Lewin Terrace Welcomes the Summer

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Nestled in a quiet corner just ten minutes away from Clarke Quay, Lewin Terrace is a Japanese-French fusion restaurant featuring French & Japanese techniques and a produce-driven approach.

It is a lovely spot, perfect for special occasions like anniversaries, birthdays, and iconic weddings.

Lewin Terrace recently introduced their summer menu – Summer Sho-Mi – conceptualized and created by Chef Keisuke Matsumoto, the Executive Chef of Lewin Terrace. The menu that Chef Matsumoto creates epitomises his continuous quest of exploring new experiences, as well as taking inspiration from not only his travels, but also from the world around him. Here’s a look at their new dishes!

Two amuse-bouches to whet our appetites before starting the meal. The tomato amuse-bouche in the photo above was actually a sundried tomato, packed full of favour!

After the amuse-bouche came the second dish – Awabi (abalone) with Sea Urchin, Umami Dashi and Lime Leaf.

Though it resembled a fruit jelly, the ‘jelly’ was actually savoury in flavour and had a citrusy note at the end. The unique texture and contrasting flavours made it a memorable start to the meal.

Gold flakes in the umami jelly!

Next was the Foie Gras Brulee with Hokkaido Corn and Soba Seeds. Foie gras is by nature a rather rich food, but the brulee was light, blending well with the taste of corn and roasted soba seeds.

Next was the Wagyu Shabu Shabu with Wasabi Gnocchi, Okahijiki, Dashi and White Radish.

Here’s the interesting part! The stock for the shabu shabu was first heated by the coffee siphon shown above. After reaching boiling point, the stock boiled upwards into the beaker filled with tomatoes and vegetables, before being collected in the coffee flask again. The soup was thus infused with the flavours of the ingredients inside the coffee siphon.

Thereafter, the stock was poured over the wagyu beef.

Next was Sole Meuniere, a classic French fish dish with Noisset Butter Sauce, Smoky Potato and Spanish Almond Powder.

After the series of Japanese-inspired dishes, this dish was quite quaintly French. What made it delicious was the addition of a spice called sumac, which added a tangy flavour and dimension to the dish.

Next was the summer version of Lewin Terrace’s signature dish, Nippon Rossini: Japanesse Wagyu Steak with Foie Gras Terrine, Japanese Mushroom Paste and Truffle.

This was definitely the highlight of the meal for me. The wagyu beef was melt-in-your-mouth tender and juicy, and made even more decadent with the foie gras terrine. Every ingredient of this dish complemented each other well – from the wild rice to the mushroom paste.

After the mains, it was time to move on to lighter fares. The next dish was Amane-Melon Soup, served in a minimalistic translucent glass.

Japanese Shizuoka Melon – all slushed up in a ball that you slurp down.

Last but not least was the Riz Au Lait – Fondant Chocolate with Black Sesame and Apricot. Chef Matsumoto’s inspiration for the Summer Menu actually started from this dessert! To create this dish, Chef used spices such as cinnamon, star anise and cloves to create a caramel spice ice-cream.

With the spices, the Riz Au Lait tasted quite unique from other chocolate desserts. This was a perfect end to the meal.

The Summer Menu at Lewin Terrace was delicious and well-presented. Every dish was beautifully plated, and the ambience makes it a suitable setting for special occasions.

We also had the pleasure of having our dishes paired with a range of wine, champagne and sake chosen by Lewin Terrace’s wine sommelier. One of my favourite was a Japanese local red made from Kyoho grapes.

summer-menu-lewin-terrace-17 — Chef Keisuke Matsumoto

Want to try the new menu for yourself?

Available from now until August 2016, Lewin Terrace’s Summer Sho-Mi is available for lunch (11.30am to 2.30pm) and dinner (6.30pm to 11pm), priced at $118++ per person ($180++ with wine pairing); and the luxurious Wakon Yosai menu is available for dinner only, priced $178++ ($240++ with wine pairing).