The Place Located at Tras Street, Restaurant 錦軒 Cougar Lee is quite an under the radar concept which I only realise its existence recently. It is an intimate private kitchen concept which showcases Chef Ethan Lee’s experience in European kitchens combined with his roots in a family-run Beijing restaurant. You can expect some bold reinterpretation of Chinese culinary traditions. 

The restaurant takes on a casual and homely interior, where the tables are suitably designed for small or big groups. 

The Food The extensive menu presents Chinese dishes elevated with European influences, highlighting premium and housemade ingredients. You can expect inventive “tapas-style” small plates, main courses, and curated multi-course meals. Signature highlights include Lee’s Steamed Roasted Iberico Pork “Siu Mai”, Foie Gras Terrine Wrapped in Filo Foil, Homemade Ngoh Hiang, Signature Stir-fried Squid Ink Rice with Sakoshi Oyster and Tobiko Caviar, Grilled King Prawn with Homemade Noodle, Homemade Burnt Cheesecake with chives, and more. 

Other than the ala carte menu, the set menus are priced competitively with weekday set lunch menu from S$25++ and set dinner menu from S$50++. 

For a start, I had the Amberjack (S$18) with Mango, Chervil and Citrus& Chilli Dressing. A simple and refreshing starter to whet the appetite with the thinly sliced amberjack.   

Next up was Premium Double Boiled Soup (S$12/pax) which comes with black chicken, this is a decent bowl of comforting soup. 

One of the signatures here is the Steamed Roasted Iberico Pork “Siu Mai” (S$3.9/piece) with Wasabi Dressing and Greens. Presented in a fried thin layer of crust, the “Siu Mai” beneath is plump and flavourful.  

This dish should delight most diners – Foie Gras Terrine Warp in Filo Foil (S$6.9/piece) with Stracciatella Di Bufala, Pistachio and Fruity Vinegar glaze. It is a subtle foie gras taste, one of the better dishes here for me.  

The Classic Ngoh Hiang (S$16) is something familiar to most Singaporeans and this is wrapped with Chinese Spicy Meat Rolls and Nam Jim Sauce.

For protein, I tried the Braised Monkfish (S$48) with Jumbo Asparagus and Heirloom Tomato. A slightly pricier dish as compared to the above dishes, I personally think the braised flavour could be more intense here. The good thing is that at least it is an overall pleasant savoury flavour for me.

For carbs, I had the Grilled King Prawn with Homemade Noodle (S$32) in Prawn & Tobiko Bisque. The noodle looks like pasta, and the texture of the noodles is soft rather than al dente.

Dessert wise, the Homemade Burnt Cheesecake (S$12) with Salted Eggyolk ice cream was quite off for me. I find salted eggyolk ice cream too savoury as a dessert.   

Rants Hits and misses in terms of the dishes for me.

Will I Return Again? If you like fusion dishes, Chinese and Western influences, then Restaurant 錦軒 Cougar Lee offers some good value lunch and dinner sets. There are some dishes which did not fare as well for me, and hopefully the team is able to find a stronger theme and signature dishes for diners to return.

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

Restaurant 錦軒 Cougar Lee 
61 Tras Street 
Singapore 079000 
Tel: +65 8162 4965 

Opening Hours 
Monday to Thursday/Sunday: 11.30am to 2.30pm, 5.30pm to 10pm 
Friday & Saturday: 11.30am to 2.30pm, 5.30pm to 10.30pm 

Ranted by The Ranter