The Secret Garden: Muslim-Owned with French Inspired Food at Kampong Glam
If you’ve been stopping by % Arabica at Arab Street for your aesthetically pleasing coffee run, be sure to make some space for food one of these days at The Secret Garden by Zeekri, a new brasserie that has opened it’s doors just across the road.
The floral themed cafe occupies a two storey shophouse, with limited seating both outdoors and indoors.
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Upon entering the cafe, you’ll feast your eyes on a selection of delectable bakes at the counter, sure to whet anyone’s appetite.
The Secret Garden officially opened late January, and joins several other new F&B offerings such as The Chir Cafe + Bar, PRAIRIE by Craftsmen and more.
Bathed in a glow of warm light, you’ll find clean furnishings with chrome accents around, with a small pot of flowers on each table.
Interestingly, The Secret Garden actually has an in-house florist, and you can even take home a floral arrangement for yourself!
The menu is pretty expansive, with a selection of soups, salads, starters, mains, and pastas.
We had the Aglio Olio with Smoked Duck (S$18) and Pan Seared Salmon (S$24).
Of the two dishes we tried, I’d definitely recommend the Pan Seared Salmon. The salmon was well cooked, and the herb crust it came with complemented the fish perfectly. With a dash of mango coulis, the flavours came together beautifully and made for a refreshing dish that was light on the palette yet done well. I’d add plus points for the presentation, with colours that made for a feast for the eyes. The only thing I’d say is that it would have been nice if they were a little more generous with the portion of roasted baby potatoes and carrots.
The Aglio Olio was decent but nothing all too special. Cooked with spaghetti and tossed in garlic and herbs, there could have been an infusion of more herbs and other flavours to really make it special. The duck was smoked well though, and there was a decent portion of meat to go with the pasta.
Over on the drinks menu, you’ll find a selection of coffees (made from a blend of Arabica beans from Panama and East Africa), teas, french sodas, mocktails, canned drinks, and juices.
We had the TSG’s ButterBeer (S$9.50) made from butterscotch and root beer, complete with a layer of thick creamy foam as well as the Iced Caramel Latte (S$7). The latter was quite good as well, though the caramel stuck to the glass and I had to forcefully mix it into the coffee with my straw.
Overall, The Secret Garden is promising, and though prices are slightly on the higher end, especially for the mains, I won’t begrudge any cafe in the Kampong Glam area for these prices considering their location.
It’s nice to have another Muslim-owned cafe in town, and I foresee crowds packing out this joint as word spreads around.
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WHERE | 19 BAGHDAD ST, SINGAPORE 199658
