Fresh Look and Dishes at Cherry Garden

A new a la carte menu at Cherry Garden and recently refurbished modern-chic Chinese interior beckon fine diners. Cherry Garden is known for its premium Cantonese dishes and is situated on level 5 at one of Singapore’s foremost luxury hotel, Mandarin Oriental. Its latest gourmet menu is created by Executive Chinese Chef Cheng Hon Chau from Hong Kong. 

Enter and be welcomed by the bright and posh wood-furnished corridor. During the day, the place is enhanced by daylight streaming through the outdoor garden.  

This 120-seat restaurant has a grand main dining area, characterised by Chinois chic décor and beautiful bonsai plant. With soft oriental music playing in the background, you can expect a relaxing and calm dining time.  

I love how spacious the restaurant is, with different private dining concepts. One of the highlights is the Lotus private dining room that has a floor-to-ceiling embroidered silk wallpaper screens with motifs of graceful birds and dainty cherry blossoms. It is also furnished with pretty chandeliers, embellished with crystals that elegantly illuminates the space and create a memorable private dining experience.

Here is an intimate four-seater setting that is also available at Cherry Garden.  

Our menu for the evening.

Crispy Wasabi Aoili Prawn

We started our meal with this Crispy Wasabi Aoili Prawn. A wonderful appetizer to get you excited for the dishes to follow! The crunchy prawn is coated with gooey and light wasabi and topped off with tobiko and basil seeds. The taste of the wasabi was mild yet sufficiently flavourful. The prawn was so fresh and the tiny tobiko and basil seeds added textures to the mouthful. Simply, one goodness-filled bite was not enough.

Pork Xiao Long Bao (SGD7)

Served in a metallic encased bamboo basket, the dim sums at Cherry Garden have a refined touch. Unlike many Xiao Long Baos, the meat tucked within this thicker-and-firmer skin was finely minced to give a smooth and delicate taste. The hearty soup was also good and not too oily.   

Prawn Dumpling with Black Garlic (SGD8)

If you love prawns, you can taste them fresh and plump wrapped in the crystal and chewy skin of the Steamed Prawn Dumpling with Black Garlic. My only gripe was that the black garlic taste could be stronger. 

Crystal Dumpling with Fresh Mushrooms and Black Truffle (SGD7)

My favourite of all three dim sums was the Crystal Dumpling with Fresh Mushroom and Black Truffle. Bite into this delicacy and it will release the aroma of the mushrooms and truffles, which will engulf your senses. Savour the flavourful crunchy bites packed with essential nutrients! 

Double-boiled Clear Soup with Sliced Abalone Matsutake and Snow Fungus (SGD28)

Everyone ought to have a bowl of nourishing soup once in a while and it can’t get any better especially with specifically procured ingredients. The Matsutake Mushrooms in this double-boiled clear soup were particularly harvested from the high mountains in Yun Nan, China. The soup was rich yet tasted well-balanced, not too salty or oily. You will also find pieces of tantalising and juicy sliced abalone and chicken in the soup. It was so good, drink up!  

Steamed Red Garoupa served with Pickled Chillies (SGD22)

Here is a familiar Chinese dish seasoned in an unconventional way! For those who love a zesty kick, this plate of garoupa will give a tingling sensation to the lips and tongue. It was medium-spicy and appetising. However, I felt the pairing was a slightly overpowering hence I would still prefer it to go with the traditional soy sauce or black bean sauce.

  

Pan-fried A4 Miyazaki Wagyu Beef Sirloin with Cherry Garden’s Barbecue Sauce and Sautéed Vegetables (SGD48)

Beef lovers can go for this superior marbling beef that was flown in directly from the Miyazaki prefecture. The purebred wagyu beef is considered to be the highest-quality beef in Japan. It was well executed and served on a warm plate. Paired up with cherry red barbecue sauce that was blended with ginger, onion and olive oil. The taste of the wagyu beef was luscious and tender.  

Five Grain Fried Rice (Small – SGD24, Large – SGD36)

Introducing one of my new favourite fried rice! Cooked using five different types of grains namely glutinous rice, brown rice, white rice, wild rice and corn rice, it offered a medley of textures and fragrances! I simply adored it. You can expect gooey and crunchy textures all in one mouthful and to complete the taste, it had the wok-hei factor! Love that it was also not too oily. 

Cherries in Nu Er Hong and Aged Kuei Hua Wine Cocktail Jelly with Lychee Sorbet (SGD10)

A memorable way to end off a meal at Cherry Garden is to enjoy a bowl of refreshing and icy Cherries in Nu Er Hong and Aged Kuei Hua Wine Cocktail Jelly with Lychee Sorbet! It was a lovely combination with strong cherry notes. The diced mangoes, aloe vera and sweet lychee pearls complemented the cherry dessert very well.  

Cherry Garden

5 Raffles Avenue, Marina Square Singapore 039797

For reservations, please email mosin-dining@mohg.com or call +65 6885 3500. 

Operating hours:

Weekday Lunch – 12 noon to 2:30pm

Weekend Dim Sum Buffet – 11am to 1pm / 1:30 to 3:30pm

Dinner – 6:30 to 10:30pm


Post written by Magdalene Tan. Follow her on Instagram, http://instagram.com/chantalmag.