I always love the idea of having lunch al fresco, surrounded by lush greenery, hearing birds merrily chirping away, far, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
And at Lewin Terrace at Fort Canning, you get that and a couple of bushy-tailed squirrels chasing each other’s tails, to boot.
Best approached via the entrance to the left of the Philatelic Museum on Coleman Street, you can park at the private carpark (if there’s space left), and climb up a short flight of stairs to reach the charming colonial façade of Lewin Terrace.
And from the moment you step into the black and white bungalow, a sense of calm prevails and the elegant service that you receive further amplifies the zen-like atmosphere.
For lunch, there is an amazingly reasonable 3-course set lunch at $38, which gives you a peak into Lewin Terrace’s famed Japanese + French culinary style.
Alternatively, there’s 1-Plate Lunch options for Weekdays – on the day we were there, it was a Rump Steak for $28.
Surrounded by such tranquility, it would have been a shame to eat and run, so we chose the 3-course set lunch.
Now, before we get to the lunch proper, a few words about the bread service. Freshly baked seaweed rolls and sweet, fluffy brioche arrive, together with a yuzu/miso butter. Throw that gluten-free diet out of the balcony, please! You will be asking for seconds.
Seeing as how it was smack in the middle of July, when the weather gets even more unbearably hot, you can expect light, refreshing appetizers to get you on your way.
I chose the Summer Vegetables – set in dashi-flavoured jelly and crowned with a fine strip of kagabuto kyuri (Japanese cucumber), the taste was delicate and refreshing.
Think pumpkin soup, and a heavy, creamy dish that is more suitable for winter climes may come to mind. But seeing as how this is Singapore, and with the Japanese dedication to cooking according to the seasons, we were presented with a refreshing, cold soup with cinnamon cookie crumbs. Droplets of blue cheese cream added some weight to the light soup.
For mains, there was a choice of Roasted Sea Bream or Pork Collar Confit.
I had the fish – cooked to perfection with a red capsicum sauce to add necessary flavor to the lightly seasoned fish.
My hubby had the pork that came with honey mustard sauce and green chili paste. The pork was moist and tender, but again, it needed the accompanying sauces to lend flavour.
The set includes a dessert of the day which changes, but you can expect treats such as shiso ice cream and yuzu or chocolate and raspberry mousse. As we were celebrating my husband’s birthday, they presented us with a beautifully-calligraphed birthday message as well.
With the fine service and beautiful atmosphere, hiding out at Lewin Terrace for lunch is definitely a great idea!
Lewin Terrace:
Address: 21 Lewin Terrace Singapore, Singapore 179290
Contact: 63339905 or info@lewinterrace.com.sg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lewinterrace.sg/
Opening Hours:
Mon – Sun: 12pm – 3pm, 6.30pm – 11pm