Laut Singapore Restaurant Bar – Seafood-centric Southeast Asian Fare at Stanley Street

1 July 2020 Gwendolyn

Laut, Malay for sea, brings together all things Southeast Asian in an ode to the region’s sea-faring heritage. Opened by co-owners Frank and Leon, the two good friends drew inspiration from their childhood where seafood and Straits Chinese cooking formed a large part of their meals.

Here at Laut, dive into seafood hand-picked from Ah Hua Kelong and other produce, ingredients and spices sourced from wet markets and a local spice maker. Meanwhile, cocktail spirits are made by Compendium, a local multi-disciplinary distillery and meadery, known for their local-inspired flavour creations such as Rojak.

Laut’s menu is concise and ranges from small plates to sharing portions, accompanied with three dessert choices.

Menu

The cocktail list might not be the most extensive you can find in a bar but the eight drinks ($21 each) featured are simply one-of-a-kind and only available at Laut. Each drink bears an interesting combination of ingredients, mostly found in Southeast Asia.

It is recommended to begin with Dragonfruit, Pineapple and/or Grass – all three are generally gentle, easy-going drinks to pair with the small plates. Personally, I prefer to start with the refreshing June Plum, an acerbic Gin-based cocktail shaken with Pandan, Kedongdong Plums and Kaffir Lime, and balanced with a dollop of sweet Hawthorn Sorbet. The Banana and Soy are both spirit-forward and the former is a close contender to the June Plum amongst us.

The dishes are equally exciting.

The Oyster Eggs $11 comprises of chopped and poached local oysters on a bed of steamed egg (or chawanmushi), mochi balls (reminiscent of the chewy texture of orh luak) and a dash of chilli oil to spice it all up.

I can’t rave enough of the Burnt Eggplant Dip $11 the first time I had it from delivery. The smooth and creamy eggplant-chickpea dip and curry spiced papadam pairing makes an addictive snack I could have at any time of the day.

Another favourite of mine is the Soft Shell Crab $18, served with a side of Chilli Crab Dip. The highlight on the crispy Battered Crab is the wondrously flavourful and fiery Borneo Peppers, not for the fainted hearted.

Some other sides to consider include the seared Tuna $15, homemade Otah $15 made of fish and shrimp, cereal-crusted Frogs $18 and Crab Toast $18.

The mains are generous in portion and good for sharing – Squid Gado $25, Prawn Raja $29 (the asian version of the risotto infused with century eggs) and Laut Curry $33 (liken to a seafood bouillabaisse but cooked in coconut rendang curry).