SINGAPORE, Oct 8 — Although it is, by all appearances, a Chinese restaurant, you will not find the traditional accoutrements of the Chinese dining experience at Lokkee.
The Chinese brush paintings that adorn the wall are of Star Wars AT-AT walkers for one, and the drinks list features cocktails infused with five-spice powder and an “ultraviolet” oolong tea that changes from blue to purple when lime juice is added.
The kitsch continues at the table, where a waiter might bring a hollowed-out pineapple filled with beef curry (S$38/RM113) and set it on fire, or where “yolks” served on half shells in the Firecracker Nest Chicken (S$24) are really blobs of mango puree.
In the latter’s case, the sweet puree serves as a soothing counterpoint to the fiery Sichuan peppers that flavour the juicy morsels of fried chicken.
“It’s like traditional Sichuan kou shui ji (spicy cold chicken), but fried,” said Lokkee’s general manager and third-generation restaurateur Norman Hartono, who also conceptualised the restaurant for the Tung Lok Group.
Although he explains that setting the pineapple on fire serves to heat up the beef curry within, it is also a flourish that’s perfectly designed for those Instagram moments. Never mind that the beef curry tasted like a sweet, muted rendang — all anyone will remember are those photogenic flames.
Hartono described the food here as an ode to Western-style Chinese takeaway. So expect the usual suspects such as Orange Chicken (S$16), which, thankfully, bears little resemblance to the too-sweet, gloopy renditions found across the Western hemisphere. Here, the morsels of succulent fried chicken are coated in a crisp batter and tossed in a simple, fresh-tasting sauce redolent of orange juice, honey and soy.
Not surprisingly, one of the best things we sampled here had no Western influence or gimmickry. A whole fish is first grilled and then served in a light chicken-based tomato broth (S$58) on a bed of bean curd skin noodles (look mum, no carbs) to delicious effect. There is a mild, almost indiscernible buzz from Sichuan peppers that gives the subtle, piquant flavours of the dish a bit of a lift.
That said, the gimmickry re-emerges at dessert, when Custard Egg Rolls (S$10) are served with a bottle of sriracha on the side. “Who ordered spring rolls?” someone will invariably ask. The service staff will then say something about a surprise and when everyone takes a bite, they’ll soon discover that the sriracha is really a berry and carrot puree.
While such surprises are only cute the first time around — it’s a good thing the food doesn’t disappoint. — TODAY
Lokkee
#03-02 Plaza Singapura
Telephone: 6884 4566
Opening hours: Daily 11.30am to 3pm, 5pm to 10.30pm
