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| - Made a visit to Lee Lounge and found that things are both familiar yet alien. The "Restaurant" sign still hangs above the door and the light feature that dominates the restaurant is still glows comfortingly from the far wall. But the entire feel and atmosphere of the place has changed: pulsing music, low sofas, and a bar to loiter at on the side. Where Susur was white and light, Lee Lounge is all black-lacquer and "exotic". If you're seeking the Susur of old, look elsewhere - only echoes remain.
We got the "Susur's Favourites" Pedestal (geared for 2 people), allowing for a well-priced cross-section of the menu currently available at Lee Lounge. I had a hit of nostalgia when it arrived: it's served on the trays that Susur used for his desserts and mignardises way back when. Back to the present, we found most of the tray okay, with a couple of standouts.
Whipped Chickpea Dip
Served with homemade garlic potato chips, the chickpea dip was a generous portion. I found the dip nice enough, but the chips were very brown and I didn't think this was a strong dish.
Salmon Ceviche
Mouthfuls of layered texture and spice. A really lovely combination of flavours: vinegary, spicy, smoky, and a bit of sweet from the black beans. We liked this so much we ordered this to re-run after we had gone through the pedestal. Served as 2 on the pedestal and 4 a-la-carte.
Peking Duck Rolls (with foie gras mousse)
This was my second pick for best-of-the-night. The skin inside was crunchy and melded well with the mousse. I didn't detect the taste of foie gras, but duck and hoisin are very strong in the first place, so I'm not surprised.
Hunan Chicken Wings
Sticky and sweet, with a minor chili spice kick, I thought these were kinda normal.
Cheeseburger Spring Rolls
They serve this a lot at the food fairs, and I recall thinking it quite good when I tried it over the summer. Somehow, the smaller form-factor hasn't done it much good. The filling was mushy and indistinct, and I missed the greens that helped brighten the roll up. Not sure how they'd fix this, but I think it definitely needs some tweaking.
The tower would normally include edamame (steamed in lotus leaf & mustard salt), but they had run out that night and we had beans instead. We also ordered one more dish in addition to a re-run of the salmon ceviche.
Chinese Doughnut Fritters
We wanted a little more and opted on this selection from the menu. Served in a dim-sum basket, these are crunchy bites of shrimp-filled fried bread. Tasty and plentiful, for two, it was way too much, but in a group of 4-6 it would be perfect. Very snack-worthy.
Lee Lounge is meant to cater to those who are looking for small nibbles with sweet and tropical cocktails and to people heading out to the nearby clubs, post-meal. I think that he's managed to create something that suits that crowd really well.
But I pine for what Susur once was and hope to see Chef Lee establish its next iteration.
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