Epiphyte’s in the enclave of Chinatown, but set far away enough from People’s Park Centre so that you’ve ended up in the hipster/ shophouse zone. It’s along Neil Road (which has a ton of food choices for you to choose from) – so what makes Epiphyte any different? OK first things first: the word “epiphyte” refers to a plant that grows on another plant – think ferns and orchids. They’re not parasitic so don’t immediately visualise a power-hungry plant. Instead, we assume it’s meant to symbolise peace and tranquility.
It’s a cosy space that has an air well near the back – it’s decorated with plants, with shelves that are lined with terrariums. The space is designed as a hidden garden sanctuary, for busy people in the CBD to find some peace and greenery. When we asked the owners about their inspiration behind Epiphyte, they said they wanted it to be “an infusion of food, art, and nature”.
Their top three food recommendations include: Pink Risotto ($22), Seafood Cartoccio ($28), and Terrarium Dessert ($10).
We’ve tried the Pink Risotto ourselves, and it came plated beautifully in a vibrant pink colour – no artificial food colouring added to this, it’s au naturale with roasted beetroot risotto that simmered in seafood broth and parmigiana. Texture-wise, it was creamy but still al dente – not too mushy at all. The scallops were also cooked well and came with a slight golden sear. Gordon Ramsay would’ve approved of these scallops.
This is another dish that brings in the customers – the Terrarium Dessert ($15) – which if you didn’t know any better, you would’ve thought is a real terrarium! But nope, no matter how plant-like all the ingredients look, everything is 100% edible. It comes with a chocolate soil, green sponge cake, mint custard, and apple compote.
Everything at Epiphyte’s certainly very Instagrammable, but that shouldn’t be the only reason why you head down there – the owners claim that they tend to be experimental in their dishes, so that we can all share different experiences with each visit. Plus the food’s pretty darn good.
If you’re not there for the food, there’s also an upstairs area – Epiphyte Canopies, their cocktail and wine bar. Three cocktails you must try: Comtesse de Fleur ($16), a floral martini with a light summery taste; Dark Romance ($17), a martini with Dark Chocolate and rose; and Espresso-tini ($16), a martini that’s crafted from premium roasted coffee beans.
Epiphyte also holds Terrarium-making workshops, where you can create your own miniature garden to bring home. You can find more information at their Facebook page.
Epiphyte is located at 46 Neil Road, Singapore 088827. Opening Hours: Monday to Thursday: 12pm – 12am; Friday: 12pm to 1am; Saturday: 11am to 10pm; Sunday: 11am to 4pm. Tel: 6610 6271.
Images: Epiphyte
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