At Forage, the restaurant at Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree, floor-to-ceiling windows frame the lush Upper Seletar Reservoir, and all 40 seats are angled towards the view. With the sun setting, a fellow diner jokes, “It’s like we’re no longer in Singapore”.
Every evening at 6pm, an exclusive seating invites guests to savour bewitching moments from dusk to twilight and nightfall, all while sipping complimentary champagne.
In addition to his eight-course Experience Menu, Chef de Cuisine Marcus Tan offers a five-course Discovery Menu for those with smaller appetites. The veteran Singaporean chef has worked at some of the city’s most renowned fine dining restaurants, including Joël Robuchon Singapore, Saint Pierre, Lerouy, and 28Wilkie.
Fresh herbs and microgreens from the resort’s rooftop edible garden, and other locally sourced ingredients along with some imported sustainable produce define Forage’s memorable harvest-to-table experiences.
Tan uses herbs, microgreens, and aromatics as garnishes, infusions, and pickles. In addition, lemon basil, bunga kantan (torch ginger flower), and pandan are integrated into oils, pickled, or shaved to make each dish unique.
Our eight-course Experience menu opens with warm rustic house-made bread and Maison Bordier salted butter, then a run of clever amuse-bouches. A standout: Soybean, Leek & Kaluga Hybrid Caviar—a silky soya-bean custard with marinated nori, leek sauce and tarragon from the edible garden, finished with a generous spoon of Kaluga hybrid caviar. The roe comes from a farm in Zhejiang, China, which operates a large-scale, sustainable aquaculture system to raise sturgeon in Qiandao Lake.
The mains cleverly combine the best of both land and sea. As an example, the tender Lobster, Tamarind, Bunga Kantan & Laksa Leaf uses the aforementioned ingredients to reimagine Asam Pedas, known for its vibrant, tangy, and spicy flavours.
“I enjoy working with bunga kantan,” Tan says. “It has a bright, floral aroma that lifts a dish without overpowering it. We use it as a finishing touch in our lobster course because it cuts through the richness of the dish nicely.”
Australian Wagyu Striploin MBS 6/7, charcoal-grilled until succulent, comes with beef jus, pink garlic oil, and chimichurri quenelle using herbs from the edible garden, including parsley, thyme, oregano, and wild pepper leaf.
In Skipjack Tuna, Red Pepper Ponzu & Cashew Nut, the fish is cured with citrus and sugar, topped with shallot and red pepper ponzu, and finished with roasted cashew nut cream.
Another standout is Forage’s Chicken 4 Ways “San Bei Ji” & King Oyster Mushroom. Based on the Taiwanese three-way chicken classic characterised by its basic ingredients for San Bei Ji sauce—rice wine, soya sauce, and sesame oil—this version offers four ways to prepare the bird, including chicken breast wrapped in chicken mousse and accompanied by king oyster mushroom and San Bei Ji sauce, as well as a stuffed chicken wing.
Then, there’s a surprise, off-menu fifth way, a soup that’s served to all guests. “We turn the leftover bones and trimmings into a slow-simmered, collagen-rich soup,” reveals Tan.
Just as tasty is Beijing Cabbage, Shiitake Mushroom & Crustacean Broth. Braised for 36 hours at a low temperature to retain its colour and texture, the cabbage is shaped into a terrine and presented with a flavourful broth made from crustacean shells. Goji berries and decadent foie gras add more complexity and texture.
Tan’s efforts to reduce food miles extend beyond growing herbs and microgreens on site; he also cultivates partnerships with local suppliers. Sustainability is an integral part of how the company operates, not an afterthought.
“These practices are embedded in our kitchen and menu planning. The menu changes according to the season and availability, so by-products and off-cuts are repurposed into stock and garnishes. In addition, pickling and fermenting extend the life of ingredients.”
