Lollapalooza – A New Surprise with Every Visit: Review
PUBLISHED August 20th, 2015 10:00 pm | UPDATED May 31st, 2016 05:04 pm
Forrest Gump’s momma said, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get”. That same line is, funnily enough, a summary of the madcap culinary philosophy employed by the folks behind Lollapalooza. Reprinting their menu daily, you can be sure that not one single day is the same at this new-ish establishment at the Working Capitol on Keong Saik Road.
Splashed in white paint, the squeaky clean interior is adorned with furniture that would look right at home in an IKEA magazine, with minimalism an obvious design inspiration. Sit at the regular tables opposite the roaring apple-wood oven or at the eight-metre long table for communal dining.
Interior of Lollapalooza
With his ‘free-style’, ‘borderless’ method of cooking, there are no limitations to Head Chef Isaac Lee’s (formerly of Kaixo) explorations. We started with the Flatbread with Asiago and Pancetta ($18). While the crust of the bread was piping hot and the cheese meltingly delicious, we’d think twice about ordering it again – the price tag for the portion served doesn’t seem justifiable.
Our attention was understandably caught by uncommon items like the Dog Cockle Tartare ($30), Roasted Lamb Hearts ($18), and Corned Veal Tongue with Salsa Verde ($45), although each dish varied in terms of success. For example, the dog cockles were sufficiently fleshy, although the serving size was lacking in quantity. The respective innards of the lamb and cattle were challenging to eat. But to be fair, once you get past the hurdle in your head, you’ll find the lamb heart pleasantly chewy with a subliminal bloody flavour, while the veal tongue had a thick hide with a mushy core that is definitely not for the faint of heart.
Corned Veal Tongue of Lollapalooza
Moving past the adventurous dishes, we were glad to see the Roasted Australian Wild-Caught Scampi with Seaweed Butter ($21). Its heavenly flesh was sweet and succulent, combining to majestic effect with the savoury butter. The Burrata with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto and Apricots ($36) was another favourite of ours. A delicate layer of mozzarella outlined the glorious glob of fresh Italian cheese, and a rich mixture of mozzarella and cream oozed into our mouths the moment we broke the fragile cheese coating with our teeth.
Roasted Wild Caught Scampi of Lollapalooza
Using thread-like tree bark as a roasting tool, the Paperbark Roasted Whole Sea Bass ($56) epitomises the back-to-basics methodology utilised at Lollapalooza. The bark is an obvious factor in contributing to the fish’s smoky aroma. The silken flesh was, however, on the dry side. The Summer Berry Galette ($18), a French-styled crusty cake smothered by berries, capped off our lunch. The crumbling crust of the galette was a joy to behold, while the sweet, tangy berries whirled us back to our childhood days.
Passionfruit Tart of Lollapalooza
Overall, the unpredictability of Lollapalooza is an enjoyable factor and the food is, for most part, great. It’s a pity that they might have overpriced their dishes, especially with neighbours like Luxe Singapore and Neon Pigeon in the same complex, as well as the more visibly fine-dining venues like Cure, The Study, and Esquina in the neighbourhood.
