Halia 

Ginger, the herb with a long and salubrious history has, since ancient days, been looked upon by civilisations as a universal remedy and an aid to digestion. It is befitting then that one of the most delightful restaurants to be found in bustling Singapore borrows its name from the Malay translation of ginger, ‘Halia’, with all its association with digestion — for what could be more of an impetus to good digestion than to have that combination of fine cuisine served up with a large dose of cosy ambience.

Tucked among a foliage of palm trees and tropical plants, amidst a spice garden no less, Halia offers an oasis of peaceful calm despite being no more than ten minutes away from bustling Orchard Road . The ambience of the restaurant is something hard put to be replicated anywhere else on this island, with the intimacy of its cool outdoor veranda dining and the inviting warmth of the air-conditioned interior, set against a backdrop of tall trees and beautiful plants.

Although its exotic name conjures up images of eastern cuisine, the restaurant is continental with traces of eastern elements in its dishes. From the starter to the main course to dessert, the flavours are always in correct proportions. The Tasmanian Baby Mussels in a Pan, with white wine garlic cream sauce and crusty baguette, is a choice dish to start with, not so heavy as to encroach upon the enjoyment of the main course. For those who prefer an ‘eastern’ flavour, the crisp Pepper Soft Shell Crab on butter lettuce with wasabi aioli is a good alternative. Mushroom lovers would do well to try the Mélange of Seasonal Mushrooms with Black Truffle, which is a surprise with its combination of poached egg, telaggio cheese sauce and truffle vinaigrette that blends well with the tenderness of the mushrooms.  

The menu for the main courses, though not extensive, will satisfy due to its inventive creations. The Roasted Rack of Lamb was done to perfection, with its juices flavoured by a marinade of Javanese spice complemented with grilled baby eggplant, saffron crushed potato and calamansi bell pepper coulis, lessening the overall ‘meatiness’ of the dish. For a ‘lighter’ dinner option, the Chargrilled Yellowtail Kingfish, dressed with vine tomato ginger relish, with its simple accompaniment of wasabi mash potato and marinated baby nasu, leaves enough room for dessert. Our favourite choice of dessert was the Strawberry and Mascarpone Parfait, which though cheese-based, was not in the least bit rich. For those bent on something sweeter, the warm Bittersweet Chocolate Torte will be an enticing choice with its heavenly centre of melted chocolate, served with vanilla ice-cream and kirsch-marinated strawberries, providing a contrast to the richness of the torte.  

Not to be outdone by the food, the beverages hold their own nicely. Two house specialties, Heavenly Halia, an alcoholic concoction of ginger and pineapple juices, peach liqueur and Blue Curacao and 7Up and Ginger Jive, a pleasant and innocuous mix of ginger, fruit punch, orange and honey, will quench thirst and are good ‘aperitifs’ to the meal. The finishing flourish to a satisfying meal is most definitely the Halia Infusion, another house specialty of spiced ginger and wild mountain honey — a simple brew but one that harps back to Chinese and Indian practices of drinking fresh ginger brewed tea as an aid to digestion after a meal. What better way to end a meal than with the comforting warmth of ginger spreading slowly through your body as the evening winds down in a quiet romantic paradise of dining.

Location: Halia Restaurant, 1 Cluny Road, Ginger Garden, Singapore Botanic Gardens (via Tyersall Ave),

Singapore 259569.

Dinner for two with a starter, main course, dessert and beverage [excluding wine] ranges from $100 to $120.

Edmund Choo