House of Seafood? Besides the good food, the inaugural Singapore Favourite Food 2013 which is held in conjunction with the 20th Singapore Food Festival, also features live cooking demostrations, community challenges and several other promotions.

If you're a food lover, head down to Singapore Favourite Food 2013 now!

For more information about the festival, visit their official website here:

http://singaporefavouritefood.com/2013/index.html

Canele Patisserie Chocolaterie @ Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

Les Amis Group is one of the food & beverage giants that has the finest restaurants locally, with award winning concepts. ranging from high end Japanese restaurants to fine dining French cuisine including Aoki, Peperoni Pizzeria and Au Jardin. Besides raising the curtains of Casa Verde, a casual Italian restaurant at the Gardens by the Bay, Canele Patisserie Chocolaterie is introduced to the gastronomic scene of Singapore's newest attraction as well.

With a colorful collection of signature macarons lining the front shelves and savoury bites fresh from the kitchen, dessert lovers are in for a pleasant surprise when they visit the French-inspired chocolate boutique at Gardens by the Bay. Tea and coffee connoseiurs are also treated with an exquisite selection of finely brewed English tea, as well as artisanal coffees - a good cup of Cappucinno (S$6.00) never fails to make my day. Canele's baristas definitely know just how to hit the right spot that is longing for caffeine.

Flowers of the Sea (S$12.00) was my choice for sweet crepes, partially because it rhymes with Gardens by the Bay and has the most unique name, when I visited Canele recently, and boy, what a beauty it was. The nutella-filled crepe with chocolate ice cream, filo pastry (which reminded me of tissue prata), whipped cream and blueberries was drizzled with a good deal of salty caramel sauce and powdered sugar - and yes, it tastes as good as it looks.

Besides desserts, Canele is known for its savoury main courses and sides as well, such as gourmet breakfasts, Big Bang Turkey crepes and, Smoked Salmon Wrap (S$8.00) - Premium smoked salmon over dill cream cheese with shallots, cucumber, Romaine lettuce, capers, and wrapped in a tortilla skin. It comes complete with fresh garden salad.

Being very much satisfied after the visit, I will definitely be back to savour other treats Canele has to offer, for starters, their gourmet breakfast sets and other sweet crepes sure look tempting enough!

 

Canele Patisserie Chocolaterie

Tel: 6604 7277

Opening Hours

Daily: 07:30 - 22:00

18 Marina Gardens Drive

#01-04

Gardens by the Bay

Pizzeria Mozza @ Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

If you are a fan of the world-renowned iron chef Mario Batali, Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza are the places you should head to. Mozza, Batali's (together with Nancy Silverton and Joe Bastianich) first venture into Asia is exactly similar as they are in California, hosting two top notch restaurants under one roof.

Recommended by one of my buddies, I decided to give a little surprise by bringing my significant other, Peiyi to Pizzeria Mozza for her 22nd birthday dinner after a pampering pedicure and manicure at Marina Square (with a surprise cake from her friends).

Different from their classy counterpart Osteria, Pizzeria Mozza has a more vibrant and noisy ambience. Asked by the reception staff whether we mind getting the counter seats else we had to wait, we decided to go for the counter, where a full view of the pizza chefs working their magic unfold before us. Since most of the items on their awesomely-designed menu are foreign to me, I requested one of the friendly service staff to recommend some food items.

We had their insalate (salad), Nancy's Chopped Salad (S$20.00) - a creation by one of the founders, Nancy Silverton who was also awarded the prestigious Pastry Chef of the Year by the James Beard Foundation. The salad consists of basic greens, red onions,  cherry tomatoes, garbanzo beans, drizzled with oregano vinaigrette. It has an interesting combination of flavours and textures, but overall, the salad is a tad too sour for my liking. Another downside is the price, usually I do not order salad as their cost price is less than a few bucks, moreover twenty is definitely overpriced.

Pizzeria Mozza's Wednesday Special: Pesce al Forno (S$34.00) is wrapped in radicchio and salsa verde. It has a slight sourness which complements the sweet taste of the fish. Meat is soft and tender, no less flavourful. Definitely one of the must tries here.

Pizzeria Mozza is well-known for its pizza prepared and cooked using the traditional oven. And of course we had to order one of their speciality pizzas - Nettles, egg, Salame Gentile & Caciocavallo (S$30.00). People, especially kiasu Singaporeans love thin-crusted pizzas, because it comes with more toppings. But unlike any of your usual pizzas, this has a greater crust to ingredients ratio. Turning you off already? Let me tell you, that the pastry used is created by the celebrity chefs that founded Mozza, this thick crust is tasteful and so crispy, yet fluffy on the interior. Matched with the crunchy and nettles (I have officially fallen in love for these almighty leaves), salami, top-grade cheese and finished with a runny sunny-side up, three words - Best Pizza Ever.

It is needless to think whether I am re-visiting Pizzeria Mozza again, but I would really love to try out the classy Osteria Mozza. In total, it is a well-spent S$100 out of my pocket. Definitely will be back for other speciaility pizzas!

Pizzeria Mozza

Tel: +65 6688 8522

Opening Hours

Fri–Sun: 12pm – 2pm
Mon–Sun: 5pm – 11pm

2 Bayfront Ave
#B1-42/46
The Shoppes @ Marina Bay Sands

Casa Verde @ Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

One might thought that Gardens by the Bay is just about the iconic Flower Dome and Cloud Forest, which features hundreds and thousands of flowery attractions, or even the 22-metres high OCBC Skywalk, but let me tell you that if you haven't been to the "third dome" - Supertree Dining, you are missing a whole lot of gastronomic fun.

View my review on Gardens by the Bay here!

Supertree Dining features five uniquely different dining concepts and food under one humongous roof. With a panoramic view (thanks to the high ceilings), diners can truly enjoy their meal amongst the greens.

This food hub currently houses the following eateries:

• Hill Street Coffee Shop
• Peach Garden Noodle House
• Canele Patisserie Chocolaterie
• Casa Verde
• Texas Chicken

Casa Verde, which means "green house" in italian, is a darn suitable name, given that the other branch in Botanic Garden is admist the green as well. Opened by the well-known Les Amis Group, which has the finest restaurants locally, my girl and I decided to give Casa Verde a try last Friday night.

We ordered the Carbonara (S$15.00), the ingredients were nothing more than usual, but this dish was cooked so beautifully. The pasta was al-dente, drenched with the carbonara sauce, a perfect harmony of elements. Their bacon strips had the right amount of fats. This is no doubt one of the better carbonaras I had.

We also had their Pizzeria Rustica (S$17.00) - thick strips of bacon, lined with crunchy asparagus topped with a runny sunny-side up on a bed of mozzarella-filled crust. Talking about the crust, I totally "dig it" when it is thin and fresh from a wood-fired oven. Yes, Casa Verde use one of those traditional ovens. The taste is so distinctly different from the usuals.

There is a slight dent on the yolk, as Peiyi was having fun poking it.

Just look at the cheesy goodness.

As for drinks, we shared a Passion Fruit italian Soda (S$5.50) - a refreshing drink topped with a glace red cherry.

Price-wise, we spent S$44.15 (including taxes and service charge), not exactly cheap, but the pizza was totally worth the bucks. Overall, it was a wonderful experience in Casa Verde, therefore there's absolutely no reason not to visit again, but maybe I shall head to their other "green house" at Botanic Gardens.




Casa Verde

Tel: +65 6604 7377

Opening Hours
Daily - 8.00am to 10.00pm

Supertree Dining

Gardens by the Bay

18 Marina Gardens Drive

Seventh Heaven @ Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

A piece of heaven between our visit to the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest. The people were complaining how thirsty and hungry we are, hence we decided to have ice cream to quench our thirst.

Famed for their "adult ice-cream" (with alcohol) and more than 30 handcrafted signatures to choose from, including Lychee Martini and Sea Salt Caramel, one would be spoilt for choice. They also features floral flavours exclusive to this outlet only.

Skipping all their alcholic and floral flavours, we go for their signatures instead - Butterscotch & Pecan and Rocky Road. Smooth and creamy. Their best seller, Butterscotch & Pecan did not appeal to me much, but the latter is good.

We also had the Hazelnut & Brownie and Sea Salt Caramel. The salty counterpart tasted pretty unique, it is like eating popcorn in ice-cream form, whereas the Hazelnut & Brownie is rich and chocolatey, but it can definitely do with more brownie chunks.

Generous scoops of ice-cream!

Seventh Heaven is definitely a pit-stop if you want to re-charge yourself between the different attractions in Gardens by the Bay. But still, Baskin Robbins and Udders remained as my personal favourite.

Seventh Heaven

Opening Hours

Daily: 10am  – 10pm

18 Marina Bay Drive

Gardens by the Bay

Gardens by the Bay @ Singapore

Amongst the tall architectures and skyscrapers in Singapore's central business district, gigantic futuristic-looking supertrees and two huge glass houses sprung up from the 101 hectares Gardens by the Bay. Last Saturday afternoon, we finally have the chance to check out this newly-built attraction.

Contrary to original greenhouses, the two iconic-shell shape conservatories are fully air-conditioned, offering an escape from the tropical heat in Singapore. The Flower Dome replicates cool dry conditions, featuring rare and exotic plants found in the Mediterranean and semi-arid tropical regions, whereas the Cloud Forest which replicates tropical mountain regions between 1,000m and 3,000m above sea levels. It also features the "Cloud Mountain" and a stunning 35m waterfall.

Below are some pictures taken during the visit (please do click to enlarge the images):

 Some of my favourites in the Flower Dome (above)

The 1.2 hectares Flower Dome is divided into several different regions, featuring some of the most threatened species in the world. In addition to the permanent flower displays, there will be a seasonal change of floral displays as well. While having a flowery feast with your eyes, why not go closer and take in a breath of nature's scent, rejuvenating not only your body, but your mind and soul too.

 Peiyi and my bestie's girlfriend, Pamela imitating the statue

The night falls before we know it, after having a dessert break at Seventh Heaven, we continued our journey at the Cloud Forest. Upon entering and not far from the entrance, we already felt gushes of chilly wind coming from the waterfall.

 

 Some of my favourites in the Cloud Forest (above) 



Be sure not to miss out the different exhibitions at the "Cloud Mountain". Most of them are pretty educational, so it is good for children too.

How majestic the supertrees looked at night

Gardens by the Bay is a few minutes walk from Bayfront station. Additionally, the link-bridge from Marina Bay Sands(MBS) provides greater accessibility and convinience for the visitors. Although one cannot fully describe his experience in one blog post, I guarantee that Gardens by the Bay is definitely a not-to-be-missed attraction in Singapore.

For pricing matters, opening hours or any enquiries, please visit their official website at the link below.

http://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/en/home.html

Gardens by the Bay

18 Marina Gardens Drive