The Secret Garden's story begins with a painting. Sukri Kadola, co-founder and Head of Marketing of The Secret Garden by Zeekri, spent part of 2020 painting an acrylic triptych of a hyper-real secret garden after the loss of a beloved pet.
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| The Secret Garden, which takes pride of place within The Secret Garden by Zeekri. There are many Asian influences. The river is inspired by a water feature in Bishan Park, there is a tingkat (food carrier) on the picnic mat,while the human figures in the garden wear Asian-inspired timeless outfits. As a nod to the pandemic, the man is wearing a mask, and the lady holding one. Kadola's cats feature in the painting, on the left and right. One is in a gazebo representing cat heaven. "Wherever she is, it's paradise for her," he said. |
He draws attention to how flowers from different climate zones feature in the painting, from sandpaper vine blooms on the gazebo to tulips, chrysanthemums and sunflowers.
"That's my idea of paradise, where everything goes. No limitations," said Kadola.
The name of the painting, The Secret Garden, became incorporated into the name of Kadola's dream 50-seater florist-brasserie. "Zeekri" is an amalgamation of the names of the two co-founders, "Zee" and "Sukri".
And just as flowers from different climates coexist in the painting, The Secret Garden: the brasserie offers the equally improbable, made real. The restaurant offers the best of what French cuisine has to offer, coupled with seasonal flowers from around the world.
"All of us have a romantic idea of how French cafes are - there is a certain romance about French cafes," Kadola said.
Kadola is no stranger to his two passions of restaurants and flowers. He has worked at the Malayan Council, and run his own florist, Bloem. The Secret Garden combines his interests handily (in a nod to the duality, Bloem's logo features a single hexagon, whereas The Secret Garden by Zeekri's logo has a double hexagon).
"Florist cafes are very trendy," he said. "But very few florists (in a cafe) remain functional. We are a full-service florist."
The Secret Garden by Zeekri offers all-day dining, weekday high teas, and weekend brunches. Look out for French classics like pastries, chicken cordon bleu, and French onion soup. Secret Garden signature beverages include the Secret Garden mocktail and French butter beer.
Blooming teas are also available. These are flower petals and tea leaves tied in such a way as to appear to "bloom" when placed in hot water. The blooming teas available include purple gomphrena, marigold and rose - in our tasting menu, we tried one called Pamela's peaches which incorporated carnations.
French sodas that incorporate elderflower, blue pea and and vanilla are also on the menu.
In a tasting menu experience last month, this author (J) and a friend, (W) had the opportunity to try The Secret Garden by Zeekri's food. View more pictures of the food on Facebook.
Truffle fries
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| Truffle fries. |
J: These arrived first. They were crispy and generously covered with cheese and truffle shavings. Quite addictive.
Wild mushroom soup
J: Fragrant and creamy, this soup benefits from the generous use of truffle oil that complements the taste of the mushroom.
W: The mushroom soup was so smooth and creamy. The croutons were nicely toasted and the quantity was perfect. The bread on the side made a nice dipping complement.
J: The plating was incredible, it was almost too pretty to eat. The kale had been shredded and consolidated in the centre, then surrounded with little jewels of food - avocado puree islands with tiny plants, floating in a sea of black vinegar; walnuts, berries, and crispy baby anchovies.
The honey citrus dressing was refreshing and had a hint of mint. It went well with the slightly crunchy kale and accompaniments.
W: The avocado salad was good too. The avocado and kale was so fresh, fragrant and smooth and it complements the salad.
It had sprinkles of fried baby anchovies, sun-dried berries and walnuts to add texture to this delightful, easy-to-eat salad.
Braised clams in lemongrass broth
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| Braised clams in lemongrass broth. |
W: The clams were plump and fresh, not too overwhelming. The sliced bacon added a bit of texture to the dish. It's a light and fresh appetizer with thinly-sliced lemongrass which adds a hint of fragrant crunch. The toasted bread on the side also made a lovely dipping complement.
J: Juicy clams and a mix of textures, with a complex clam flavour dominating the broth. The crusty bread was perfect for sopping up the last of the broth.
Baked Chilean seabass
W: The seabass was fresh and the fragrant rice bed was very flavourful. The baby potatoes and carrots were nicely seasoned and baked just right to stay moist.
J: The fish went perfectly with the rice and vegetables.
Pasta aglio olio with smoked duck
W: The smoked duck aglio olio was light and not too garlicky. This dish has a slight spicy aftertaste thanks to the slices of chilli padi. The duck was moist and nicely seasoned to complement the pasta.
J: The pasta felt blah by itself, but sang when taken together with the slices of duck.
Dessert platter
J: This featured a selection of desserts from the display. My favourite was the shot glass creme brulee - smooth and just sweet enough.
W: The spread of desserts were also good. The peach pudding was fresh, creamy and smooth. The apple pastry was not too "floury" and bite-sized. The coconut shavings on the pandan gula melaka cake were light and not too overwhelming, which complemented the cake very well.
Pamela's peaches (blooming tea)
J: This was served in double-walled cups which feel cool to the touch, even if the tea is hot - sip, don't gulp. The fragrance of the tea dominated this flavour.
W: It was aromatic and quite calming. It's best to continuously top it up with hot water to balance the strong brew.
Butter beer
J: This was served in a huge beer mug, so there is enough beer for two. The butterscotch flavour was clear. It's quite addictive.
Kadola envisages the restaurant to be a sanctuary for diners, one where they cannot be disturbed. "It's somewhere to call your own, somewhere only you know," he suggested.
But with such an exquisite story, who can blame anyone who wants to share it? The Secret Garden by Zeekri is at 19 Baghdad St, Singapore 199658.
Hashtag: #thesecretgardenbyzeekri
