Dine at the Flower Dome with one-starred Marguerite’s S$148 lunch menu

It’s been a good decade since I last took a stroll at Gardens by the Bay, and after a recent meal at Marguerite Singapore, located within the Flower Dome, I might just be back sooner than I thought. 

If you haven’t heard of Marguerite yet, let this be your sign to visit the picturesque one-Michelin-starred restaurant, which has held onto its star since it was first awarded one in 2022, a mere eight months after it first opened in the thick of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. 

Helmed by Australian chef Michael Wilson, it has launched a new menu that leans even more into modern Australian identity, through its provenance and produce.

You can expect ingredients sourced from all over Australia — ranging from seafood, livestock, and native fruits and herbs, to even wild game — served up in its course menus, available during lunch and dinner.

Prices start at S$148 for a four-course lunch menu, and go up to S$288 for its seven-course Signature menu. 

At a glance, S$148 might seem like a hefty sum to pay, even for lunch at a one-starred venue, but each meal at Marguerite comes with a complimentary buggy service and free entry to the Flower Dome, which you can visit before or after your meal.

It sounds like the perfect self-care itinerary if you ask me: A breezy, scenic ride through the Gardens to the restaurant, a Michelin-starred meal dotted with wild botanicals, culminating in a leisurely walk through the Flower Dome. 

I’m sure the handful of solo diners we spotted on the weekday afternoon we visited thought the same. 

Exploring Marguerite’s latest menu through its four-course lunch

On paper, Marguerite’s lunch menu starts off with a wild red kangaroo pho. 

I mentally brace myself for a gamey rendition of the Vietnamese rice-noodle dish, but chef Michael’s version was neither predictable nor musky.

Instead, we’re served with a small vial of wild red kangaroo consomme, prepared as you would a pho broth and clarified, topped with a mini-bouquet of aromatic herbs. 

It comes paired with ratatouille croustillant stuffed within a bell-pepper cigar shell. The mixture of diced green and yellow zucchini and carrots is bright, and along with the soothing broth, it gently eases us into the meal ahead. 

Be careful when you sip the consomme, though, as it is served piping hot.

The Spencer Gulf kingfish crudo is similarly vibrant, featuring a week-old, dry-aged yellowtail that’s been brined, served in a rosette with salted golden beetroot and wasabi leaf, topped with shiso flowers, and a buttermilk dressing with allium oil, wasabi, chives, and finger lime. 

It’s hard to go wrong with crudo, as long as the fish is fresh, but chef Michael’s version is refreshingly textural, with the crunchy golden beetroot — my first brush with this milder, yet sweeter variation — and firm, yet tender yellowtail, with the milky, slightly savoury dressing being the proverbial cherry on top. 

The next white asparagus custard dish is intriguing, if not for its appearance, but for the mix of egg custard — with asparagus stock, kombu, and bonito — topped with poached king crab, raw macadamia, and puffed rice. 

The dish is delicate overall, allowing the sweet crustacean to shine, while the bits of raw macadamia keep each bite interesting.

Marguerite’s lunch menu offers a Mount Schanck lamb saddle for the main, served with smoked eggplant and wild asparagus. 

The tender lamb is marinated with Dorrigo pepper, native to the Dorrigo Plateau in New South Wales, which gives the protein a sharp heat that builds gradually and lingers, though it doesn’t overwhelm. 

We also tried the 2GR full blood wagyu sirloin 9+, available with a S$38 add-on, and have zero regrets.

The premium wagyu, which hails from eastern Australia, is prepared simply — on charcoal — served on a bed of warrigal greens (a native spinach), and caramelised onion puree, embellished with pearl onions and purple onion flower. 

It is finished tableside with a drizzle of flavourful Sarawak pepper jus, which has a mild heat. 

As I dig in, the well-executed sirloin slices almost like butter, and the aromatic meat melts right in my mouth after a few effortless chews. It’s definitely decadent, but stops short of being too rich — a huge plus, especially since I don’t want to sink into a post-meal food coma. 

We end with the strawberry gum vacherin, which is essentially strawberry gum gelato, topped with cream Chantilly, encased within a plum-dusted meringue. 

I’m usually sceptical about strawberry desserts — too many venues lean on fruit that’s tart, with nary a sweetness — but this dish was different. It was strawberry-infused in and out, brimming with the saccharine fragrance of the fruit, without being too sweet on the tastebuds. 

You best believe I finished every single component on the plate in mere minutes. 

It must also be said that Marguerite’s wine pairings (S$98), curated by sommelier Eason Chi, are immaculate. Among them, my favourite was the Bass Phillip Estate chardonnay from Gippsland, Australia, which showcases the restaurant’s focus on chardonnays to complement the dishes and Singapore’s climate.

If you’re in the company of a non-drinker, the non-alcoholic Temperance pairing (S$48) features housemade beverages that closely mirror the curated alcoholic ones, while staying fun, approachable, and overall very delicious to drink. 

I love a good glass of wine, but the zero-proof drinks were so good that I found myself wavering once or twice through the meal. 

After your meal, take a brief stroll through the Flower Dome post-meal — which you can access via a staircase behind the restaurant, or via a lift to its venue Hortus upstairs, directed by the service crew. 

The midday reprieve, coupled with the gorgeous setting and intricate plates, does make for an enjoyable afternoon.

If this is what modern Australian is on the plate, it definitely makes me eager to see what other native ingredients chef Michael introduces next — and it’s got me even more excited for my upcoming trip to the Outback.

This was a hosted tasting.

For more floral-themed venues, check out the viral Chinese concept Tomacado at Paragon, or Bloom & Boom, a multi-concept floral cafe and bar at Bugis.