Lunch at The Botanist Cafe @ Chinatown

74 Neil Road, Singapore 088839

Tel: 9188 9181

Website: http://www.botanist.sg

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/botanist.sg

Springing up around Chinatown / Tanjong Pagar area, and also jumping on the garden-themed cafes, is The Botanist. With a name like this, one would already envision the decor of the place to be filled with greenery. They are by the same guys who give you Pacamara's roasts (review here) and Alchemist Coffee (review here).

The interior is rustic and minimalistic; we sat at the alfresco area where hanging plants adorned the backgrounds and long benches made for communal dining in a vertical garden setting.

Service was rather attentive and this cafe does not charge service fees or GST. I wanted the Beef Cheeks but it was not available that day, so we decided to go for other items.

Truffle Fries (SGD$8.00) started the 3.00pm late lunch for us -  piping hot shoestring fries infused with aroma of truffle oil. Capping the top is a web-like layer of grated cheese adding flavours to the delicious starters.

The Egg Florentine (SGD$19.00) - a medley of poached eggs, portobello mushrooms, tomatoes, wilted spinach, avocadoes, and chive hollandise with toast. A hearty brunch dish laden with healthy ingredients, this was both satisfying and filling.

For coffee, they have 2 choices of roast - Dark Matter (bolder notes of dark chocolate and macademia nuts), and Santa Isabel (lighter notes of jasmine and white grapes).

So one chooses the beans and whether they want dark or white coffee. Finally, there are choices of 3oz, 5oz and 7oz.

*Katherine went for White Coffee (SGD$5.50) with dark roast, 7oz. She enjoyed her coffee which had deeper notes and was pretty smooth; the lovely latte art was still very distinctive even after she has already consumed half the coffee.

I went for White Coffee (SGD$5.00) with white roast; my coffee had a lighter flavour and texture.

Overall, the food and beverages were quite enjoyable. I wouldn't mind returning and trying more items, like maybe the French Toast and Beef Cheeks.