LÈ Restaurant & Asian tapas bar

one of the newest kids in the Chinese dining scene, LÈ distinguishes itself with a contemporary twist on classic favourites. to begin, how about a drink at the bar to kick start your meal at the restaurant? with a slew of house cocktails that are created with asian/singaporean influences, LÈ looks set to change things up with its refreshing offerings.

a chic modern vibe pulsates throughout the bar, and this gives way to a relatively traditional Chinese restaurant setting, updated with cool decor.

let's start with the food first. but before that, thumbs up to the camera-friendly spotlights ;) while the restaurant is dimly lit, i was glad that spotlights directed clear beams right onto the tables, which was not just perfect for photo-taking (good for them!) but of course, for diners to see what they're eating!

having heard raving reviews about LÈ's signature dirty duck ($38 half, $68 whole), i rubbed my hands in anticipation of this dish. and it impressed thoroughly! a modified version of a peking duck dish, this had the actual crispy braised duck meat cucooned in a handmade scallion crepe that was super delicious! (i have to apologise that this post is wayyy overdue so i can't describe the exact flavour very accurately, but it was DEFINITELY good)

the stir-fried asparagus with wild fungus ($20) earned praises even from those who typically don't like asparagus! it was that tasty! the asparagus was fried perfectly, till no trace of the veggie flavour remained, and the variety of mushrooms complemented it well.

one of our favourite dishes was the stir-fried scallop with scrambled egg white in truffle oil ($38). ooh, do you see what attracted us to it? the ambrosial scent of truffle tickled our noses as the dish was placed on our table. every mouthful was a delight, with the fluffy textures of the egg and scallop suffused with the flavour of truffle.

the stir fried angel hair with japanese dried ebi ($28) could be said to be an adaption on the ubiquitous fried beehoon. but i beg to differ. the bouncy strands of pasta tossed in oil had a lovely doneness which i appreciated, and the japanese ebi added a perfumed fragrance which is unbeatable, in my opinion.

the food at LÈ restaurant set high expectations for our after-dinner drinks, but i have to say that i was rather disappointed.

we tried two of the signature creations - autumn evenings ($22) and red concubine ($22). both came with fascinating descriptions, though the taste unfortunately didn't match up. autumn evenings was a blend of chrysanthemum tea, with yuzu juice, elderflower liqueur and soursop with scotch whiskey. as we had ordered this in anticipation of the yuzu juice, it was sad that there was nary a hint of it. probably the strongest flavour was the soursop, which overpowered everything else. my red concubine was just overpoweringly sweet, and i couldn't really distinguish the various accents, though the description seduced with hints of passion fruit, pomegranate and cinnamon.

the selection of bar bites was interesting though! and the mantou burger with braised USDA prime beef ($16) lived up to its name. the beef packed a punch with its juicy goodness!

overall, i really enjoyed the meal at the restaurant and i would love to come back if i had the opportunity to :) on the other hand, i would give the bar a miss. it's signatures were a letdown, and were way too pricey for its quality.

LÈ Restaurant and Asian Tapas Bar
Suntec City Mall #02-314
Daily 11.30am-3pm
6pm-10.30pm