I was walking and attempting to keep fit at Labrador Park when I chanced upon the beautiful Eco Cafe. Unfortunately, most of their desserts were sold out, and the main courses were not exactly what my Thai friends would enjoy, so when the staff suggested that we try Tamarind Hill instead, and helped us make a reservation as well, we were very surprised and happy with their service. I definitely want to try the food there someday!
Eco cafe was beautiful, but nothing prepared me for the sight of Tamarind Hill.
 Tamarind Hill is located at the very top of Labrador Park, in a majestic colonial building |  Simply gorgeous black and white building, with a impressively decorated interior. |
When we walked into the Restuarant, we were greeted by a lovely lady who explained that Eco Cafe was their second Restuarant in Singapore and Tamarind Hill is their first. They already have restaurants in a few countries, and they have plans to expand their concept to include beach villas and a spa as well.
 |  The beautiful bar with comfortable looking seats. |
Walking into the Restuarant, you will see the bar first, before the dining area, and the bar looked so lovely I wanted to sit and have a drink first... If only I wasn't so hungry!
Proceeding to the dining area, I felt it was beautifully done up and had a lovely homely atmosphere. I couldn't help but imagine how it must have been like as a house, as Tamarind Hill had kept the original look and feel of the colonial house intact. I felt like a guest in an opulent house, similar to those I see whenever I am invited for birthday parties as Sweetheart the clown.
 Cosy Dining area |  |
We sat down and the servers were great, unobtrusive and waited till we were comfortable and ready to order instead of rushing us by standing around.
We decided on 2 starters, 1 soup, 2 mains and 2 desserts for the three of us, and it was fantastic, with servings large enough for sharing. Even without rice, we were comfortably full, and my Thai friends were very impressed by the food.
The starters were memorable, and I especially like the Salmon cubes, Tataki style.
The complimentary starter that served as a teaser to our palates was refreshing, yet salty and a tad sour and sweet at the same time. It opened our taste buds to the rest of the food that followed.
Chicken and prawn sticks were delicious too, and they were similar to popiah skin wrapping a minced mixture of chicken and prawn. The sweet thai chili sauce that served as a dip tasted different to that used in the Salmon, which was great, as I was a little worried that the starters will both taste the same.
The texture of the salmon was paired beautifully with herbs like cilantro and lime, the sour lime contrasting gorgeously with the sweet thai chili that wasn't too spicy. With just the right amount of heat for someone who isn't really able eat spicy foods, the mostly raw salmon was seared just right. The salmon cubes was portioned just enough for two bites, and four cubes were presented on a sleek long plate.
The tamarind with ginger and sour mango soup was interesting, with sour and salty mixed in with the sweetness of salmon. my thai friends loved it, for it embodied thai cuisine yet turned it into a kind of modern fusion with the salmon cubes. The spring onion bulbs were sweet and though I don't usually eat spring onion bulbs, I did so on this occasion.
Wok fried assorted vegetables with mushrooms reminded me of chinese cuisine, with the taste of high heat sauté with oil. Imagine chinese wok fried vegetables on high heat with huge flames but without the starchy sauce and you'll get the right taste in your mind. Every morsel was done just right, with the root vegetables done al dente and the mushrooms soft and tasty.
I also loved the pork dish, which is why I took more photos of this delicious curry that can be eaten on its own.
I was also impressed by how tender the braised pork was. It was really melt in the mouth soft and yet still managed to retain its delicate pork flavor. The curry that was in was a little sweet and slightly spicy, but still manageable for me, though I reached for my water quite a few times.
To finish the meal, we had the suggested desserts, mango with black sticky rice and red diamonds with pearls made of flour topped with a coconut ice cream.
Mango was sweet but the sticky rice, according to my thai friends, was not sweet enough. To me, it was great, as I could taste the "red bean" flavor in the black sticky rice.
I found the red diamonds really crunchy and the coconut ice cream had a smooth creamy coconutty taste which I enjoyed immensely, with the sweet jackfruit pieces.
In all, it was a great meal! Would I come back? Yes I would... It is simply a great escape from the everyday world, a retreat from the fast paced world of shopping centers and fast food places in Singapore.
After dinner, we took a stroll in their garden and took loads of beautiful photos in the half light of the moon.
Tamarind Hill is found in Labrador Park, and you can find them at 30 Labrador Villa Riad, 62786364, steeped in history with their very walls promising to tell the hidden tales of Singapore.
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