LE Restaurant and Asian Tapas Bar @ Suntec City

Toss aside all preconceptions of Chinese cuisine as conventional and dated as the Paradise Group unveils a swanky new tapas bar and fine dining concept at the newly revamped Suntec City—LE Restaurant and Asian Tapas Bar—that’s about to set the bar high. Don’t let their gentrified, avant-garde enclave of a bar lounge front fool you as you knock back aperitifs and cocktails to go with some scrumptiously moreish grub—go for the Mantou burgers (more like sliders actually, $16 for 4) that are stuffed with oh-so toothsome, tender braised USDA prime beef, and the Braised cherry foie gras with red wine ($26 for 4 pairs, also available on their main a la carte menu) brilliantly paired with pitted fresh cherries that cut through the gratifyingly fatty foie gras with their crisp sweetness. A short connecting passageway leads diners to a commodious main dining area housing a striking 1.2-metre tall resin Buddha centrepiece. The almost mishmash of traditional elements and eccentric accents—inspired by the many travels of brothers, and CEO and COO of the group, Eldwin and Edlan Chua—brings Modern Asian Diner to mind, but LE’s exuded sophistication and nouvelle nosh makes the former seem a touch kiddish in comparison. With the concept envisioned as a theatrical production, there are number of dishes that are prepared tableside for that extra personal touch, and also a chance to steep yourself in the action. Putting a spin on their excellent apple wood-roasted Peking duck, LE’s Dirty duck ($38 for half, $68 for whole duck) is stewed in their unique blend of spices before being flash-fried to a appetising brown crisp. Shredded tableside then meticulously wrapped with cucumber, basil and Hoisin sauce in a homemade scallion crepe, each individual Dirty duck pancake is the perfect balance of meat, sauce and bite. Like any respectable Chinese restaurant, LE has an extensive seafood menu that also covers premium and exotic ingredients like South African abalones and Hokkaido sea cucumber, though execution and technique takes precedence. One of their outstanding dishes, Red Garoupa  poached in lobster broth ($16 per 100g red garoupa or coral trout, $28 for broth) first presents the fish in all its showstopping sashimi glory before the flesh is gently allowed to cook in a mellifluous lobster broth, and served with superior fish maw. The result is heart-flutteringly fresh spoonful after exuberantly flavoured spoonful of enjoyment that will have you ordering seconds. For the men who like to indulge, I recommend the Pan-seared Grade 9 Australian Wagyu ($160 for 200g, $240 for 300g)—a splurge, but worth every penny. Deftly executed tableside—heady whiffs of truffle oil a signal to pick up your cutlery—the succulent, dulcet morsels are ingeniously teamed with charmingly piquant lemon zest sea salt that simply elevates the meat to a whole another level. I also had the Stir-fried Angel Hair with Japanese dried ebi ($28 serves 4) which was good, but didn’t impress—understandable since it was served right after some fantastic dishes. Saying that, I’d gladly forgo carbs for their other interesting and delicious creations like Chilli crab kueh pie tee, Alaskan crab shooters, or the Cream of bak kut teh made with the addition of French roux for a velvety smooth finish. LE Restaurant and Asian Tapas Bar’s contemporary setting, and discerning and finessed menu is set to catapult it highly probably as the next IT establishment in the fine dining Chinese scene. And if tipples are any incentive to head down soon, they’ve got a 1-for-1 cocktail promotion that runs through Oct 2013. LE Restaurant and Asian Tapas Bar Suntec Convention & Exhibition Centre, #02-314 Suntec City Mall, 3 Temasek Boulevard Tel: +65 63388775 Operating hours: Restaurant - 11.30am - 3pm, 6pm - 10.30pm daily Bar - 3pm to 11pm (Sun -Thu), 3pm to 12mn (Fri - Sat)