Clad in a facade of calming blue Peranakan wall tiles and whitewashed window grilles, with distressed concrete walls bearing stenciled designs inside, Lolla is actually a bijou tapas bar packed to the rafters with a convivial crowd.
The most coveted spot in the restaurant is the 13-seat zinc-topped bar counter (walk-ins only, no reservations except for lunch) that surrounds an open kitchen. The counter generally fills up before dusk, but the 22-seat communal table at the mess-hall-inspired basement serves as a fine backup option.
“Both the supper club and the restaurant are natural extensions of my Champagne distribution business,” said Mr. Pang, 46. “I have always wanted a restaurant of my own that I would love to eat at. Fortunately, the secret suppers allowed me to meet the people that I work with now at Lolla.”
Indeed, Mr. Pang discovered one of his head chefs, Tan Huang Ming, 26, when he wowed guests at one of Mr. Pang’s secret suppers. Mr. Tan reprises his cooking flair at Lolla with spot-on execution.
During a recent visit, the kitchen dispatched a parade of Mediterranean-inspired fusion plates. Lolla’s signature dish of savory squid ink custard crowned with a tongue of creamy raw sea urchin was joined by a plate of chargrilled Mozambique prawns dusted with smoked paprika in butter and white wine sauce. Pristine slices of Hokkaido scallop carpaccio basked in a pool of chives-flecked olive oil laced with tangy sumac.
Not surprisingly, Mr. Pang suggests pairing the food with a flute of bubbly from the 90 label-strong wine list that he curates.
Lolla, 22 Ann Siang Road, Singapore; (65) 6423-1228; lolla.com.sg. An average meal for two, without drinks or tip, is about 160 Singapore dollars, $132 at $1.21 Singapore dollars to the U.S. dollar.
Restaurant Report: Lolla in Singapore
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét