PUBLISHED August 20th, 2013 04:00 pm | UPDATED May 9th, 2018 03:13 am
Hidden in the unsuspecting venue of Suntec City Mall, amidst clothing lines and crowds of business men lies LÈ Restaurant and Asian Tapas Bar, a Chinese restaurant that’s raising the bar for Chinese cuisine. If you’re used to only eating Chinese hawker food or want to rekindle your love for the cuisine by experiencing it in its finest form, then hop on over because wherever you’re from, you’re bound to be impressed.
Walking out of the newly renovated shopping mall and into the Tapas Bar is a rather strange experience. The dark interior and red couches decorated with shiny gold cushions, lit by almost neon-bright pink and blue lighting sets a strange glitzy scene….but stick with it! I wouldn’t recommend popping in just for drinks and tapas in the bar, not because the quality isn’t up to scratch – in fact the cocktails are tasty and the tapas is very inventive! (for example, Braised Cherry Foie Gras with Red Wine ($26) is a brilliantly contrasting flavour combination. The gaminess of the foie gras is reduced by the sour sharpness of the cherry and it’s a great choice for something unusual) – it’s just …how can I say this… the impression you get is of a somewhat naff, try-hard shopping-mall establishment, which is far from the case.
The bar really isn’t the main event, just meters away on the other side of a small corridor there’s a beautifully-designed restaurant offering tableside preparation and impeccable service, just waiting to please. I love restaurants with theme and character where Ikea Showroom furniture and white washed walls would be boldly out of place. The decor although simply designed is chic and soothing, and there is no escaping the huge resin Buddah centralised, ready to greet you and full of peaceful Chinese spirit.
Firstly to clear something up, the restaurant is named LÈ Restaurant and Asian Tapas Bar. LÈ, meaning happy in Chinese, not the French meaning. Ok cleared up and points regained. Now…the menu has a huge variety of things you can chose from, but here are some of my favourite dishes..
This dish is the reason I would get excited about going to a Chinese restaurant as a kid and the first thing I searched for when coming to Asia, Dirty Duck ($38 half / $68 whole) – otherwise known as Peking duck and used to make duck pancakes. The duck is displayed cooked and then shredded and prepared tableside into pancakes. For me, half the fun is in stuffing the pancakes as much as I can and making a total mess of it. But if you’re sitting down for a business meeting or a fancy dinner, you might want to save yourself that kind of embarrassment and so the ready made, perfectly-balanced pancakes are a bit of a lazy treat!
For something fishy and exceptionally delicious, opt for the Coral Trout Poached in Lobster Broth ($16 per 100g, $28 for the broth). Again, presented fresh and then gently poached in broth alongside your table. This is a rich, flavoursome dish. Flavoursome in that it’s composed of many intricate flavours, none of which overpower the others.
Next we went for the Pan-Seared Grade 9 Australian Wagyu ($160 for 200g / $240 for $300g). It’s pretty pricey, but is perfectly-delicious beef. The meat is tender and has just the right amount of fat served with a subtle hint of truffle oil and alongside a sprinkling of sea salt and lemon zest. I’ve since adopted lemon zest as a beef-garnish staple – balancing out the strength of the beef’s natural flavour and adding a tangy, sharp twang.
For a sweet ending I recommend trying the Sweet temptation of Mango Sago, Avocado Cream, Yakult and Sesame pudding ($13), served on ice, in shot form, each a separately interesting flavour and texture, whether it be creamy or exceptionally sweet, I’m sure you’ll satisfy your sweet tooth!
If you want to experience truly excellent Chinese food, with no expenses spared then LÈ Restaurant and Asian Tapas Bar should be your pick.
Written by Superpat
On this occasion, the meal was compliments of LÈ Restaurant and Asian Tapas Bar