Luke Lobster Goes Local with Celebrated Homegrown Chefs

As I sat on the bench at Luke‘s Lobster newly opened Great World City outlet I started wondering if I were on a holiday near the sea? 

Facing a white wooden wall full of colourful boat floaters, fish net on the ceiling above with images of a family on the boat what else could I think? The beautiful blue ocean from a mega TV monitor and the smell of fresh shell seafood in the back ground was but an illusion. 

A nice one I have to say after being locked in Singapore without travel for such a long time. Luke’s Lobster got me into a day dream and as feelings of beach holidays were re-lived it was but a nice change. 

I stepped out of my daydream as bowls of lobster bisque and clam chowder were presented in front of me. I lit up! Clam chowder, not a common flavour on soup menus in Singapore held a special memory for me. 

The last time I had these were at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. I was in my teens then. The soup was packed with chewy, juicy clam meat and potato cubes. Flavour wise it was on the lighter side, unlike the heavy cream style found in most places. It was delightful!

Lobster bisque, my all-time favourite and a popular item at many fine restaurants here. I was enamoured of it at Luke’s Lobster as the authentic smooth creamy texture had a surprisingly good amount of small lobster chunks. Classy yet not boring! 

The soups were such classics and served as great starters to warm me up. My palate had certainly woken up! I polished these down easily, without a struggle at the blink of an eye.

But then again my slim demeanour is not to be mixed up with my healthy appetite which far surpasses many people I know. I still had some saved space for the lobster rolls which were about to hit me. 

The first lobster roll - Curry Aioli by Chef Thevar. A new local fusion flavour which boasts traditional Indian spices with a modern twist. The first bite into the roll and I was greeted by a generous garnish with heaps of fried shallots, baby coriander, fresh onions, tomatoes and green chilli. 
It was already packed with flavours and lovely crunchy textures. As I bit further into the roll, it was followed by large chunks of cold juicy lobster claw and knuckle meat. Yum! Such fresh lobster meat! 

Accompanied by an amazing curry infused aioli, the Xec Xec spices were extraordinarily top notch. A strong hint of curry combined with shellfish oil and fragrant roasted coconut chutney, just the right balance and not too overpowering. 

Even for someone like me who is not a big fan of curry sauce, I gave it a big thumbs up. This will be available at Luke’s Lobster until mid-October so go grab it before it’s gone. 

The second roll brought me even more excitement as it was the creation of Chef Eugene at Birds of a Feather, one of my favourite modern Sichuan restaurants! 

For spicy all-time lovers this is a must try as the Sichuan Aioli Lobster Roll is served in a mala infused aioli. Packed with an extensive arsenal of spices such as Sichuan pepper oil, preserved mustard greens, traditional Chinese preserved soybean paste, and Birds of a Feather’s signature red chilli oil. 

No doubt it'll satisfy your spice cravings and make you want more. One was definitely not enough for me. This will be available from mid-October so keep an eye out for it and mark your calendar, so you don’t miss out! 

For a limited time only, Luke‘s Lobster is celebrating its anniversary with a birthday donut loaded with vanilla custard and rainbow sprinkles by Mr Holmes Bakehouse. 

You can end on a sweet note with refreshing unsweetened cold brew tea or their signature homemade lemonade. Super perfect as a balancing act for the heavy food that preceded this!

What’s worth mentioning is that lobsters at all Luke’s Lobster outlets are sustainable and wild-caught. The quality oozed with every single bite. The sweet fresh claw juice and lovely crunchy texture which is rare to find and a total contrary to most frozen seafood with bland, fishy, soggy textures. 

The bread roll was excellent too, a classic brioche split in the middle, generously toasted with butter on both outer sides. This super crunchy texture prevails even when it’s served cold. 

At Luke’s Lobster I was pleased to note that they paid extra attention to every detail, in an effort to create a perfect roll for your dining experience. 

Before I walked in to Luke’s Lobster I had my doubts about how good a lobster roll could be. Having tried them now I am convinced that what they offer here is as good as it gets. 

For a lobster roll, they have gone way beyond my expectations and in my mind, beat their own definition of it too! Go try it yourself and you’ll know what I mean!

Only one year on and Luke’s Lobster have opened their third outlet, this time in Great World City. Making headway with their lobster rolls, it is no surprise that they managed to manoeuvre themselves so successfully despite pandemic restrictions.

Hailed as the “best lobster roll” in New York City repeatedly since 2019, Luke’s Lobster serves a limited menu of simple dishes. Easy to order as I got to the counter as there were only a few dishes to choose from. My kinda place!

Serving 3 varieties of rolls – lobster, crab and shrimp and two soups – clam chowder and lobster bisque all made with superior ingredients. This month however Luke goes local so I was there to taste the two rolls with an Asian twist.

With Chef Mano Thevar of the contemporary Indian restaurant Thevar, I kicked off with a “Luke’s x Thevar Curry Aioli Lobster Roll”. My first bite into this $30.50 roll and I tasted quality.

Fresh lobster tossed in a special sauce with coconut chutney but only lightly, so as not to dominate the original taste and texture of lobster. Topped with shallots, fried onions, tomatoes, green chilli and coriander, this roll was seriously delicious.

These fillings were sandwiched into fried bread which was a highly indulgent way to have lobster and could get very addictive. I could see myself gravitating to Luke’s Lobster once every few months for a roll.

Thevar’s curry variety was ingenious and only available till about mid-October. Good reason to run down and have a try.  I also had some ice lemon tea on the side and curry aioli curly fries to go with this king of the meal.

Fries were so well seasoned and accompanied by two sauces – mala and curry. My pick was the latter as it had underlying tones of curry leaf in smell and taste which I totally love.

The next roll to make a grand entrance in mid-October would be Chef Eugene See’s, a familiar name at Birds of a Feather. A specialist in contemporary Szechuan cuisine, “Luke’s x Birds of a Feather Sichuan Mala Roll” was also extremely well put together.

Another bite into this amazing roll with one of my favourite sauces Mala, red chilli oil with Sichuan spices, soy, black vinegar really hit the spot. How not to have the whole roll?

Devilish in spice level balanced by bursts of briny sweetness, this again was a real treat. Obvious that both chefs were masters in their field to combine the fine taste of lobster with light but bold flavours.

As I sat at Luke’s Lobster pondering the freshness and quality of lobster I walked through the ocean to shack 100% traceable process that authenticated sustainability. A worthwhile thing to do as you wait for your meal. This really resonated with me. I felt safe.

Luke’s Lobster really surpassed my expectations on the soup front as well. In an all-time favourite Maine-style lobster bisque which would set you back $12.90 for a 12oz cup, I would totally recommend it.

For something that requires hours and technique to make well, plus a heck of a lot of lobster meat, I felt this would be a more frequent go-to for me. Created to perfection this is a perfect serving that would suffice for lunch.

A 5 star recommendation if you are going to have the roll too, is to share the bisque with another, so you have space for the whole roll. At Luke’s Lobster it does not end there.

The infamous clam chowder, a Fisherman’s Wharf delight is available right on your doorstep. While I have never been a fan of this with its starchy potato look, I was caught off-guard with this one.  

Full of clams and flavour, I could not stop spooning another and another portion into my mouth. Truly surprised at myself I knew this was as a result of top quality ingredients going into the dish.

It is my belief that dishes taste amazing and do command a premium price when top of the range produce is used. There is a distinct difference and I knew it at Luke’s Lobster.

So strange I thought to myself, that I would never have walked in to this establishment ordinarily. The thought of lobster – was it fresh? The casual setting – was this fast food?

Having frequented Luke’s Lobster I can say no to both doubts. It is top quality, fine food that will have you going back for more.