Had a really enjoyable night with a plethora of delicious food, good variety of cocktails & even better company. I enjoyed listening to the unique stories behind each of these & I’m sure you will too. All part of the experience & good vibes here.
So the food at Laut – how do I summarize it, if that’s even possible. Each dish has a story of its own, inspired by local flavours, staying quite true to that yet managing to be unique/intriguing.
Sometimes, you just need to try a dish to really be wow-ed by it. Describing it doesn’t do it justice (or maybe it’s just me 😂). The Burnt Eggplant Dip ($12+) was that for me. It’s essentially that, with a tomato & onion relish – served with curry spiced papadums.
First of all, props to the papadums for being fresh & crispy, because there’s nothing like a soggy papadum to ruin your day. Secondly, what sorcery is exactly in this dip?? Such distinct yet harmonious flavours: The smokeyness from the char, creaminess of the eggplant, & flavourful spice (not heat!) from the papadums. This was a hot favourite for the original days when customers would order this during CB 1.0 for delivery. &, of course, it still is.
The Bergedil ($15+) is another dish that has a cool story to it. It does remain true to its tasty fried potato nature – with good fragrance & flavour which I believe is in part from the Madras curry oil, balanced with the earthiness from the trumpet mushrooms. But what truly takes the cake is what they call the umami soil. That’s where the story gets pretty cool to me! I’ll leave that to the good folks at Laut to tell it to you. I was quite fascinated as Damian took me through the narrative. 😍
I had a Malay-speaking friend who asked me if Laut was seafood-inspired cuisine, as laut translates to seafood in Malay. The scrumptious sharing plates I enjoyed had seafood as the main star. When dining restrictions open up, I’d recommend dining in with a sizeable group, so you can order more items off this sharing menu.
I hate it when squid/octopus are overcooked, rubbery & tough to the chew. Laut’s Squid Gado ($27+) was anything but that. The seared whole squid was done so marvellously that it was almost melt in your mouth… I had to pause to think about whether I actually put the correct thing in my mouth 😂 (just an excuse to have a 2nd bite, amiraiiii?)
& the “Gado” in the name – you guessed it – the peanut sauce in the Gado Gado we all know & love.
BUT WAIT, that’s not all. Introducing the Otah ($37+) – by far the most atas otah you’ve ever had… & dare I say, it is worth it. The mix of fish? Oh, no big deal, just some awesome barramundi, blended mackerel & squid. 🧐
This otah really left me wanting more. Its texture is bouncy & firm, & the rempah mix was on point with good flavour. I loved the Nyonya Achar on the side as well, which provided nice refreshing acidity in between bites. It actually also goes well with the otah in a single bite, too. On the whole, this was an addictive dish & one of my favourites of the night.
Now, on to the drinks. I tend to be wary when cocktails arrive at my table very pretty. I appreciate good aesthetics, but not at the expense of bad taste, i.e. saccharine sweet or artificially syrupy. This was anything but that; & the variety of bespoke cocktails here is quite impressive:
🔸Grass ($21+) – slightly savoury & refreshing 👌🏻
➡️ Gin, Ginger Flowers, Pickle Brine, 3 Grass Kombucha
🔸 Kopi O ($21+) – strong flavours, but thankfully I was able to sleep that night. Personally enjoyed the creaminess of the coconut oil that goes well with the coffee.
➡️ Trigona vodka, nitro charged Sumatra coffee, toasted bread vinegar, orange pekoe tea, coconut oil
🔸 Mata Kuching ($21+) – as a sweet treat, this isn’t my typical cocktail profile, but is likely an easy drink for some folks.
➡️ Aged malt, smoked longan distillate, rambutan & lychee soda, cat whiskers flower (they upsized our flower for us haha)
🔸Lengkuas ($21+) – refreshing, beachy vibes, feels like a summertime drink without the scorching heat or sunburn
➡️ Aged Malaysian Molasses, Citrus Granitas, Laut triple spiced ginger beer.
Thanks Damian / @drinking_noodle for the invite & hospitality! 💕
💳 Accepts credit cards
🌬 Air-conditioned seats only
🙋🏻♀️ Service charge applicable
🚫 No GST
Bui Bui Eats 