Under Der Linden

A dining concept by @fleursophygroup, beautiful place for beautiful desserts @underderlindensg

Location: Under Der Linden, 5B Portsdown Rd, Singapore 139311

📍: One-north
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tried this secluded restaurant a while back and the vibes are to die for 💯 super pretty w flowers all around in a quiet neighbourhood :’) food was q meh tbh haha got the pesto parpadelle pasta ($20++) and the pasta was q soft and not al dente 😢 (although some ppl might like it this style) the sauce was a bit too watery for my liking too. we also got the wagyu striploin with peppers ($18++) - seasoning was nubbad, reminded me of satay. my fav was the heaven’s queen drink ($8++) tho HAHA. it was shiok and refreshing :-) overall i think i’ll j come here for the vibes and to getaway from the crowd 😬
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OVERALL: 3.5/5

The vibe and food service at this cafe was extremely lovely. It was my first time having coffee served in such an elaborate yet delicate manner. I thought the food choices and coffee were ok, not extraordinary/memorable in taste for the price. Dog-friendly which is great for pet owners, but the place was reverberating with barks after a while. A place that I would just come once to check it out, but may not return.

The folks behind Café de Nicole’s Flower are probably synonymous with creating dainty spaces that work especially well for the ‘gram — while their latest concept would be Ce Soir which is also located at 5B Portsdown Road, #01-03 just right beside Under Der Linden Restaurant, they have also launched Linden’s Dessert House, which is an extension of Under Der Linden Restaurant that is located at 5B Portsdown Road, #01-04 just up a flight of stairs that has an arch decorated with flowers; the location being much within the same cluster of buildings where Ce Soir and Under Der Linden Restaurant are located. As with all concepts that the folks behind Café de Nicole’s Flower had introduced, the space is decked in a really dainty aesthetic with the vast use of dried flowers to achieve a look that is consistent with most of their concepts. Since Linden’s Dessert House is pretty much a space for patrons to enjoy the various bakes and pastries that they have to offer, the menu here is limited to the various cakes and bakes (including entremets), danishes, and stacked palmiers that are also displayed in the display chiller and shelf at the counter — no hot food is being served at Linden’s Dessert House. For beverages, patrons can pick between specialty coffee, non-caffeinated beverages such as their flavoured lattes (think the likes of Sweet Potato Latte etc.), as well as a selection of teas from ROJI CHA, and alcoholic options such as beer, cocktails, wines etc.

Being pretty much a sucker for entremets that are shaped just like an apple with the use of apple elements within, the Linden’s Apple was a clear choice for us amongst the various cakes that they have to offer here. The Linden’s Apple features elements such as caramel mousse, cinnamon apple and Speculoos crumble; the cake also comes beautifully plated as well with what seems to be a maple drizzle; something which we were not really expecting considering how most establishments will serve an entremet on a smaller plate without an emphasis on its presentation. Cracking the exterior layer of the cake, it is noted that the green-coloured shell is actually made of white chocolate — immediately within the white chocolate layer would be the caramel mousse; liked how the white chocolate lends a hint of sweetness to the Linden’s Apple, and the caramel mousse was more of a subtle note that was also smooth though not particularly dense, and seemingly plays as a more neutral element that gels the white chocolate exterior and cinnamon apple together. Within the entire entremet is a core of cinnamon apple; this pretty much resembles the caramalised apple layer usually found in apple crumbles — while the chunks of apples here isn’t particularly obvious here and seemingly felt more jam-like, we really liked how it provided a zingy sweetness; the cinnamon providing yet another contrast of flavours as well that really made the Linden’s Apple feel like a reconstruction of an apple in an entremet / dessert form.

The folks who know us personally would probably know that we aren’t really fans of the concepts that the folks behind Café de Nicole’s Flower have introduced — the spaces generally do look like it is for the ‘gram, especially given its dainty aesthetics with the vast use of dried flowers that feels a little pretentious to us; probably just something which doesn’t vibe well with us personally. That being said, we do find ourselves enjoying our time spent at Linden’s Dessert House — set within one of those houses built in the colonial era that is located deep within the enclaves of Portsdown, time seems to pass slowly here; a spot that feels like it’s a respite away from the hustle and bustle, as well as the reality of city life. Perhaps this is the reason that makes them pretty popular, but we would admit that this is a space that we might return to for its serene settings — as long as it does not get too crowded …

Had the coconut latte and breakfast set, both were a little underwhelming. The place was nicely decorated though

This cafe is by the same people from Nicole Flowers. As expected, the deco has a lot of flowery theme but this time, to match the black and white colours of the old colonial building that it is located in, the furniture also incorporated a lot of black and white tones. Booking is advisable although this outlet is nowhere near as crowded as it’s two sister cafes. Service is also good and food and drinks are served quickly. Be aware that there is a time limit for breakfast, lunch and dinner and the menu is different.

Food wise, expect contemporary European cuisine with very artsy names. But the taste is above average and no single dish that we ordered let us down. The squid ink pasta with prawns was cooked just right and you get the umami of the squid ink without the fishy smell. The grilled octopus is another of the more popular dishes. A bit chewy and I cannot really reconcile the taste especially with their sauce which was neither spicy nor savoury. The Iberico Secreto was a good dish. The tiny bits of pineapple accentuated the flavour of the pork and the crunchiness of the meat added another dimension to the dish.

For Instagram fans, do remember to take photos of the white floral portal on the left of the cafe after you are done, the one featured in Life of Straits Times today.

I’ll probably come back another day just to try the beef and the chicken dish.