Wild Rocket

A perfect dining experience. Simply perfect. The Omakase Menu is both visually stunning as well as delicious. The service is as perfect as one can imagine. Every detail is anticipated. [Chef] Willin spent the later part of the evening with us discussing food and wine. What an amazing and talented person. His great sense of humor and keen interest in in the experience he and team provides was a memorable conclusion to the evening. Enough can not be said about how wonderful this Mount Emily restaurant. The entire experience rean well into the night and morning and plan to return again for our 5 + hour experience with our new friends at Wild Rocket.

Such a lovely cosy space. Warm wood and soft lighting, very inviting though the air con was set far too low. Great sake selection and reasonably priced wine list (yes, I mean, for Singapore). The menu reads so well and the staff were informed and able to describe and discuss dishes. The food I’m about ⁵⁰⁄₅₀. My girlfriend was worried she would have order envy but it turned out the other way around. Her red rice salmon and baby octopus starter was delicate, rich and delicious. My shitake consommé was deep, dark and earthy but the wonton itself was a let down. The wrapper was chewy and the filling bland. Her pasta was perfectly al dente in a deliciously dark sticky sauce. My chilli spanner crab linguini was so drenched in a quite sweet and not very chilli sauce that I didn’t notice the pasta. Service was friendly and attentive.

wow rocket, how you have grown!(你长大了！）
come october you will be 10 years old and i think it’s time i chipped in with this review.
your transformation is now complete after getting a much deserved, gorgeous facelift last year.
i really like how you have matured, like a good wine.
from willin’s days as a lawyer home chef for hire, to him taking that plunge to ditch the legal fraternity with only a passion for the chef apprentice’s apron and then learning the way of the kitchen on the job before striking out with a modern singaporean creativity as inspiration.
his gregarious personality and boundless creativity made him a hit from the start, albeit not with me.
don’t get me wrong, his food was good but in his early days i felt it lacked that polished finish which always led me to think i can also do that leh.
nonetheless, he became a cult figure almost instantly.
i thought he was but a pricey fad but boy has history proven me wrong.
i think willin and his team kept on learning, innovating and did not stay put in their comfort food zone.
sure people still ask for that laksa pesto dish and i’m sure he will still whip one up for you, but his repertoire has grown many folds.
there is also now a sophistication much like how your pony tailed girl will one day be adorned with foundation, blusher, mascara and lipstick.
and of course, it’s beyond just mere cosmetic changes.
the blossoming comes from within, how she carries herself oozing with confidence, speaking with maturity and a dad-i’m-not-a-little-girl-anymore look!
that is when you know, for sure, she has arrived.
and all of that shows through his current omakase offerings.
every dish left me eagerly anticipating the next and lifted, slowly but surely, the ratings to a solid five!
willin has been a celebrity chef for years now.
he does not need any affirmation, least so from me.
but after a delectable dining experience here last night, i knew i had to finally put in my two cents worth.
yes, i got out of bed at 4.45am just to penned this.
yes, i think wild rocket will wow you too!

Very nice lunch at the chef’s table! He is very friendly and open minted. Had a nice chat and the menu he served was delicious! Will be back next time I’m visiting Singapore!

An interesting menu, truly fusion in nature. Local flavours applied to French style cuisine done with creativity. I have eaten here a few times and enjoyed the unique menu. Never a dull experience. The location is a bit hard to get to but worth the taxi ride or drive to Upper Willie Road.

One of my fave restaurants in Singapore; partly because it’s located on Mt Sophia (fond memories of high school at MGS) but mostly because it’s so quiet and serene up in the exclusive and secluded neighborhood.
Love the laksa pasta, their take on black pepper soft shell crab and everything they have on the brunch menu.
If you’re looking for a leisurely, quiet, no-​fuss, no drama meal, Wild Rocket is the way to go

You know, I visited Wild Rocket back when it was relatively fresh and a super ‘hot table’. I wasn’t impressed, and never went back.
So when a friend said that dinner was at Wild Rocket, I was unenthused, and actually a little wary.
Wild Rocket team, I apologise. You’ve gotten better. First off, the service was outstanding. I asked the waiter attending to our table if the once signature laksa pesto pasta was still available despite being not on the menu, and he was very candid in telling us that it’s a love it or hate it dish. When we ended up passing, he brought out a moderate sized portion anyway «just for us to try» (and of course didn’t charge us for it). He was able to give recommendations easily, and most importantly, honestly! He told us to avoid certain dishes, and everything that he recommended was spot on.
Well. We ignored him when it came to dessert and were glad we did, but more on that later.
I confess to forgetting exactly what we had for starters and mains, but I do remember all of us being quite impressed, particularly with the mains. I believe my friend had the pork, and it was particularly memorable. The one let down that evening was the pasta main (not the pesto) that our other dining companion ordered. It was a bit flat, and really quite unspectacular.
Desserts though, were an absolute treat. We had… hmm. A chendol I think? Of some sort, with delicious gula melaka, a ice jelly type thing, and a deconstructed apple pie I believe. Our waiter had actually recommended the molten chocolate cake over the ice jelly, but we were glad we ignored him. The other desserts were rich enough, and the ice jelly with lime granita… or was it a lemon sorbet, well with sour frozen thing proved to be an excellent contrast. We mainly ignored it though because really, once you’ve had a good molten chocolate cake, you’ve probably seen them all.
So yes, I’m glad I went back to re-​experience Wild Rocket. The food was creative, really quite delicious, and the service warm and accommodating. That’s a winning combination.

DATE/​TIME: November 18, ²⁰¹¹⁄₁:00pm
AMBIANCE: Clean modern interior with lots of natural light. It’s located inside the Hangout Hotel in Mount Emily.
SERVICE: Attentive.
PRICE: 3-​course Lunch for SGD $ 30-​$ 35 /​USD $ 28
VALUE: Tasty fusion food for reasonable prices.
_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​
: THE FOOD :
* deep fried seafood cake w/​spicy orange salsa — [4/​5]
* salmon chirashi w/​bonito & baby octopus brown rice — [4/​5]
* crispy skin salmon w/​crabmeat mash — [4/​5]
* thai green curry chicken pot pie — [4.5/5]
* black grouper cambodian amok & kaffir lime — [3.5/5]
* pandan-​infused panna cotta w/​gula melaka– [4.5/5]
* liquid dark chocolate tart w/​almond, pistachio & milk ice cream — [4/​5]

This is a review of a Thursday evening dinner date at Wild Rocket.
The restaurant is located in the Hangout at Mount Emily. Even though it is not, it has the feel of being in a secluded area.
i quite liked the ambiance of the restaurant. It had the feel of casual fine dining. I thought it was a very comfortable room. The wall with many candles added a warmth to the room. My dinner companion was less taken with the space.
The service was very good. Our server was attentive, professional, and polite. He was also quite knowledgeable about the menu and proactively provided input without being intrusive.
The food ranged from good with some technical errors to extremely good. Each dish was presented with a clean and classic style. While simple, the presentation was elegant.
Complimentary Bread — The meal began with a nice warm focaccia bread served with olive oil and salt. When we had finished the first plate, they were quick to ask and bring another plate.
Soft shell chili crab with squid ink mantou — This was a tasty appetizer sized interpretation of the classic chili crab.
Beef Carpaccio with sesame ginger purée — For me, this was a home-​run. The dish came with the ginger purée in the middle. Our server explained that the purée should be spread out across the carpaccio. This was slightly easier said than done. But, once I had achieved getting it spread around, it was so good. The spread added such a refreshing element to the simple application of beef carpaccio.
Laksa Pesto Linguini — My friend ordered the laksa pasta. The flavour was quite nice. It was a very assertive flavour but I liked it and she seemed to also. The server had also provided input that the dish was strongly flavoured. However, the dish (specifically the pasta) was very dry and this definitely detracted from this entrée.
Roasted Chilean Seabass with chai poh confit & congee — The fish was perfectly prepared. It was delicate and flaky. However, I would have preferred that it was served with something that would provide a balance to the overall flavours. The congee did not seem to compliment the seabass. It competed and came close to overpowering the simple natural flavour of the fish.
Crab Meat Whipped Potatoes — She ordered a side of crab-​meat mashed potatoes. For each of us, this was a new preparation. In the end, I found it to be good but it didn’t really standout from other whipped potatoes and the crab may have actually interfered with creating the best possible texture for the potatoes.
Dark Lava Chocolate Gâteau with flambé banana — For dessert, she ordered the chocolate lava cake. This was pretty much a standard implementation of this dish that has recently become a staple. It was good but there wasn’t anything to set it apart from other versions of the same dish. On the other-​hand, you really can’t go wrong with a cake filled with delicious melted chocolate.
Wild Rocket Strawberry Cheesecake — Maybe it is becoming a cliché to serve food in a martini glass. But this was still a visually interesting and appealing dessert. Following the server’s instructions, I cut my spoon down and into the dessert insuring to get a little bit of everything. I have to say, it was divine. It was a great dessert incorporating multiple levels of sharp flavours, sweet flavours, and varying textures.
Receipt ($ 292.40):
Overall — I thought Wild Rocket combined excellent service, a comfortable and slightly elegant space with relatively good food that included some true high-​points. From a culinary perspective, the execution was not perfect but did not greatly affect the overall enjoyment of the meal. I would definitely consider returning to Wild Rocket.

Getting to Wild Rocket is always an adventure — walking to the Grand Cathay and then climbing the 56 (if I’m not mistaken) steps to the top of Mount Emily, before tip-​toeing down… The restaurant is nicely decorated and set in a dim, candle-​lit space, and the waiters carry a chalkboard over when you sit to enthusiastically explain their special menu for the day, and the house wines… it’s fun!
Then the food comes — it’s pricy (expect a main to be about $ 20 – 50 dollars), and tastes a little above average — the Pizza with Prosciutto and Rocket was pretty good, and the half Rosemary Chicken was just enough for one. Coming here is always fun, though the food isn’t much to remark about!

I headed down to this place quite a while ago and am very sure the menu has been revamped since then but I’m quite sure the tastes and quality will still be relevant now.
I’ve heard a lot about the place prior to going to Wild Rocket, especially so from my friend who convinced me to make the trip down because she was so impressed by the food from an earlier visit. Situated within Mount Emily, it was a comfortable setting to have a nice weekend lunch amidst the greenery surrounding the small boutique hotel it is located at.
Being a fan of brown rice, I naturally veered towards the Salmon Carpaccio Brown Rice for my starter. For those who love asiatic flavours, you’ll fall in love with this dish — the melt-​in-​your-​mouth salmon coupled with the nutty aromatic brown rice and sesame seeds, mixed with chewy bits of octopus meat. This was an amazing mix of textures and flavours which makes you well and truly appreciate the beauty of well-​prepared food.
I also had the Chilean Seabass with Chai Poh confit. I loved the flakiness of the plush fish meat which was done plain to accompany to richer topping. The chai poh was not overpowering salty like how typical ones can be, showing how properly done food doesn’t need too much seasoning to work. All these was served on a bed of plain congee which was a throwback to childhood food and really comforting to have.
I rounded off my meal with something richer, the Strawberry Cheesecake. More like a deconstructed version of the cake, you get a creamy strawberry cheese icecream with a thick body layered with chunky bits of graham base.