Wellness-focused glasshouse restaurant Foura opens at Gardens by the Bay’s IMBA Theatre

If you’re into your wellness and healthy lifestyle journey, you might enjoy what Foura has to offer. It’s a new restaurant that opened officially on July 9, located at the IMBA Theatre in Gardens by the Bay.

Besides being a contemporary Asian and European restaurant, Foura incorporates wellness and community experiences into its concept. 

The restaurant is housed in a pretty glasshouse that’s simple but practical, with a calming ambience. You can people-watch passers-by as you dine, or take a seat outdoors if you want to take in the greenery.

Foura is founded by four people, each bringing different expertise to the table. There’s Dharma Wang, 38, and Benjamin Aryanto, 35, co-founders of Bae’s Cocktail Club in Tanjong Pagar and Milli at National Gallery Singapore. 

Also in the team are Ryan Pang, 41, founder of Equate Coffee in Tanjong Pagar, and Elwin Tan, 38, a food technologist with a PhD in stem cell and aging from the National University of Singapore.

The IMBA Theatre space will also host a series of weekly programmes, including pilates, sound baths, and running clubs, with the full itinerary still to be announced.

This is the idea: Work up a sweat, then head next door to Foura for a nourishing lunch or dinner — without feeling like you’ve undone all that hard work.

For now, there is a recurring weekly yoga experience on Thursdays by Jyan Yoga Studio. Each class will be priced from $35 per session, with more class types planned along the way.

All participants who sign up for classes also get 10% off their Foura bill.

A nutritious menu

Foura’s menu is built around nutrient-dense ingredients and dishes. 

But perhaps what’s most interesting to diners would be that the menu takes cues from the largely plant-forward, nutrient-dense eating patterns associated with Blue Zones — regions known for unusually long-lived populations. 

Admittedly, the menu is a little pricey, but that comes with a more health-conscious approach to dining — plus you’re also having this within a prime location.

Starters include the salmon, tuna & hamachi crudo (S$32), which features king salmon, maguro (tuna) and hamachi (yellowtail), with soy-citrus dressing, dill oil, lime zest, shredded daikon, and pickled cherry tomato.

It’s a good, refreshing starter, with the citrusy elements helping to keep the dish light.

The burratina & roasted pumpkin (S$28) comes with roasted pumpkin puree, burratina, balsamic cream, Korean chilli oil, basil oil, and pickled red onion, served with sourdough to dip in.

My dining companion particularly liked this one — the creamy texture works nicely with the sweetness of the roasted pumpkin, while the chilli oil gives it some more depth.

As for mains, the herb confit chicken leg (S$32) features free-range chicken leg, artichoke puree, pickled cherry tomato, crushed pistachio, and jus gras.

The chicken is exceptionally tender, with the meat practically sliding off the bone. It’s clean-tasting without being bland, while the artichoke puree is a nice accompaniment. 

The crushed pistachio also gives the otherwise classic chicken dish a slightly more modern touch.

The Okinawa shio koji rainbow trout (S$36) comes with a balsamic crema glaze, free-range onsen egg, anchovy and yellow bean broth, Hokkaido potato, cabbage salad, and shari (vinegared) rice.

The fish, brimming with umami, is soft and nicely cooked. The anchovy and yellow bean broth — a replacement for the miso soup you might expect alongside a Japanese-inspired fish dish — has a particularly strong hit, but finishes clean.

There are desserts on the menu, too, and Foura keeps the health-conscious touches going.

Its soy milk panna cotta (S$18) has a smooth, easy-to-eat texture, with black sesame crumble and date syrup. The black sesame adds a nice contrast, and does not overpower the panna cotta.

For chocolate lovers, the Valrhona cloud mousse (S$22) combines Valrhona dark chocolate with sea salt, high-polyphenol extra virgin olive oil, and almond granola.

The quality of the chocolate itself is excellent — if you enjoy darker chocolate, you’ll probably appreciate the use of Valrhona. The sea salt also helps to bring everything together. 

The extra virgin olive oil, however, comes across slightly separated in the mouthful, so it can feel a little distinct from the rest of the dessert.

Both desserts are also not overly sweet, making for a satisfying way to end the meal.

This was a hosted tasting.