Food Review: Luke’s Lobster Singapore At Shaw House | Famous Maine-Style Lobster Roll Opens First Southeast Asia Outlet

Posted on September 18, 2020 by theRantingPanda in Food

The Place This is one brand I used to have in Tokyo for its delicious lobster roll. The famous Luke’s Lobster will open in Isetan Scotts at Shaw House on 23 September, brought in by Caerus Holding which is behind other dining concepts like Danish confectionery brand Leckerbaer (located right opposite Luke’s Lobster) and New York cake boutique Lady M. The space of the first Southeast Asia outlet in Singapore is a cosy 23-seater (17 after safe distancing), though there is also an online system to place your orders for takeaways. It is also an open kitchen concept where you can catch the kitchen staff in action and have a glimpse of how they prepare the lobster roll.

The Food The lobster roll, that’s right. Priced at S$25.50 for the standard US 4 oz size Lobster Roll, the Maine-style Lobster Roll is what makes Luke’s Lobster famous.

The split-top bun here is buttered along with some mayo, lemon butter and a sprinkle of the brand’s secret seasoning. The taste of the lobster roll is familiar to what I remembered from Tokyo, where the chunks of lobster meat is served chilled atop the crispy toast. The toast is not overly buttery, which is a good thing.

Sourced from Luke’s Lobster facility in Maine, the seafood is flash-frozen to maintain its freshness and the long journey to Singapore. One noteworthy mention is the brand’s emphasis on sustainably sourced ingredients.

Lobster roll aside, other favours include the Crab Roll (S$23.50) and Shrimp Roll (S$21.50). My second preference is the crab roll which spots strands of crab meat in the same buttered toast as the lobster roll.

The shrimp roll is the most pedestrian for me among the three flavours.

That said, if you are undecided on the flavours, go for the Trio Platter (S$33.50) which has the lobster, crab and shrimp rolls in halved portions all in a basket.

Other than rolls, the menu also has some soup options like the Clam Chowder (S$11.50) and Lobster Bisque (S$12.90). Some mixed opinions about the soups from my dining companions, and I personally prefer the luscious lobster bisque with small chunks of lobster meat.

There are also plans to launch new dishes such as Lobster Grilled Cheese and Crab Grilled Cheese this December.

Pre-orders for takeaway can be made via http://www.lukeslobster.sg. This is a great way to save time in the queue.

Rants The small space is not that conducive to linger for long and the lobster roll dining experience should be a fairly quick affair. The space is very open, which means there is little dining privacy and it is customary to attract the attention of curious onlookers. Also found the price point rather high, with the pricing in Singapore definitely higher than the branch in Tokyo.

Will I Return Again? Luke’s Lobster is one causal dining concept I used to visit whenever I am in Tokyo and now that it has landed on our shores, it is a treat worthy of a try given that I don’t foresee myself travelling any time soon. For lobster roll lovers, this is a must try and it is a good thing that there is another alternative to Burger & Lobster.