The Garden Slug

Someone invited me to be a fan of the gay-friendly joint, Garden Slug, on Facebook and my sister knows the owners so we took a trip down today. 

The decor is horrendous. The tables and chairs, more suited in a office conference room, are mismatched with the 60s mosaic floor. The ceiling is too high, making the place seem cavernous and lacking. 

For hors d'oeuvres, we ordered mushroom soup and calamari. My sister had wagyu burger and I, All-Day Breakfast for dinner. We shared a sampler plate of 3 desserts. So in total: we ordered seven dishes.

When my sister ordered the soup, she asked the waitress, "So is your soup gray or white?" HA HA HA. What a question and I encouraged her to ask it! A proper way was just to ask if the soup was from a can (white) or made from scratch (gray) but I encouraged her to ask the color question! More fun this way.

When we were done, my sister asked, "So what is your verdict?"

"I'm going home to remove my 'fan' status from facebook." 

She said, "My favorite dish is the iced water with a tinge of lemongrass, which is free."

The truth is the food is ample and has lots of sincerity. But sincerity doesn't mean that it tastes good! The Pilot with UGLIER LEGS THAN MINE makes much, much better mushroom soup than this one. The mushroom soup was bland and weird, using a different type of mushroom perhaps? And who puts potatoes in mushroom soup? The calamari did not look appetizing, it looked sad and again, not only did it taste bland, the crisp didn't go well with the squid. The All-Day Breakfast I ordered, I could have cooked it myself. Just like fried rice which I could have cooked myself, I like ordering good fried rice from great restaurants to see if the chef is up to standard. The sausage was too oily; the egg was too creamy, suited for a heart-attack; for the yogurt, they used marigold yogurt and added nuts and oats in it.  And the most unforgivable portion is the dessert. The brownie was rock-hard all over, inside and out, and the tasteless tiramisu was the worst I had eaten in my life. The frozen-rock-hard gelato tasted like vanilla ice kacang! All in all, it will make a very good home-cooked meal but it's really no good for a restaurant.

But there was a cute waiter! I saw him in a flash then he disappeared into the kitchen. I said to my sister, "Maybe he's the dish-washer, that's how he developed his huge arms by scrubbing the plates. I'm going to write a review to say that the plates are very clean." 
For more reviews, please see my blog. 

Stepping into The Garden Slug, located at a corner of Telok Kurau Rd, you're surrounded by a rustic and cozy ambience. Just a foot through the door and the bubbly lady at the counter gives a resounding warm welcome to her customers. I was mesmerized by the quaintness of this little cafe and captivated by its friendly decor. Posters with interesting scribbles line a red backdrop. A wooden door is plastered with sketches by presumably children; and at the far end of the cafe sits a sofa set and a coffee table, simply inviting you to plonk yourself there for a chat with friends over tea.

My first dining experience here was on my birthday when my boyfriend brought me here for a celebratory meal after hearing much raves about it from his friends. Indeed, it was up to expectations. The staff provided great service, were polite and sincere. I ordered a Rustic Bolognese done The Garden Slug Way and it left me very much satisfied and if not for the generous portion, I would have been yearning for more. Being more of a veggie person, it was a nice surprise to see carrot chunks and grilled zucchini incorporated into the usual, boring beef-only bolognese. The tomato sauce was also light and flavourful! My boyfriend, on the other hand, had his Pasta in a Buttery Garlic Glaze topped with grilled chicken strips. For those who dislike garlic breath, not to worry, this dish has a mild garlic taste and not overpowering.

Second visit: Since discovering such a hidden gem, i recommended my family to this place for a weekend dinner! However, perhaps being under-staffed on a busy weekend night, service this time was slower and food took a while to be served. Nonetheless, the food was still fantastic except for the starter dish - Tofu and Zucchini Fingers coated in bread crumbs which i thought was overfried and hence too dry. Also, not very value for money considering it consisted of simple ingredients. However, aside from that, the Pasta with Juicy Shrimp and Roast Pumpkin is a must-try!! With a rich pink sauce of tender roasted pumpkin and fresh shrimps, the combination was simply wonderful! The pizza (Beef it up, Jo!) we ordered had a nice thin-crusted base, portion not too big, and for smaller eaters, will not satiate your stomach. The pinch of mustard added certainly set it apart from the norm!

Lastly: I had a home delivery! Yes, right to your doorstep with your dishes still warm and fresh!

I have been meaning to check out The Garden Slug for awhile, the place where my sister was brought to right before being proposed to. However, being far out, and not being an owner of a car, the dream almost never materialised until my sister actually got me there for dinner last night.

The place fits the name, with a laid back atmosphere and casual service, one could just sit back, relax, relax and relax.

Down to the food, I started with the Tofu zucchini fingers ($9.90) which consisted of separate pieces of fried pieces of zucchini and tofu. It is a nice choice if you are a fan of fried foods, with a mix of crunch in the zucchini and a soft bite in the tofu.

I then had the Spicy Gumbo ($5.50) which ended up being more of a thick tomato soup with some pepper and rice.

Moving on, I had the Pasta seafood ($17.50). One of the more pricier pastas, this one had fresh pieces of squid and prawn with generous portions of linguine. Unfortunately, the dish lacked taste as the wine sauce was rather weak and the pasta was too dry for my liking.

I also tried a bit of the Wagyu burger ($18.90). I  liked the quality of the beef patty, but the portion was really small.

I also tried a little of the Pasta Sausage ($14.90) which was quite similar to most of the pastas that were served, except that this dish had a pesto touch to it.  My sister commented that the amount of sausages has gone down, but I still thought that it was rather generous compared to other places that I have been to.

All in all, the food was not fantastic but satisfactory. However, the key selling point of the place is in the laid back setting that allows for a casual dining out of the hectic city.

 

This is The Garden Slug, a modest but admirable eatery that has been around in the Telok Kurau area for quite some time now. If "comfortable food", reasonable prices, excellent service and a peaceful setting is what you are looking out for, this is one place that you may be interested in.

Truth be told, I was not in the bestest of moods so a cheer-me-up was called for. Naturally, I was well prepared for something deliciously sweet (read on...) but I realised I should have something warm and savoury too. The Roast Beef Sandwich with mozzarella cheese and mushrooms looked like a simple and safe enough choice. And delightfully, it was simple and safe enough to satiate my lunchtime hunger. Hearty slices of beef that went very well with the cheese, bits of mushrooms and most importantly of all, well-toasted ciabatta bread. It was typical of me to push aside the side salad (because I'm sooo on a diet) and in its place I got a small pack of Doritos nacho cheese chips. Neat.

What reallyyy got me all the way here in the first place, was the dessert of the month: the Apple Cranberry Streusel. This looked so good on The Garden Slug's blog that I knew I had to brave the scorching heat and additional bus ride just for a taste of this little heaven. Thankfully, it did not disappoint at all. 

It's pretty, no doubt about it, and the "scoop" of vanilla ice-cream (with notable specks of the all revered vanilla beans) was more like a packed snowball worth at least three standard-size ice-cream scoops. Generosity: check. Admittedly, it was a tad "icy" but this also meant that it managed to stay harder longer as I went through the dessert slowly. The hot streusel (very much a crumble to me) had fresh slices of apples and was uniquely good because of the pleasant hint of spices, which is more than just cinnamon. Sugar rush: check. Satisfaction: check that as well!

For pictures and full review, you may head on here!

And oh, GST and service charge is waived here :)

Service: Very friendly and helpful staff.

Food ordered:
Garlic and Herb Bread sticks. $4.90
Orange Glazed Buttermilk Chicken $16.90
Golden Battered Ocean Hake $16.90

Drinks ordered:
Strawberry Fruit Soda $4.80
Ice Lemon Tea (i forgot the price)

Food was nice, the breadsticks was served piping hot and on such a cool weather, we happily consumed it. Wanted to get some Mushroom soups to go with it, but they only served Hearty soup for that day, so we werent really keen for clear Italian soup.

The chicken was crispy and tender, served on a bed of mash and the orange soup just add a nice zest to it. Their mash is quite buttery and just melts in the mouth.
The ocean hake came in two huge pieces of battered fish on a bed of mash. Also, very well done as my partner and i preferred our fish battered rather than crumbs.

We wanted to try the desserts, but by then we were full enough. Will return for their desserts.

Ambience/Settings wise, its a great place for patrons with pets. If im not wrong, pet biscuit is provided. There's wireless access and it's a great place to just lounge and relax after a busy day.

The Garden Slug is a cosy, humble little diner located at Lorong L Telok Kurau, Bright Centre .The neighbours are a handful of pet shops and a very well-known animal clinic. It is a hidden gem in tucked in Still road and thanks to HGW for helping me find this little cafe. I saw the logo, a slug! I knew I came to the right place! They offer comfortable food – steaks, pastas, salads, sandwiches, soups and such. They also have Southeast Asian iced teas and aromatic coffee to start your day or end a quiet evening. Apart from that, however, they also cater to parties of all sizes, they are a speed-dating venue, as well as a unique location for exclusive product launches. The interior is very cosy, some sofas and chairs. It’s just perfect for a small gathering , simply get together with some company of friends or laze around with your laptop ( Wireless service provided here). The menu features some healthy cuisines, from italian food such as spaghetti to baked pasta dishes. Serving Breakast all day , lunch and even desserts. If there is anything not found in the menu, Just ask! & they will try to accomoate to your request. Their service mantra – ” If we can do it, we sure as hell will try”. Opened-faced veggie sandwich ($9.50 nett) I had an opened-faced veggie sandwich on Multigrain bread. The bread is very thick as you can see thus only one slice is served. The bread is lightly toasted with melted mozarella cheese. The bread is packed with grains (flaxseeds, walunts, sesame seeds… etc) therefore it is very filling and full of fibre! The grilled veggies consist of zucchini, eggplants, mushrooms and fresh tomato slices were laid neatly on top of the thick bread. The veggies were well-grilled with some herbs but I find the eggplant slices a little ”raw”, seems a little uncooked too and it was a little tough to bite. It would be best if the melted cheese is melted on the grilled veggies instead o the thick bread. The service here is quite alright, more of self-service. There is no GST/service charge here, everything is nett. There is no ladies/gents here thus if you need the loo urgently, you will have to walk a few streets down the road(a disadvantage).

I have been to "The Garden Slug" a few times already, and with every visit the place grows on me even more.

I still remember my shock at the minimalistic deco and the "renovation in progress" feel of the place when I first entered. But after a while, you just get used to it and start to enjoy the hustle-free atmosphere of the place.

The food choice is absolutely huge, ranging from snack, sandwiches, salads, popular main courses to drink and deserts. And I am quite sure you can ask for specific adjustment to suit your taste. To this point anything I tried there tasted good. The popular mash and bangers are simple and the portion is big. But my favorite has to be the portobello mushroom burger - it's a true must-try gem, served with veggies and dip.  And I am addicted to the strawberry smoothie as far as the drinks menu goes, but the other fizzy drinks are refreshing and not too sweet. The cheese-cake is a sinful delight ;D The least favorite (yet still tasty) were the brownie Popsicles, as they were really sugary - but perfect if you desire to knock yourself into some sugar-coma ;)

The friendly staff there is another reason to like just pop into the restaurant. They are attentive, chatty and easygoing. 

The only reason not to rave about Garden Slug, is that aside from being a great place for some relaxed time-spending while filling your tummy with delightful foods, there is not really much to get hyper about. The food is definitely tasty, but not mind-blowing. The ambiance is simple and decor kept to the quirky minimum. But if you are not a food snob, you will enjoy The Garden Slug and what it offers.

Date of Visit - 25th December 2009
Managed to find an eatery that serve regular menu and X'mas special on Christmas Day. You should be aware by now, most of the food establishments will make use of this festive season to come up with special menu with exorbitant prices! At least not Garden Slug -  as of Year 2009.
Booked a table of 10 pax for our Christmas Lunch. I ordered the Seafood Clear soup that day, the soup was pretty salty. I guess the chef was very generous with salt that day as I tried my friend's seafood pasta, it was salty too.
Albeit the salty dishes, the 10 of us have a fun time chit-chating at Garden Slug on this Xmas afternoon.
Service would be better if the guys are more attentive. We have to waive to the guys a number of times to help us refill water even though most of us ordered beverages too.

Reached around 6.30pm on a Friday evening but there wasn't any customer. From the look of the hard wooden dining furniture and the emptiness I was reluctant to go in. The very warm and sincere waiter did nicely distract me into settling down quickly.

There is sufficient variety on the menu to make things interesting. But the pizza with up to 25 minutes of waiting time is a bit off (on the menu yet doesn't feel welcome to order with the long waiting time). While waiting for the food I went to their bookshelf to select some light reading but the magazines are few and outdated.

My chicken garlic pasta arrived and though a bit oily (like many aglio olio) the overall taste and presentation exceeded my expectations. I think the food could be priced lower even though service charge is not applicable for the good service.

Advice: Do not be fooled by the seemingly customer-first statement on the menu that reads something along the lines of "If it's not on the menu, feel free to ask!"

The result: You'll most likely be ripped off.

What started out as a nice Sunday afternoon ended in disbelief, frustration and the promise to never return.

Seeing that there was grilled chicken as part of a pasta dish ($14.90), and honey mustard as the dip for an appetizer, we ordered just grilled chicken and honey mustard. We were told it was going to be a "starter size", but were not informed of the price.

A small amount of chicken arrived on a huge lettuce leaf. It tasted average, the sauce wasn't the usual honey mustard but looked more like Thai sweet sauce. Overall, we were a little disappointed.

The bill arrived and we were stunned to find that we were being charged $16.90 for that uninspiring, small amount of normal-tasting chicken! We spoke with the wait staff (who I have to say are the best thing about that place - polite and friendly) who asked if the problem was the portion size or the price. Of course, it was both.

The waiter spoke with the owner who conveyed this message through her staff that they can't refund any money but that next time they'll give us a larger portion.

Only upon requesting to meet the owner did she come out to talk to us personally and tell us that meals outside the menu are charged "at their discretion". No attempts were made to save this unhappy situation and we left feeling upset and cheated.