Restaurant Review: Fat Lulu’s Serves Up Modern Asian Barbecue and Nostalgic Desserts
PUBLISHED November 25th, 2016 09:00 am | UPDATED November 29th, 2017 03:23 pm
Once an iconic restaurant in River Valley, the popular Five & Dime restaurant underwent a complete revamp a few months back to become the cheekier and more spirited Fat Lulu’s.
Currently calling itself a modern Asian barbecue establishment, the new concept incorporates bold Asian flavours in an explosive menu of grilled meats and seafood, in a way that anyone who’s lived in Singapore – or in the region – for a significant period of time would describe as markedly familiar. With ingredients like sambal belachan, ketchup manis (sweet soy sauce), ladies’ fingers, and kailan, who wouldn’t?
Fat Lulu’s has two fronts: the savoury barbecue kitchen and the sweet dessert bar. The two men helming each station are starkly different – wild Chef Sam blasts fiery flavours into his charcoal-flamed food, while the mild-mannered Chef Song soothes your tastebuds with sweet, cold, crystalline perfection.
The former is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, boasting stints in DB Bistro Moderne and Michelin-starred Gotham Bar & Grill. Locally, he worked his way up to the Sous Chef position at Lolla before rising to Head Chef at Raven, where Sam’s bromance with Song began – no doubt thanks to the latter’s innovative renditions on classical desserts as well as new sugary creations.
It’s go big or go home here, with plenty of intensity in every dish. “No burn, no taste” is an idea frequently repeated throughout the menu – epitomised in the Burnt Corn ($11), lightly charred and served with smoked sour cream and lemon and the Burnt Asparagus ($14), sliced and dressed in a lovely housemade bernaise sauce. Chef Sam further proves that you don’t need meat for a hearty meal with the Roasted Potatoes and Mushrooms ($12), featuring pan-seared potatoes with roasted hoshimeji mushrooms, kale, parsley, and a little bit of lamb jus.
Having said that, you don’t want to give the meat a miss; it is barbecue after all. Off the special menu is the decadent and very addictive Sataytay ($12, Taylor Swift, anyone?). Think fatty Iberico pork collar, marinated for a whole day in sambal and ketchup manis, and grilled the traditional style. For something less full on, the Grilled Mangalicia Pork Collar ($24) is seasoned with just salt and served with lightly-charred sambal okra.
While the Duh Meat Board ($28) comes up a close second with its wagyu skirt steak cooked in Thai fish sauce and sambal Iberico pork trimmings, it’s the Spicy BBQ Full Rack Pork Ribs that truly won our hearts. At $28, this is clearly a steal, what with baby back ribs sous vide for 11 hours before being warmed in chicken stock and fired up. The meat is then dressed in a housemade sauce of chipotle, kecap manis, and rice wine vinegar, along with coriander and a lime (burnt, of course).
Chef Song’s refreshing desserts are no afterthought. Complementing the savoury food, they promise to bring you back in time with signatures like Childhood ($16), a peanut butter popsicle plated with Oreo cookies, frozen raspberries, and mouth-tingling raspberry puree. Meanwhile, the “Atas” Kinder Bueno ($16) showcases four different chocolates – a dark chocolate sherbet, creamy milk chocolate, chocolate sponge, and baileys hazelnut cream.
Berries and White Chocolate ($16) – white chocolate ice cream, cassis granita, frozen cassis puree and foam is a sure-hit for berry lovers, whereas those looking for something warm will enjoy the Warm Banana Bread & Friends ($14), namely brandy butter scotch, white rice puff, and fragrant coconut ice cream.
At affordable price points, diners at Fat Lulu’s can eat well without burning a hole in their pockets. In fact, expect to get more than what you bargained for with fantastic portions of delicious barbecue and glorious dessert.
Fat Lulu’s is located at 297 River Valley Road, Singapore 238338, p. +65 9236 5002. Open Tue-Thu, Sun 6pm – 11pm, Fri-Sat 11am – 4pm, 6pm – late. Closed Mon.
