Marguerite is a perfect spot for a special occasion, it’s as simple as that.
Nestled within the Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay, you’re immediately transported to a lush verdant setting as an aura of calm descends upon you.
The wait staff certainly contribute to that. They are welcoming and warm, no need to worry about snooty snobs who think a Michelin star or two or three gives them the right to be cold and up their ass.
Marguerite’s open kitchen where the chefs plate the dishes sees no frenzy whatsoever either, everyone looking peaceful as they go about creating the pretty little plates.
Getting a window-side table makes the most sense, so definitely request that during booking.
A Stellar Degustation at Marguerite:
Marguerite offers a 12-course degustation menu for dinner, at $288 per person. The courses include a series of well-thought out snacks, complex despite their tiny size, they are flavour bombs and a great preview of what’s to come.
We started with the South of France for the first couple of snacks – the Bouillabaisse and the Ratatouille. They may not look at all like their namesakes, but they certainly tasted like them.
The next pair was the Duck and Cherry, and the Steak Frites.
Both were best popped into the mouth in one bite. I loved the Cherry “leather” and duck foie gras bite while my hubby preferred the rather unconventional take on Steak Frites, with beef tartare as the hero.
Next another of my favourites, the Smoked Eel, Pearl Oyster and Amur caviar. We had never heard of caviar from China, specifically amur caviar from the Yunnan region, so it was interesting. The taste is less salty, more nutty which I think was good as it didn’t detract from the highlight which really was the smoked eel and its punchy broth.
The next dish was the prettiest of the lot I would say, thanks to the brilliant little green pops of ramson peas. Crunchy asparagus with morel mushroom rounded off the dish.
Breaking Bread at Marguerite:
We were also served freshly baked spelt and seeds bread which was perfect to dip into the sauce of the next dish. We were asked later if we wanted a second round of bread, but trust me, you will not need it unless you are a very heavy eater. By the end of our dinner, we were sufficiently satiated, not stuffed but very satisfied.
Then my favourite of the night at Marguerite – the New Caledonian Blue Prawn Taglioni. Now, I thought I would be getting a regular Taglioni pasta dish with a rich bisque and blue prawn, but no.
The prawn itself was the pasta. They had made strings of long noodles using the flesh of the sweet prawns and it was so interesting and simply delicious. In fact, I didn’t fully believe them and had to confirm a couple of times that there was not an ounce of flour used in the noodles!
Up next, the fish dish – slivers of Geoduck clam and heart of palm with a perfectly-cooked piece of St Peter’s fish. It was good, but not my favourite of the night, a little too heavy on the acid for me, but I am unusually sensitive to acid.
Then, one of my favourites, the last of the mains, the Lamb done three ways. There was a labna topped lamb kofta, a lamb shoulder confit encased in a crisp pastry block and a beautiful roasted loin. The different textures, spices and herbs made this a lovely exploration of lamb.
Pre-dinner Strollin’ at the Flower Dome:
We decided to take our little stroll around the Flower Dome before dessert. As part of the experience, every diner at Marguerite gets to visit the Flower Dome for free, without queuing, direct access from the restaurant.
It can be done before, after and even during the meal, which works when it’s a 12-course and you feel like you need a little break.
I would recommend doing it before though, simply because, while you can see the exhibitions and the flowers at night, it will not be as bright as before sunset so, best to go before the meal.
Coming back to our desserts, there were two – a Poached Rhubarb and fromage blanc and my preferred dessert of the night – the Baba Rouge. Cleverly showcasing the aroma of fresh, sweet strawberries, with three different types of basil for a herbaceous hit.
Did I say that was my favourite dessert? Well, it was until they brought out a decadent little chocolate ganache and mousse cake as the birthday cake.
In the end, candle blown out, we decided to take away the cake because when Marguerite does mignardises, they really do mignardises.
Not just one or two little sweets but a gueridon of mignardises to accompany your choice of coffee or tea as you await the bill. The olive oil and white chocolate one served in a spoon was particularly interesting.
All in, Marguerite is a wonderful place for a special occasion, they sure made this birthday girl happy with a personalised Happy Birthday greeting with my name on the menu card, the lovely cake and a really fun throwback – a Polaroid shot of us as a souvenir!
Marguerite:
Address: Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay, 18 Marina Gardens Dr, #01-09, Singapore 018953
Contact: 6604 9988, Email: info@marguerite.com.sg
Website: https://marguerite.com.sg/
Opening Hours:
Dinner: Tuesday to Sunday, 6pm to 10:30pm
Lunch: Saturday to Sunday, 12pm to 3pm