The Queen & Mangosteen

I just found out that there is a rumor that Queen Victoria’s favorite fruit is the mangosteen and hence the name of the restaurant that I visited next - The Queen & Mangosteen! This restaurant totally reflects a modern British influenced quick nibbles, dining and drinking experience with the Asian touch. It’s located in Vivo City and you can have a spectacular view of the upcoming Resorts World Sentosa and also of Sentosa. When you stand at the entrance you will just see some plush couches and a huge signboard and only when you walk into the restaurant do you see people and more people seated on high tables, bench seats and old reclaimed leather chairs – it is so like a contemporary British pub! The restaurant has an ornate island bar which overlooks the waterfront that dazzle by night. To enjoy and sink in the beautiful bay and the picturesque scenery, it is best to sit at the al fresco area like I did.

 

The Queen & Mangosteen offers a simple but comprehensive menu that has very wholesome bites as in bar food, hearty main dishes and comforting desserts. I tried the Pimms’s and Lemonade, very popular drink for British summer months and yet the best drink for Singapore’s current temperature! Pimm’s is a dark reddish tea colored gin based alcohol that taste a little of spices and citrus fruits. At the Queen & Mangosteen Pimm’s was served mixed with Sprite, lemon juice, chopped apples, oranges, strawberries, cucumber and mint. This is truly an uplifting and refreshing textured drink! This restaurant also offers a wide range of craft brews from Archipelago, some of which includes Straits Pale, Traveller’s Wheat, Saison Sayang and Archipelago Samui, Apsara Lager and Islander Indian Pale Ale. There was nothing like seating, relaxing and watching the sun setting while sipping Pimm’s and Lemonade!

 

 

 

 

 

 

To nibble, try the Crispy Whitebait with Lemongrass & Chilli Aioli. Whitebait is an old English term for little teeny weeny fishes. Here these fishes were dusted in flour and fried crispy and crunchy and you have to eat it piping hot, dipped in the fragrant lemon grass and chilli aioli. Well, aioli is nothing more than raw garlic pounded with a little salt and a couple egg yolks into a sticky paste, with just enough olive oil beaten in to make it creamy. It is absolutely delicious and the key this aromatic great-tasting aioli is the freshness of ingredients plus the lemon grass and chill.

 

The Crispy Crab Cakes with Baby Cress Salad and Mango Salsa came next. The two crab cakes were crisp on the outside, juicy and warm on the inside when served. The crab flavor was dominant here and I am glad. But two crab cakes were not enough! These gems did not need any adornment but then crab cakes are also an excellent excuse to eat mango salsa--the luscious fruit has a natural affinity to the sweet crab meat, and the little lime juice in it makes everything sing. Absolutely delicious is the word to describe the crab cakes!

 

 

The Roasted Rack of Lamb with Rosemary Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus and Mint Yoghurt was truly a big portion for one person – there were 3 ribs!! From historical times, roasted lamb has been a traditional delicacy associated with the British. Like a true devoted lamb admirer I relished meat first and thereafter nibbling on the bones. The pine-y rosemary really made the potatoes stand out with its perfumes. It's a classic combination that we never get tired of tasting. Because of the slow roasting in the oven, the outside of the potato was nicely crisped while the inside was smooth and creamy. The grilled asparagus had taken on the flavor of the lamb.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first Fisherman’s Pie I ever had was made by a British friend and I had thought that was the best after my version. Now, I tell you, the Fisherman’s Pie with Mashed Potato Topping at the Queen & Mangosteen is the best for me! This is a very typical British rich and very tasty seafood dish with white sauce as the base and creamy yummy mashed yet chunky potato topping. Serving size was enough for 2-3 persons and as you eat, you can fish out surprises – fish, prawns, squids and more.

 

 

 

I do not know of anyone who dislikes fruit crumble. It was dessert time and a Fruit Crumble with Kapiti Vanilla Ice Cream was served. It was baked upon order and came to the table still bubbling. It was made of soaked dried apricots, apple, bananas and other fruits baked topped with a crumbly pastry mixture. The top was slightly caramelized maybe because of some sugar that was sprinkled. When it comes to the ratio of crumble to fruit, I like there to be more fruits than crumble, so that as the ice-cream melts, there is lots of hot fruit and crumble to soak it all up. Mmmm … I also tried the White Chocolate & Cassis Cake with Chocolate Ice-Cream and Mixed Berry Sauce which was a bit too sweet for me.

 

Overall, it was a great dining experience for me, overlooking a nice part of Singapore. Service was very attentive and the restaurant was crowded.