Sol & Luna @ CapitaSpring - A New Latin-European Bistro Nestled In Lush Greenery

Sol & Luna is the latest concept by 1-Group perched 100 metres up on Singapore's latest 51-storey skyscraper CapitaSpring. It is a Latin-European bistro nestled in the building's green oasis, a unique sanctuary-in-the-sky of lush greenery.

Fried Soft Shell Prawn 4.2/5

We began our dinner at Sol & Luna with the Fried Soft Shell Prawn ($16) served with lime aioli and parsley. There is no need to de-shell the prawns. It can be eaten together with the crispy shell. An addictive snack to kick start the dinner, especially with a few glasses of drinks.

Grilled Tomino Cheese 3.5/5

You may like the Grilled Tomino Cheese ($22) wrapped with parma ham if you are a cheese lover. You can also taste a hint of sweetness from the acacia honey, coupled with a peppery kick from the black pepper. To enjoy the gooey grilled tomino cheese, you can spread it on the crostini.

Prawn & Octopus Nicoise Salad 4/5

The Prawn & Octopus Nicoise Salad ($25) will delight the carnivores as the meats are more than the greens. You can find prawn, octopus, quail eggs, haricot beans, Rescoldo potatoes, olive and Spanish anchovy on the plate.

White Gazpacho 3.5/5

Next, we have the White Gazpacho ($19) with grape segments, marcona almonds, grilled half avocado and mixed seeds, drizzled with a few drops of basil oil. I find it quite bare with just half an avocado floating in the middle of the white gazpacho in terms of presentation. While the cold soup is tasty, complemented by the various textural bites of the ingredients, I thought the cold soup was not chill enough.

Grilled Australian Shark Bay 4/5

This is our third prawn dish for the night, Grilled Australian Shark Bay ($25). There is nothing fancy, just simple cooking to appreciate the sweetness of the tiger prawns, topped with corn and tomato salsa.

Truffle Risotto 4.2/5

One of the crowd's favourites is the Truffle Risotto ($25), cooked to a delightful creaminess packed with beautiful flavours from the grana padano truffle and mushroom paste. Customers have the option to add fresh seasonal truffles, subject to market price.

Wood-Fired Sardine 4.2/5

The dish that surprised me was the Wood-fired Sardine ($19). Shaped like a sausage, it is actually a concoction of sardine, mussel, herb and pine nuts wrapped with parma ham, paired with butternut puree. There is something familiar with the wood-fired sardine that I can't pinpoint. It just grows on me to go back for more.

Baked Veal Shank Pie 3.5/5

Good for sharing is the Baked Veal Shank Pie ($28). Tearing the puff pastry apart reveals a bowl of chunky veal, carrot, onion, and potato in delicious veal jus. Though I find the veal shank was a bit tough for my liking, the rest are well executed.

Escalivada 3/5

As for the Escalivada ($14), I do not know how to appreciate the mushy texture of the ragout of eggplant paired with capsicum, pearl onions, Spanish anchovies and hazelnut oil. However, the taste profile is indeed delicious.

12 Hours Slow Cooked Welsh Lamb 3.5/5

The 12 Hours Slow Cooked Welsh Lamb ($28) is cooked to fork tender, paired excellently with the bordelaise sauce, broccolini and garlic crumbs. 

Sol & Luna Tiramisu 3/5

For dessert, we tried the Sol & Luna Tiramisu ($16) and Tarte Tatin with Creme Anglaise Sauce ($13). The tiramisu is light-handed compared to other versions I have.

Tarte Tatin with Creme Anglaise Sauce 4/5

My preference goes for the Tarte Tatin with Creme Anglaise Sauce. Pour the creme anglaise sauce over the caramelised apple layer resting on the puffy pastry for a sweet ending to a satisfying dinner.

Overall, Sol & Luna is a beautiful restaurant on top of CapitaSpring. It brings together dishes from the Latin-European region - Italy, France, Portugal and Spain, reinvented with a twist and finesse. While there are hits and misses for the dishes, it is still worthy of a visit to immerse yourself in the green oasis.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Sol & Luna
CapitaSpring
88 Market Street
#17-01
Singapore 048948
Tel: +65 80314316
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Raffles MRT (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Breakfast
Daily: 7am - 1045am
Weekend Brunch
Sat & Sun: 10am - 230pm
High Tea
Daily: 230pm - 5pm
Lunch
Mon-Fri: 11am - 230pm
Dinner
Daily: 6pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Raffles MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Malacca Street. Walk down Malacca Street to Market Street. Cross the street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

AquaMarine @ Marina Mandarin Singapore - Peranakan Delicacies In Conjunction With The Peranakan Festival 2019

In conjunction with The Peranakan Festival 2019, AquaMarine at Marina Mandarin Singapore has collaborated with Baba Chef Raymond Khoo of The Peranakan Restaurant to showcase a sumptuous feast of Peranakan Delicacies, exclusively from 7 June to 11 July 2019.

Kueh Pie Tee 3/5

Nyonya Crabmeat Popiah 3/5

Kick start the Peranakan feast with some delightful bites such as the Kueh Pie Tee and Nyonya Crabmeat Popiah. Have fun putting the different condiments into the kueh pie tee shell, and be your own chef for the day.

Ngoh Hiang 3.5/5

The golden brown Ngoh Hiang wrapped in crispy beancurd skin is packed with chunky pork pieces flavoured with five spice powder. There was water chestnut in it, giving it a nice crunch in texture.

Ayam Buah Keluak 3.8/5

A staple dish of Peranakan food is the Ayam Buah Keluak which you can also find it on the buffet spread. The chicken was cooked to tender, infused with the flavours from the nutty buah keluak and spices.

Nasi Ulam Istimewa 4.2/5

A must try is the Nasi Ulam Istimewa, which is also one of my favourites. Not commonly served in restaurants because of the laborious preparation work behind it. I was told the key to the dish is the freshly cut herbs and spices just before serving. You can't prepare them in advance.

Ikan Goreng Chuan Chuan 4.2/5

I have never tried Ikan Goreng Chuan Chuan and this a new Peranakan dish which I enjoyed. The fish is fried and then cooked with dark soy sauce, ginger, garlic and salted fermented soy beans. The star has to be the salted fermented soy beans which give the dish its characteristic.

Dry Laksa 2.5/5

Unfortunately, the Dry Laksa didn't impress me. It tasted like a plate of stir-fried Chinese noodles. I could not taste any laksa rempah at all.

Itek Sio 4.5/5

Not to be missed at the buffet spread is the Itek Sio, Nyonya braised duck with tamarind and coriander. The duck meat has been cooked to tender, infused with the flavourful braised sauce.

Udang Kuah Pedas Nanas 4/5

A very appetising dish is the Udang Kuah Pedas Nanas, fresh prawn cooked in pineapple coconut gravy. The tanginess from the gravy simply whetted up the appetite.

Whole Veal Shank Rendang 4.8/5

Another crowd favourite is the Whole Veal Shank Rendang. Infused with the aromatic rempah, the meat fell off the bone with ease. A must try.

Apom Bakwa Pisang Pengat 3.5/5

Do save some space for the Nonya Kuehs to wrap up the sumptuous feast. The colourful kuehs are not only pretty in presentation, but they are really yummy. I only wish I have another stomach to try them all. I do notice something unique at the dessert section is the Apom Bakwa Pisang Pengat. The soft, fluffy apom is made from glutinous rice flour and butterfly pea flowers, paired with caramelised banana.

Pricing
$60++ per adult and $30++ per child for lunch daily
$73++ per adult and $36.50++ per child for dinner Monday to Thursday
$83++ per adult and $41.50++ per child for dinner Friday to Sunday, Public Holidays and eves of Public Holidays

Note: This is an invited tasting.


AquaMarine
Marina Mandarin Singapore
6 Raffles Boulevard
Level 4
Singapore 039594
Tel: +65 68451111
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Esplanade (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 630am - 1030pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Esplanade MRT station. Take Exit B or D. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]