This Gastrobar In TTDI Seamlessly Links The Magic Of Gourmet Food And A Casual Ambiance
Every single dish has a distinct design and flavour palette, ensuring that no two are alike.
By Wayne Garreth — 22 Apr 2022, 02:22 PM
Having opened in the fourth quarter of 2021, LUT Gastrobar aims to provide top-notch food in a relaxed environment
Situated in one of the prime areas of TTDI comes a modern and refined fusion gastrobar that caters to a diverse range of cuisines.
LUT Gastrobar serves up contemporary dishes with a unique twist. The presentation of these multidimensional flavours by Chef Waymann depicts his clear ideology in food: to take you on a trip from Europe to Japan.
Chef Waymann, who hails from Penang, and his team, have honed and polished their skills from many parts of the world, including Australia, Singapore, and San Francisco. Without any attachment to a particular cuisine, a variety of flavours are featured to tinker with our taste buds and expound on their creativity at the same time.
While fancy restaurants expect a certain degree of etiquette out of their customers when dining, and bars may get a little too rowdy for a proper meal at times, LUT seemingly finds a way to combine the positive aspects of both elements.
Entering the establishment, the waiting area is an ideal starting point for taking Instagram photos before heading to the dining space.
Depending on your mood, catch a front-row seat at the bar to watch the chefs work their magic on the plate, or instead relax at one of their tables to soak up the ambiance of this inventive and modern eatery.
The striking neon interior coupled with exposed brick accents across the gastrobar emphasise the overall rebellious design layout which LUT aims to project as their signature theme.
These dynamic visuals complement the diverse crowd LUT attracts throughout the day. From a peaceful and calm ambiance in the afternoon, making LUT ideal for family outings, colleague lunches, and even friendly brunches, the establishment transforms into a lively and upbeat environment at night for casual meet-ups with friends and big birthday celebrations.
If you're looking for a touch of exclusivity, there are even private seating areas upstairs for intimate groups of six, or even large parties of up to 30!
Did we mention that all the graffiti artistry in LUT is done by hand?
Let's move on to the food! The consideration and craft of each dish is truly exceptional, from the flavours down to arrangement on the plate.
Beginning with their Signature Chilled Capellini, this fine pasta came with a generous piece of uni topped with lumpfish caviar, delicately placed on a spread of dashi espuma.
The rich flavour of sea urchin in combination with the delicate and soft capellini (which is notorious for being one of the harder pastas to cook) springs into your mouth with savoury delight. Prepared to perfection, each element on the plate complemented the other(s), culminating to a delightful starter that oozed a glorious aroma.
Next, we moved on to the Spinach 'n' Mache Salad, which consisted of charred corn and rocket, generously topped with miso and sprinkles of sesame as well as rice puffs.
Though lightly scorched on the outside, the corn was fresh and juicy on the inside. In combination with the tangy dressing of the miso, this item is a great cleanser for you palette before moving on to other dishes in the lineup.
Fresh, salty, and savoury at the same time, trust me when I say even those who groan at the sight of salads must order this crunchy indulgence when they visit LUT.
Serving up a generous menu of light snacks with flare, these next couple of eats display the range of diverse items by LUT
A favourite of regular patrons, the Signature Foie Gras Sandwich can easily be described as a dream on the plate.
Slicing into the toasty texture of the bread into a flawless sear of foie gras, made for the most tender cut I have ever seen in a portion of this meat before. The silky texture of this buttery meat is complemented by the smooth and creamy pear purée spread lavishly on the tip of the sandwich.
As one of the more alternative pieces on the menu, the Chargrilled Cauliflower makes a great snack for all vegetarians and meat-eaters alike.
Served with sprinkles of parmesan and decorated with delicate drops of aioli, each element of this dish magnificently complements the lightly charred cauliflower. The combination of all these elements however, sing a harmonious symphony in your mouth.
Encapsulating the essence of LUT, a unique variety of main dishes will have you travelling the globe from Sichuan to Australia
Carnivores, it's time for you to lean into their Chargrilled Ribeye Steak.
Tender and flavourful on the inside, these slabs of meat are an excellent blushing pink in the middle, chargrilled at a medium rare consistency. The addition of the sweet red wine reduction is accompanied by a mild spice in the mustard, amplifying the flavours in this grill to a whole new level while still maintaining a balanced palette.
While we were blown away by the Australian Angus Ribeye MB5, those looking for something a little more fatty can go for their cap filet instead.
Travel to Sichuan on a plate, with the 'kick' that is the Spicy Mala Prawn. Served with their signature spicy bean sauce, the prawns were steaming hot when I cut into the generous sized pieces. They were literally as big as my fork!
The bright red sauce is sharp and strong, I dare suggest, even to those with a high spice tolerance like myself. With elements of celery and cauliflower to be found swimming in the sauce, this dish packs a punch for anybody looking to get their spice relief.
The best dish of the night has to go to the Seafood Paella, for since it landed on our table, every bite was truly exceptional
While the menu elaborates on the suitability of this dish for two, we would go on a limb to say that it covers the bases for more than just that.
Between the crispy rice sizzling in the pan, the fresh element of tomatoes as a bitter relief, and the generous helpings of prawns, squid, and clams, this dish is our personal star of the show, and a must-order on the menu!
With dabs of aioli scattered across the rice and the use of green lemon to subtly enhance the citrus dispersions of mild seafood on the plate, the Seafood Paella completely embodies the spirit of this gastrobar.
We were stuffed by the time dessert came, but let me tell you how this brownie made our mouths water all over again
Just when we thought we couldn't eat anything more, the Triple Chocolate Brownie with Mocha Sorbet entered stage left.
The carefully constructed dessert consists of a brownie layer, a white chocolate layer, and a dark chocolate layer. With the chocolates sourced from Belgium and France, the preservation of bittersweet accents in the dark chocolate were gloriously flattered by the sweet and creamy elements in the while chocolate. There were even gold leaf pieces straddling the edge of the brownie when we went in for a bite.
The mocha sorbet was everything we could have imagined, and more. Glossy on the outside and smooth on the inside, the sensation of coffee is strong in this confection, pairing with the caramel to give a warm and gooey sensation in your mouth.
Sweet and comforting, this dish was ideal to end our tasting session.
Ultimately, every goal LUT set out for themselves to achieve was accomplished in tenfold when it came to execution and preparation
Though it may not be a huge consideration for many, we cannot understate the service provided at LUT Gastrobar. The attendants and servers were both polite and helpful, without being despondent and intrusive at the same time.
While the food was exceptional in every serving, the warm welcome and hospitable nature of the staff will encourage a return to this gastrobar in the future.
Overall, if you're looking to explore a variety of dining experiences: daytime or nighttime, lunch or dinner, snack or full-course meal, casual or celebratory, LUT Gastrobar will provide you with a diverse range of cuisines you seek.
With no hesitation and no exaggeration, LUT Gastrobar gets a perfect score on our SAYS metre:
★★★★★
