THE LIGHTHOUSE RESTAURANT & ROOFTOP BAR
This stalwart at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore zeroes in on what it does best: classic Italian dishes whipped up by chef Carlo Marengoni.
The Lighthouse Restaurant & Rooftop Bar is dominated by a white palette – which makes its panoramic views of the Marina Bay promenade, seen through the sprawling floor-toceiling windows, stand out against the restaurant’s clean-cut interiors. Besides the view, the superbly valuefor-money lunch set is a good reason to make return trips here. Diners can choose two or three dishes from a list of appetisers, entrees, mains and desserts. During our lunchtime visit, business lunches seem to be taking place at all its 13 tables.
If the appetisers and entrees on the set menu do not tickle your fancy, then the Antipasti Seafood Trio on the a la carte menu is where you will find a good dose of creativity showcased. We are impressed by the citrus-kissed red prawns, which sit on an oyster leaf that imparts some brininess as well as a mineral flavour. But it is the addictively moreish deep-fried scallop with a popcorn-like crust of battered bacon bits that works up the appetite. Rounding off the dish is a lightly seasoned tuna tartare crowned with a refreshing blood orange sorbet.
Our main, a pistachio-crusted red snapper, is perfectly cooked to yield springy meat beneath a golden crust of nut-studded skin. Balancing the crunch are sides of romanesco and creamy cauliflower puree. Carnivores should go for one of the restaurant’s signature dishes, the hunky slab of beef tenderloin grilled to juicy medium-rare perfection and served with onions, diced zucchini and velvety mashed potatoes. A standout for us is the accompanying rich Barbaresco reduction sauce that gives the meat a sweet caramelised note.
What elevates the lunch experience are the impeccably intuitive service staff who are wellversed in all the offerings on the menu, and who engage in friendly chatter with us without being intrusive. Not only do they refill the arugula-scented bread rolls and our glasses of water without any prompting, they also get extra points for conscientiously checking in to ensure that we are able to complete our workday lunch on time, within two hours.
Unwinding after a hard day’s work is easy at this establishment. Buzzing with energy thanks to thumping music, enthusiastic waitstaff and relaxed diners who are winding down over Violet Oon’s signature cocktails before dinner, this restaurant is a sure bet for a hearty meal that doesn’t disappoint. At first encounter, the formally dressed waitstaff seem too stiffly attired for the relaxed ambience of the restaurant, but their warm and engaging demeanour makes one feel at home right away.
We peruse the leather-bound menus over our orders of a Glenfiddich 12-year-old and a Red Light Special, a Violet Oon signature cocktail. Skipping the usual kueh pie ti and ngoh hiang (which must not be missed if you have guests from overseas to impress), we decide on the pork satay, daging panggang sambal hijau, nasi goreng Nonya pedas, and another Nonya staple – chap chye. The pork satay arrives as smoky skewers of lean meat pieces interspersed with deliciously bubbling and crunchy fat. Served the traditional way, with grated pineapple and peanut gravy, it is the perfect starter.
The nasi goreng Nonya pedas is presented as a steaming mound of flavourful fried rice topped with juicy prawns and sliced green and red chillies. Every bite is chock-full of fragrant minced dried shrimp, chopped cucumber and vegetables; this dish pairs beautifully with the whisky. The daging panggang sambal hijau features a 200-day grain-fed Black Angus rib-eye; perfect for sharing, it is beautifully charred to medium doneness and served with a dressing of deep-fried onions, roasted garlic and mustard mash. Our opinion is that the beef itself is so good, it doesn’t need much dressing.
The chap chye proves well executed too, with a good balance of sweet and savoury. Each vegetable in this stewed dish is cooked just right.
To end the meal on a properly local note, save space for the chendol with durian penget sauce and pulut hitam (the latter is our impulse order), both of which provide a suitably sweet and memorable finish.
The vibrant atmosphere in the house, matched with vibrant flavours, makes this establishment a group-dining favourite.