The Place Raffles Place is not a usual spot I will go for dinner though there are quite a couple of rooftop restaurants in this area if you are up for a good city view or need to host foreign friends and business associates. The latest to open up in the air is LES45 restaurant, a new Mexican concept which stands for Lower East Side 45. Located at level 45 of Singapore Land Tower, the less than two months old restaurant is managed by Hidden Door Concepts, which without coincidence also manages the other 3 dining concepts on the same level – Sear, Angie’s and Empire.

The space of LES45 is not big, with a couple of tables at the cosy indoor dining area, and it also has a sheltered outdoor space for a better view of the city’s skyline.

The Food The menu is a reflection of contemporary Mexican dishes by a Mexican Chef. We started with one of chef’s signatures, the Fresh Guacamole En Molcajete (S$30). This dish is prepared tableside with fresh ingredients in a molcajete, a traditional stone mortar and pestle from Mexico. What’s not to love about fresh avocados with chips? A good appetiser I would recommend.

The Scallop Aguachile, Avocado & Pickled Jicama (S$25) is a refreshing option on the table. Thinly sliced, the lightly seasoned scallops is fresh and it whets the appetite for the rest of the dishes.

If you can only order one dish to share, go for the Brussels Sprout, Guajillo, Chorizo & Cotjia (S$17). Sinfully greasy, I have no shame in getting extra servings of this crunchy Brussels sprout. This is one addictive bar snack and sharing dish.

From the Tostadas section, I tried the Chicken Tinga with Mango Guacamole & Wasabi Sunny-side up (S$18). This looks like a simple dish but packs so much flavour. The mango guacamole adds that refreshing but, while the mild wasabi element elevates the flavours well.

Conversely, the Tempura Hake, Hibiscus Mayo, Salsa Fresca & Cabbage (S$18) taco pales in comparison to the Chicken Tinga. The hibiscus mayo is quite interesting and adds much colour to the taco, though I’m not very fond of the tempura hake where the batter could have been more crispy.

For desserts, the Les Churros with Chocolate Hazelnut Cream (S$8) is indeed a sweet ending literally.

Rants The outdoor space can be pretty cramped for big groups.

Will I Return Again? If you are looking to have Mexican food in a casual setting, LES45 does bring the cuisine to great heights. The dishes are easy to interpret and the serving makes it easy for sharing. The next feasting location with your colleagues perhaps?

This was an invited tasting, though all opinions expressed are our own.

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 3.5/5
Hole in the pocket: 3.5/5
Ambience: 3/5
Overall Experience: 3.5/5

LES45
50 Raffles Place, Level 45
Singapore 048623
Tel: +65 6221 9555

Opening Hours
Lunch
Monday to Friday: 11am to 2pm
Dinner
Monday to Thursday: 5pm to 11pm
Friday and Saturday: 5pm to 2am

Ranted by The Ranter