Restaurant: Casa Verde

Singaporeans are a disgruntled lot. We complain about everything under the sun, and about the sun as well! The weather is too hot and humid for anything outdoors and so we hide in the air conditioned comforts of shopping malls. Then we bemoan the lack of things to do. This never ends, does it? Why not bear the heat, explore the green spaces we have and marvel at the beauty of nature? You may even find some hidden surprises.

Casa Verde is one of those surprises. Very few dining establishments can boast of being at the doorsteps of nature. What's more? It is located in the heart of the city, nestled in a quiet corner of the Singapore Botanic Gardens. The vibe is very relaxed, with pets roaming freely in the alfresco area and people chilling after a hike in the park.

Brunch is a casual semi self-serve affair where you place your orders at the counter and wait to be served. We took refuge in cosy indoor section to escape the sweltering heat while waiting.

Brunch is never complete with eggs. I can never say no to a Gourmet Breakfast with scrambled eggs (S$15) because it provides a great variety of ingredients. Even though the eggs weren't sufficiently creamy or buttery, I love the juicy Cumberland sausage and flavorful back bacon. The portions were huge for the price we paid.

I'm always fearful of eating Carbonara because the cream sauce could be rather overwhelming if not done well. However, Casa Verde's version (S$15) kept us going on till none was left. The cream, egg and Parmesan mix is drier as compared to most but it was just sufficient to coat each strand of spaghetti to give it a flavorful burst.

The slightly doughy Italian thin crust pizza was very decent as well. We had the Pizza Frutti di Mare (S$23), which came with fresh chunks of scallop, squid and shrimp on a tomato salsa base. This is perfect picnic food. Grab a few friends, lay out the red and white checkered mat on the luxuriant green and enjoy a good conversation over wine and pizza. Life is too short to be stuck in overcrowded shopping malls.

Sunnies up folks! It's time to stop and smell the roses.

Casa Verde
1 Cluny Road
Singapore Botanic Gardens
Tel: 6467 7326

This post was first published on LadyIronChef.