Moving one floor up in Ion Orchard from its previous space (now taken over by Violet Oon), The Marmalade Pantry‘s new flagship outlet puts on a different look. Gone are the dark hues and pastel interiors — instead, the open atrium and indoor spaces are lush and inviting with warm woods, lovely blooms, and sleek rose gold trimmings. A pretty place for ladies (or families) who brunch. On weekends. Amidst the crowds in town.
Classic Marmalade Pantry pastas and brunch bites remain on the menu, alongside new Asian-style mains, but the highlight here, especially for fans of MasterChef Singapore runner-up Genevieve Lee, is the exclusive, limited edition series of desserts by the vivacious home cook.
If her name rings a bell, you’ve probably watched her do her thing on the TV series, raged at the screen when she lost the title, and dreamt of sampling her recipes in person. Well, this is as close as you can get (for now), with three sweet treats conceptualized by her available at the eatery from March till October this year.
Her Blue Rhapsody ($10/slice, $70/whole) prettifies a rustic-style cake with lavender hazelnut crumble, blueberry gel, cream cheese frosting, blackcurrant meringue, and a touch of gold dust. Meanwhile, Sunset in the Glass ($14) takes inspiration from Thailand with an intricately designed dessert of lemongrass water, kaffir lime meringue, mango sorbet, fresh mango, and spiced nuts.
If you’re after a new take on good ‘ol kaya toast, the reimagined version ($14) replaces the bread-and-spread combination with pistachio sponge, coconut cream, brown toast meringue chunks, and a scoop of Cold Stone Creamery’s gula melaka ice cream.
Besides the sugary confections, the menu offers new appetizers like baked camembert ($18) and Maryland crab cakes ($26), as well as mains such as curry barramundi ($28) with jasmine rice, aubergine, okra, and onion, and kimchi fried rice ($26) with sous vide steak and egg.
If you’re into spice with a funk of blue cheese, the Sriracha chicken burger ($24) with parmesan fries will do the trick. Otherwise, the grilled pear and arugula salad ($22) makes for a healthier option, while the eatery’s rendition of laksa ($32) boosts the dish up a notch with slipper lobster, tiger prawns, and quail eggs, all plated and served as Insta-worthy as the local favorite can be.
For a quick break from shopping, the afternoon tea set ($60/two), only available at this outlet, features two tiers of smoked salmon, cucumber and watercress, and truffle egg mayo sandwiches, as well as cupcakes and scones, served with two pots of Monogram tea.
Those who’ve dined at The Marmalade Pantry will know the steep prices it comes with, especially for what’s considered rather basic brunch grub, but the portions are generous and its Ion outlet makes for a classy hangout when you’re exhausted from lugging all those shopping bags around the mall.
FIND IT:
The Marmalade Pantry is at #04-11A Ion Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn.
6734-2700. Daily 10am-10pm.
MRT: Orchard
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