[Review] Flavourful, Modern Thai Fusion Dishes at HUE in Lavender

Nestled in the eclectic neighbourhood of Lavender, HUE is a minimalist and refined joint. Founded by a group of Thai-Singaporean friends (including a Thai-Singaporean interior designer couple, a Singaporean chef and a Thai home cook), their menu offers several interesting takes on traditional Thai ingredients and dishes.

When you step into the space, you’re immediately greeted by a cozy interior and a brightly lit counter. Fun fact: the lights at the counter alternate daily depending on the day of the week!

As this was a media tasting, we got to sample a huge range of dishes. Before that, we were treated to their signature drinks – Thai Milky Way and Butterfly Effect.

The Thai Milky Way was creamy and had a strong tea taste, which was great for tea lovers like me. The Butterfly Effect drink, on the other hand, was light and refreshing, and I’d recommend it to go with spicier dishes!

We were also offered a mini plate of Melon First, which is their complimentary dish for all restaurant guests. Featuring salted fish, fried shallots and sugar on cubes of watermelon, I found the combination strangely tasty. While the condiments are usually found in savoury dishes such as soups, somehow, the watery texture of watermelon provided a good contrast to the former.

We then moved on to try a range of meats and seafood dishes – starting with Three Little Pigs ($19). This dish stars crispy pork belly with garlic, coriander, white pepper and chopped chilli. The team shared that this dish was named after the 3 traditional Thai ingredients that are featured in its making. I found the pork belly skin to be deliciously crispy, while the meat itself was tender – a dish worth ordering!

Next up was a Thai-Italian fusion appetizer, Pesto-mato ($19), where northern Thai sausages are paired with basil and tomatoes. The sausages were filled with spices and could get rather spicy over time.

I really liked the plating of Niu Yolk ($25), which looked classy and extremely enticing. The food itself did not disappoint in terms of taste as well, with the beef tartare being an excellent pairing with the well toasted baguette.

Truffle fans will love the Garlilicious Prawns ($28) as the truffle taste (and smell) was extremely strong. A buttery, sinful dish that I wish I had more of! I was pleasantly surprised to hear that live, fresh prawns are flown in daily to ensure that the dish is up to standard.

The Moocano ($23) featured sticky glutinous rice topped with charred grilled pork and golden brown lava sauce. The rice reminds me of the rice used for mango sticky rice!

It was a joy to enjoy the Three Musseleers ($35) as the savoury broth and generous heaping of mussels were a sight for sore eyes. I find it a dish worth ordering despite its slightly higher price as the mussels were fresh – even my guest, who isn’t a fan of mussels, found herself reaching for more. The broth was almost soup-like and I happily drank several mouthfuls even after clearing my stack of mussels.

The Paper Fish ($23) was interestingly presented in a parchment paper wrap. The Barramundi itself was fresh and was not too fishy, thanks to the addition of lemongrass. Those who enjoy spice would delight in the sauce provided, which featured a mix of Thai herbs and spices.

We ended off the slew of mains with their Not A Tom Yum ($19), which is hot and spicy soup inspired by the southern, with charred seafood and fragrant spices. When served, the ingredients come separate from the soup, which is freshly poured in and boiling hot! While having the sourness iconic of tom yum soup, it tasted more like seafood broth, probably due to the prawns included in the dish. The charred omelette that comes with the soup was great for dipping.

For dessert, we had their Limefully ($16), Mango Go! ($16) and Sohm Choon ($15).

I loved the key lime tart as the balance of sourness and sweetness was just right. The basil sorbet on the side, while slightly too pungent and strong on its own, surprisingly paired well with a hearty spoonful of tart.

Mango Go! is HUE’s rendition of a Thai-Singaporean fusion dish with fresh mangoes, sago, pandan, coconut meringue and coconut sorbet. While rather tasty at first, I would suggest for a group to share this as it could get a little too creamy after a few bites.

Featuring sweet-sour fruits submerged in a pool of lychee shaved ice, Sohm Choon is a pleasant and easy-to-eat dessert to counter the heavier tastes from the mains of the night.

Overall, I really enjoyed the dishes here and I appreciate the effort that goes behind the plating of each food item. The flavours are also interesting and I would recommend for you to enjoy this experience with a group of friends or family so that several dishes can be sampled – the Three Little Pigs, Niu Yolk and Limefully are must-trys!

HUE

Opening Hours: Closed on Mondays, Thursdays-Sundays 12-3pm, Tuesdays-Sundays 6pm-10.30pm
Address: 123 Tyrwhitt Road, Singapore 207549
Nearest MRT: Farrer Park, Bendemeer, Lavender
Bus Services: 23, 64, 65, 67, 130, 139, 147, 857
Payment Mode: Cash and Card