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September 2013

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Singapore’s natural beauty makes the perfect backdrop for a romantic dinner, and fine dining establishments like Tamarind Hill in the Labrador Nature Reserve offer couples a unique experience away from the concrete jungle.

I visited the modern Thai restaurant to do a story for the American Association of Singapore and had the pleasure of meeting Executive Chef Thiti Thammanatr, a Thai-Canadian who has worked with top chefs in Canada. In this video, he invites us into his kitchen to demonstrate a few of his signature dishes.

The restaurant’s remote location in the southern part of the island is part of its charm. With nothing around except lush forest and the South China Sea, Tamarind Hill is a destination restaurant that encourages guests to linger over a nice meal and ambiance.

Another restaurant designed for romantic dining in nature is Halia in the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Halia — Malay for “ginger” — serves Asian-inspired European cuisine in the Ginger Garden in the middle of the park. You’re surrounded by greenery, making it a peaceful alternative to the cluster of upscale restaurants in Dempsey Hill or the CBD (Central Business District).

Many of the dishes and cocktails incorporate ginger, in line with the restaurant’s theme and the fact that the garden has more than 250 species of gingers.

My husband and I had dinner there with another couple and opted for the five-course Garden Journey Tasting Menu. I especially enjoyed the frog leg porridge of oats with ginger, spring onion and coriander and Hiramasa Kingfish with parmesan and almond crust, curried cauliflower and potato leaves.

We created a Tastemade video (see below), but as you can see, lighting is by candlelight, which is great for ambience… bad for filming.

Adding to the intimate setting, a man proposed to his girlfriend at the next table, and the restaurant applauded the special occasion.

As for the meal, the portions were small, but the dishes were tasty so we left feeling satisfied. When you eat dinner at a place like this, you’re really paying for the experience and service, not the amount of food you get.

So if you’re looking for a unique dining experience away from the typical haunts in the CBD or any of the crowded Quays, look to nature for a romantic retreat.

I tried frog legs in a French restaurant many years ago when I first visited Paris as a college student. If I was going to try frog, there’s no better place than in France. I wasn’t a fan, but maybe it’s because I couldn’t get the image of eating a slimy croaking creature out of my head. Purely psychological.

Frogologist Chelsea Wan says that’s a common barrier for non-frog eaters. But once you get over it, you can reap many health benefits from eating frog, she says. She explains in the video below.

Chelsea’s family owns the Jurong Frog Farm in Singapore, which raises and harvests American bullfrogs for local consumption. The farm sells frog products to restaurants, grocery stores and residents.

Incidentally, I had frog porridge at Halia Restaurant in the Singapore Botanic Gardens a few days later as part of the dinner tasting menu. The menu said it was sourced from Jurong Frog Farm so I was eager to try it. As Chelsea said, the meat melted in my mouth and the dish was delicious. I wonder if it improved my lung function or blood pressure.

If you’re in Singapore, visiting Jurong Frog Farm offers a unique learning experience, especially for the kids. They can feed and touch live frogs. And if you’ve never had frog, you can sample frog meat there.

The farm is located in the Kranji countryside, a rural area in northwest Singapore where you’ll find the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and several sustainable farms that specialize in vegetables, flowers, goat’s milk, fireflies, fish and koi. Many farms are open to the public and you can watch a goat milking session or visit the city-state’s largest banana grower.

Jurong Frog Farm
51 (Plot 56)
Lim Chu Kang Lane 6
Singapore 718864
+65 6791 7229

Tuesday-Friday (by appointment only)
Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays (9.00am-5.30pm)