Halia @ Botanical Gardens

Make a guess where we're headed to!

The main source of excitement during the 'trek' into Botanical Gardens..for ONCE, the camera did itself some justice!

Finally at the doorsteps of Halia.

Meeting the food bloggers have become quite a monthly affair, certainly not complaining at all! This outing took a grand total of 100 emails, an indication of the numbers involved. Botanical Gardens has become more than just a garden to me, since the foray into Casa Verde, picnics and hopefully Au Jardin someday.

A whine-worthy moment, the locations of the restaurants are such that a slow stroll of 30 minutes is required. Swans, endless stretches of greenery and hoards of tourist jam packing hot spots like Ginger Garden for the waterfall and Orchid Garden, makes you rethink the beauty of Botanical Gardens as just another garden. It's the closest to the Istana as one can get, minus the vastness.

Wood plays a large part in its design, resembling a clubhouse with both al fresco and air condition options.



Christmas-y colours.



Kurobuta Pork & Portobello Burger ($18)

Kurobuta makes me tick almost like Wagyu, but expectations fell short severely. I compared it to Farmland Patties, Zaylene with Ramlee's burgers.



The patty lacks the meaty bite that beef would have displayed, otherwise. Came across as herbed mush. A great pity that all I ever remembered was the bed of delicious greens and fan of portobello mushroom.

Wait.

It sounds too vegetarian. Oh yes, there wasn't even a silver of cheese, just cream cheese.

Poached Egg on Brioche with Dill Hollandaise, Roasted Brown Mushroom, Spinach & Tomato



With pan-roasted ocean trout ($24)

With crisp back bacon ($16)

In short, it's eggs benedict. I relished the runny yolk for once! The pile of ingredients only meant for a serious eater. By the time the broiche appeared beneath the gluttony, it was unfortunately soggy. Hearty brekkies are made of these.

And for the other brunch items that made to the table but I did not get to try...

Blue Cheese, Walnut & Wild Honey Fingers ($18)

Gorgonzola mousse, maple-glazed roasted walnuts and wild mountain honey on multi-grain toast fingers, with young spinach & fresh fruit vincotto salad.

Declared too heavy on the blue cheese by a cheese lover. Left mostly untouched, save for the toast fingers and walnuts.



French Toast with Cinnamon ($14)

O.r.d.i.n.a.r.y.

Both experiences at Halia and Wild Honey have changed my perception of scrambled and eggs benedict weirdly enough.

By the end of the meal, I was sun-kissed. Ventilation needs to be improved on as the sun rays were particularly strong that day. Al fresco is certainly not for those who shy the sun, like yours truly.

Pop over to the awesome company's blogs for more nom-nom-ity!

Harris, Kaelyn, Angeline, Reiz, Zaylene and Daniel, Laysian and Daniel, Fen and Yuan, Hui Yuan, Cheryl, Glenn