Restaurant review: Hortus blooms in Gardens by the Bay with rustic Mediterranean fare

Something's blooming at Gardens by the Bay, courtesy of ex-Pollen executive chef Michael Wilson.

Two months ago, the dynamic chef-owner brought a fresh breeze to the Active Garden with Mylo's, a pet-friendly gelato cafe named for his golden retriever.

An overhaul of the Flower Dome soon followed: Longtime fine-dining spot Pollen has been reborn as Marguerite, while its sister concept Fennel Cafe has found new life as Hortus.

Like the former Fennel Cafe, Hortus serves up Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fare - but it's only in this incarnation that the space has truly come into its own.

Where its ground-floor neighbour Marguerite is all fine-dining pomp, Hortus roots itself in simple, homely dishes.

Home-baked bread, wood-grilled meats, and spice-rich sharing plates are the order of the day - many drawn from chef Wilson's day-to-day favourites.

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The best seats in the house are certainly under the pergola - a romantic canopy billowing with light cotton linen and twinkling with fairy lights by night.

Terracotta tiles and rustic wooden tables add to the laidback ambience of a Mediterranean patio; the sky spreads its brilliant blue above the bubble of the Flower Dome.

Aside from the frequent boom of announcements over the intercom, it's a peaceful spot.

Pita bread is such a staple in any Mediterranean restaurant that you might easily skim past it, to which we say: Don't.

Hortus' house-made Pita Bread ($5 for two pieces) arrives warm and wonderfully fluffy, resembling more a pillow than a flatbread.

For dips, there's a stellar Hummus ($10) sprinkled with paprika, but we recommend a taste of the lesser-known Muhammara ($10).

A blend of roasted red bell peppers, walnuts, and pomegranates, this Aleppo dip is tangy and smoke-kissed.

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Another delightful starter, the Amberjack Crudo ($22) showcases luscious amberjack slices that melt in the mouth alongside a savoury-sweet drizzle of pomegranate molasses, bottarga, and olive oil.

Craving something juicier? The Watermelon Salad ($15) comes tossed with Greek feta cheese, red onion, and whiffs of mint, along with confit olives whose briny punch has been rendered smooth and mellow.

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Two breakfast staples - yoghurt and eggs - come together in Çilbir ($22). Hortus' rendition of this Turkish classic involves a pair of poached eggs swathed in sheep's yoghurt and perched on two grilled asparagus stems.

The tart yoghurt cuts through the rich yolk, resulting in a light and surprisingly harmonious breakfast dish. Brown butter sauce and a dash of Aleppo pepper tie the creamy duo together.

For sharing plates, highlights include the Venus Clams ($35). Already impressively plump on first glance, our clams arrive cooked to a perfect creaminess in garlic, chili, and raki; the resultant broth, however, is too intensely briny for our tastes.

Fresh off the wood grill, the Fremantle Octopus ($32) is sizzled to a nice crunch on the outside without being too charred. Dunk it into the creamy dip of green harissa sauce for an extra kick.

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Dessert is a rotating selection of house-made cakes and tarts.

We aren't normally fans of salted caramel and its sticky richness, but our Salted Caramel Tart ($12) resembles a deliciously light pudding on the inside, with a topping of toasted pine nuts. The Lemon Meringue Tart ($12), meanwhile, is a sweet affair of Amalfi lemon curd blanketed in meringue.

The cocktail selection is just three-strong, but the aptly named Marguerite's Garden ($18) catches our eye. This gin-and-tonic sounds as verdant as its setting, with an infusion of peas and a garnish of pea sprouts.

Thankfully, the herbaceous notes are dialed down to just a hint of grassiness - ideal for sipping while admiring your lush surroundings.

Hortus is located at Flower Dome, #01-09 Gardens by the Bay, 18 Marina Gardens Dr, Singapore 018953, p. +65 6702 0158. Open Wed-Sun 11.30am-9pm. Closed Mon & Tues.

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This article was first published in City Nomads.