The Place Located at M Social Singapore, Beast & Butterflies is the all-day dining concept of the hotel. With views of the Singapore River, and located in the expat-friendly Robertson Quay vicinity, the restaurant has a rather forward looking avant-garde decor.

The Food Beast & Butterflies seeks to present food with inspirations from the world’s cuisine. The name of the restaurant is also inspired by the Beast and Butterflies dishes here, with the strong and heavier options making up the former, and the opposite being the Butterflies options.

Seemingly a popular choice in recent months, here’s yet another rendition of a Tomato Soup. The Tomato Latte (S$9) is served as a shot with capsicum foam, bacon bits and basil oil pearls. Basically a gazpacho with characters of a Bloody Mary, at least that’s how I see it. Unfortunately, I have never been a fan of a cold soup, or Bloody Mary.

Luckily for us, the next item is on point. The scallops are sliced thinly and marinated with yuzu and sesame oil, topped with fried shallots, and ships leaves. The Scallop Carpaccio (S$26) is so enjoyable, with the raw scallop providing some good bite together with the shallots and the satisfying sesame oil. Some wafer-thin bread slices would have been a perfect addition to the dish.

Onwards to the Beast section, the chef introduced his new take of the familiar Crispy Pork Knuckle (Half – S$26/ Full – S$36). The crisp skin is on point, with the meat still retaining its juice despite the perfect roasted crust on the outside. Perhaps the best part are the accompanying sauces, where you can choose to dip the meats into either the Nam Jin or the Hoisin sauce. The former is a Thai sauce typically used as a dip for grilled meats, while the latter is a familiar sauce for glazing our meats. I much preferred the Nam Jin sauce with that added sourness and mild spice, elevating the overall taste. The full portion is a very generous serving, ideal for sharing in a bigger group.

The star of the dinner, this is a dish to impress your fellow diners. The Lobster Porridge (S$38) is prepared by boiling the rice in crab broth, and is complete with baby abalone and lobster when served; topped with crispy conpoy, bonito flakes, fried shredder ginger and scallion. Very satisfying, you will not get enough of the broth while at it.

Other dishes you can enjoy here include the Scallion Soy Barramundi (S$26) and Szechuan Lamb Steak (S$38). The fish is baked together with spring onions, ginger and other vegetables, which is a good rendition of a Cantonese classic. The latter is an interesting take on lamb chops, with Sichuan marination and without the gamy taste usually associated with lamb.I will recommend you to go for the lambs if you are looking for a meat to complete your dinner.

For desserts, the options are quite creative where I can see that the chef seeks to break away from the traditional sweet-endings. First up, the Yam Brulee (S$12) gets you an atypical French Brulee with yam paste in replacement of the usual custard base.

Alternatively, the Chocoholic (S$12) is primarily a coconut based dessert with summer flavors including banana and malibu chocolate sauce.

Rants It feels slightly disorganized with the myriad of cuisine served up in a meal, where we are not sure if the chef is trying to showcase too much elements on the table at once. In that sense, the restaurant is not focused on any specific type of cuisine.

Will I Return Again? First visit to Beast & Butterflies, and we were impressed by some of the highlights, including the Crispy Pork Knuckle and the Lobster Porridge. The restaurant is ideal for a gathering of friends seeking for a unique twist to otherwise familiar food, in an environment where boundaries are pushed.

This was an invited tasting, though all opinions expressed are our own.

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 3.5/5
Hole in the pocket: 3.5/5
Ambience: 3.5/5
Overall Experience: 3.5/5

Beast & Butterflies
90 Robertson Quay
Singapore 238259
Tel: +65 6657 0018

Opening Hours
Monday to Sunday
Lunch: 11.30am to 2.30pm
Dinner: 5pm to 10.30pm

Ranted by The Rantee