Housed in a charming colonial bungalow decorated and set against thelush greenery of Fort Canning, Lewin Terrace is that rare idyllic spot fora romantic night out. The boon for food lovers—it also serves up refined Japanese-French cuisine with equal panache.

The menu may change seasonally at Lewin Terrace, but chef KeisukeMatsumoto’s magic touch is a constant through it all. A degustation menu may begin with amuse bouche of smoked duck over red cabbage confit, crackers with caviar, soy crumble and pumpkin purée. Unique o erings follow, such as duck rillettes covered in a ‘Mont Blanc’ dome of puréed Hokkaido lily root with truffle shavings, as well as poached tilefish (amadai) with deep-fried crispy scales for an interesting play on texture, served on tea-infused rice.

Equally captivating is the theatrical display of consommé cooked in front of diners in a siphon brewer. Through heat and pressure, the soup is pushed into a secondary flask with herbs and vegetables to extract itsessence before it is served.

Seafood offerings are delicate and refreshing, and feature highlightssuch as lobster with salmon roe over a base of shredded miso-marinated pumpkin; and a juicy Hokkaido scallop with fresh spinach and a seaweed cracker. The Japanese wagyu smoked with oregano and hay to yield tantalising aromas is another memorable highlight. Served with a side of Japanese vegetables, it is a classic elegantly updated at Lewin Terrace. End with a dual dessert course of white coffee cream with a flavourquartet of truffle, praline, espresso and orange blossom, followed bymatcha mochi complemented by white chocolate flambé. Be sure to check out the fine selection of sake cocktails available.