the queen & mangosteen

Odd name, pretty good “gourmet British pub”.  I’m not sure if it really reminds me of a British Pub, but it’s a nice gastrobar.

A favourite of a friend of mine, I went there for her farewell last night.  Although it’s located at Vivo City, which I still think is a really out-of-the-way shopping centre and I can’t quite figure out why everyone seems to rave on about how great it is, the view from the alfresco bar is sensational.  Looking out over the water to Sentosa, the panorama can only get better when Resorts World is open and operational – I’m sure patrons will also be able to enjoy nightly fireworks.

I’m not a beer drinker at all, but the the Queen & Mangosteen is apparently a microbrewery, and the most ordered beer last night was the “Samui” – a crisp, flavourful, but light ale.  Very refreshing drink when you’re outdoors in this Singapore heat.  I don’t know if it’s because my friend knew the manager/owner but the staff were incredibly friendly and helpful, quite rare to be found in the service industry here in Singapore.

In the days of yore, I used to subscribe to the “eating’s cheating” mantra on a Friday night, but these days, I need to eat something before I drink or it’s night night by 9pm.  The Queen and Mangosteen is a place where the nibbles are all pretty good.  Chips are thick cut and crispy on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside, the onion rings are lightly battered, the chicken wings not too oily and the whitebait was floured and crispy and lovely with the dipping sauce (it definitely could have done with some seasoning when eaten without the dipping sauce though). I didn’t get a chance to look at the rest of the menu but the diners inside looked like they were enjoying their risottos and steaks.

The vibe of the place is relaxed and friendly and the music is slightly retro.  Our group took up a large part of the outdoor area, so I’m not really sure if it’s busy enough to have enough ambiance for me for a Friday night – perhaps it’s a good place to start your weekend, but again, it’s a long way away from anything else.  (I do recognise that being in Singapore has quickly made me acclimatise to the close proximity that everything is here, and where anything where you cannot easily get a taxi and/or is more than ten minutes drive is a long way away for me, so take that last comment with a pinch of salt.)

The Queen & Mangosteen

1 HarbourFront Walk
#01-106/107 VivoCity

Tel: +65 6376 9380

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