Nestled in the lush greenery of the Singapore Botanic Gardens’ Ginger Garden, Tembusu is the latest dining destination by Fleursophy Group, bringing a contemporary take on Singapore and Southeast Asia’s familiar flavours to an elegant, tropical setting.
Named after Singapore’s iconic heritage tree, Tembusu is an air-conditioned sanctuary where diners can escape the heat while staying connected to the surrounding gardens. The space embraces what the restaurant calls “Straits Maximalism”, with rich colours, intricate details and a sense of tropical opulence that complements its location. It is also a pet-friendly indoor concept, making it a welcoming spot for diners looking for a more relaxed dining experience with their furry companions.
Stuffed Chicken Wings 4.2/5
We started with the Stuffed Chicken Wings ($18), served as a set of three. Each chicken wing is meticulously deboned, then generously packed with a rich, savoury fresh prawn paste farce. The preparation sets it apart from the more familiar har cheong gai, where prawn paste chicken is typically battered and deep-fried. Here, the wings are grilled instead, allowing the chicken skin to pick up a lovely smoky char while keeping the meat juicy and succulent. The chicken’s natural sweetness comes through alongside the savoury, bouncy prawn filling, creating a combination that is both familiar and distinctly different. It is served with a vibrant housemade Hainanese-style chilli sauce, bringing a bright, spicy and tangy kick that cuts through the richness of the prawn farce. A well-executed starter that gives a local favourite a more refined treatment.
Signature Otak Otak Slider 4.2/5
The Signature Otak Otak Slider ($18) is another clever take on a familiar Southeast Asian street food favourite. The bite-sized sliders feature a housemade seafood patty made with batang fish and tiger prawns, rather than relying solely on the usual fish paste. The combination gives the otak-otak a meatier texture, with the juicy tiger prawns adding extra sweetness and bite. The seafood patty carries the characteristic smoky and aromatic spice profile of otak-otak and is tucked into a beautifully toasted brioche bun. A fragrant kaffir lime aioli adds a creamy, citrusy note that balances the spices while lifting each bite. The contrast between the rich, spiced seafood patty, buttery brioche and bright kaffir lime aioli makes this an easy-to-eat yet thoughtfully constructed starter.
Kopi C Hot / Kopi C Cold 4/5
To go with our brunch, we also had the traditional Kopi C, available hot for $5.90 or cold for $6.90. The coffee beans are sourced from the Gia Lai Highlands in Vietnam and roasted in Singapore by Generation Coffee Roasters. It offers a familiar local coffee experience while fitting comfortably into Tembusu’s modern interpretation of Singaporean flavours.
Singapore Chilli Crab Pasta 4/5
The Singapore Chilli Crab Pasta ($27) brings one of Singapore’s most iconic dishes into a pasta format, combining al dente rigatoni with soft-shell crab, blue swimmer crab and a sous vide egg. The rigatoni is thoroughly coated in a thick, rich housemade chilli crab sauce, with the slow-cooked sauce delivering the familiar sweet, savoury and spicy characteristics of Singapore-style chilli crab. The sauce has enough intensity to cling to the pasta without overwhelming it. A whole, crispy, deep-fried soft-shell crab sits on top, adding a satisfying crunch and a generous seafood element. The sous vide egg adds another layer of richness, with the silky yolk blending into the chilli crab sauce to create an even more luxurious finish. This playful interpretation should appeal to those who enjoy seeing familiar Singaporean flavours translated into contemporary dishes.
Andaman Prawn Risotto 4.2/5
The Andaman Prawn Risotto ($32) takes a decidedly more indulgent approach, with creamy risotto cooked in an intensely flavoured lobster bisque and topped with plump Andaman sea prawns and crispy sakura ebi. The rice absorbs the lobster bisque during cooking, resulting in grains packed with deep, velvety seafood flavour. Natural shellfish sweetness runs through the dish, giving it a luxurious, comforting quality. Crunchy sweet corn kernels are incorporated into the risotto, adding little pops of sweetness and texture that cut through the bisque’s richness. On top, the Andaman prawns are plump and well-cooked, while the scattering of crispy sakura ebi adds another layer of savoury seafood flavour and crunch. Among the mains, this was one of the more memorable dishes for us, particularly for its depth of seafood flavour and contrasting textures.
Signature Grand Dessert Bowl 3.5/5
For dessert, the Signature Grand Dessert Bowl ($13.90) is Tembusu’s take on the traditional Chinese Tong Sui. The eight-treasure fresh milk dessert soup comes loaded with herbal jelly, red bean, peach gum, lotus seeds, taro balls, osmanthus and water chestnut, bringing together a variety of textures and flavours in one bowl. The housemade taro balls have a pleasant chewiness, while the peach gum contributes its naturally gelatinous texture. Soft red beans provide an earthy sweetness, complemented by the floral fragrance of osmanthus and the subtle crunch of water chestnut. This comforting dessert offers plenty of ingredients to explore, with a lighter, more traditional finish after the richer mains.
Pink Guava Snow Ice 3.5/5
The Pink Guava Snow Ice ($12.90) offers a more refreshing finish with its fine, fluffy and almost cloud-like snow ice. Unlike conventional crushed ice, the ice is infused with pink guava flavour, creating a smoother texture that melts almost instantly on the tongue. The guava delivers a pleasant fruity sweetness balanced by a mild tartness, keeping the dessert refreshing rather than overly sugary. The natural acidity works particularly well as a palate cleanser after the richer seafood dishes, making this a good option for those looking for something light and fruity to finish.
Tembusu brings together Singapore’s familiar flavours with a contemporary approach, presenting Malay, Peranakan, Chinese and wider Southeast Asian influences in a setting that feels very much at home within the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Beyond the food, the lush Ginger Garden surroundings and air-conditioned, pet-friendly interior give Tembusu an appealing point of difference. It is a destination where the tropical setting, heritage-inspired flavours and contemporary dining experience come together naturally.
Tembusu
Ginger Garden
Singapore Botanic Gardens
1 Cluny Road
Singapore 259569
Tel: +65 8988 6658
Website
Nearest MRT: Napier (TE Line)
Opening Hours:
Daily: 8am - 9pm
Direction:
1) Alight at Napier MRT Station. Take Exit 1. Walk to Cluny Road. Cross the road and walk to Singapore Botanic Gardens. Walk to the destination. Journey time is about 8 minutes. [Map]
