Disclosure: We were invited to a media tasting at Viva Lavender. We also tried the Har Cheong Calamari and Hokkaido Scallop Risotto. All opinions are our own.

Viva Lavender describes itself as a neighbourhood restaurant serving European food with Asian influences, but “neighbourhood” depends rather heavily on which neighbourhood you live or work in.

Located along Lavender Street, it is not the most convenient restaurant to reach unless you already live or work nearby or are driving. Even then, finding parking along the row can be a pain. ARC 380 next door is probably the easier parking option, particularly at night.

Once inside, however, the restaurant is comfortable and relaxed. Despite the elaborate plating and European-Asian menu, the ambience feels more like a polished café than a Western or semi-fine-dining restaurant. That is not necessarily a disadvantage. It makes Viva Lavender suitable for casual meals, after-work dinners and business lunches where you want something more interesting than the usual café fare without having to sit through a formal dining experience.

The kitchen is led by Head Chef Colin Peh, who trained in a Michelin-starred kitchen in France and previously worked at Tapas Club and Kulto, together with Sous Chef Danny Kwok, formerly of Gaig Singapore. The restaurant builds its menu around modern tapas, wood-fired dishes, steak and wine.

For the media tasting, we tried four tapas, four mains and two desserts, before adding the Har Cheong Calamari and Hokkaido Scallop Risotto.

The tapas were stronger than expected

Salmon Tartare

Half-eaten Salmon Tartare as my husband and I arrived a little late

Salmon tartare can sometimes taste like someone diced a plate of sashimi and called it a new dish. Thankfully, Viva Lavender’s version (S$22++) had enough going on to avoid that.

The sauce gave the salmon more character, while the pomegranate added small bursts of sweetness and acidity. It was fresh, balanced and a pleasant start to the meal, although it was not the most memorable dish of the night.

Eggplant Crisps

The Eggplant Crisps (S$12++) were the surprise crowd favourite.

Eggplant is difficult to fry well. Slice it too thinly and all you taste is batter. Leave it too thick and the inside can become limp, wet and oily. These managed to remain crisp on the outside without becoming soggy, while retaining enough thickness for us to taste the eggplant.

The honey drizzle added sweetness without making the dish feel like a dessert. This was one of those simple combinations that worked because the kitchen got the texture right.

Charred Cabbage

Charred cabbage (S$12++) has become a common restaurant dish, but it is still worth trying if you have never experienced how sweet and savoury an ordinary cabbage can become after being properly grilled.

Viva Lavender’s version was good, with crispy kale providing another layer of texture. However, having previously tried the charred cabbage at SKIRT, W Hotel, I thought SKIRT’s version had greater depth and was more memorable.

This was competently executed, but it did not reset my benchmark for the dish.

Ceviche de Pulpo

The Ceviche de Pulpo (S$14++) combined octopus with pipirrana, cucumber, herbs and extra virgin olive oil. According to the restaurant, its expanded tapas menu draws largely from Spanish flavours while incorporating Asian ingredients.

As a refreshing salad, it was perfectly decent. As an octopus dish, it was less successful.

There was not enough octopus flavour for it to become the hero ingredient. Most bites were dominated by the vegetables and dressing, leaving us with something that tasted more like a well-dressed salad that happened to contain some octopus.

The mains were more uneven

Viva Lavender uses a wood-fired Josper Grill, adjusting its grilling approach according to the type of meat or seafood being cooked. The intention is to create a deeper sear and smokiness while retaining the right texture and doneness.

That smoky approach came through in parts of the meal, but not every main worked equally well.

Secreto Ibérico

The Secreto Ibérico (S$45++) was the disappointment of the tasting.

I expected the pork to be tender enough to pull apart easily, but it was slightly tough. Its flavour hovered somewhere between char siew and conventional roast pork without possessing the richness or satisfying caramelisation of either.

The pineapple kimchi and ssamjang aioli suggested Korean fusion, but they did not meaningfully improve the pork or bring the dish together. They felt more like references added to signal an Asian influence than components that the dish truly needed.

This was a dish that appeared to be trying too hard, when better pork and a more focused sauce might have accomplished more.

Pressed Lamb Belly

The Pressed Lamb Belly (S$42++) was easily the best main of the tasting and the favourite main of the table.

It was also the only main that felt like a complete plate rather than a protein accompanied by several decorative components. The lamb was super tender, rich and satisfying, while the cauliflower rice helped to balance its fattiness.

The cauliflower pieces were chunkier than what I would usually describe as cauliflower “rice”. When I prepare it at home, I process the cauliflower until the pieces resemble actual grains. Nevertheless, the coarser texture did not detract significantly from the dish.

This was one of the dishes I would order again.

Shrimp Pasta

First, a personal pet peeve: if they are prawns, call them prawns. Shrimp are not simply a more fashionable name for prawns.

Terminology aside, I loved the lobster bisque used in the pasta. It was rich, deeply savoury and carried most of the dish.

Some diners at our table thought the pasta was oily, and I agree. However, the intensity of the bisque plus that bit of lime almost made up for it. The grilled prawns also gave the dish a smoky quality that distinguished it from an ordinary seafood pasta.

The greater problem was value. At S$28++, receiving only two grilled prawns felt rather restrained. The sauce was delicious, but diners ordering a prawn pasta are still likely to expect more prawns.

Miso Black Cod

The Miso Black Cod came highly recommended by the PR team.

The fish itself was cooked well, and I particularly enjoyed the charred broccolini with the tobiko beurre blanc. The briny tobiko and buttery sauce complemented the slight bitterness of the broccolini.

The cod, however, did not deliver enough miso flavour.

It is difficult not to compare any miso black cod with Nobu’s famous version once you have tasted it. Nobu’s black cod has a distinct sweetness, depth and fermented miso character that penetrates the fish. Viva Lavender’s version was pleasant, but I couldn’t taste the miso, which is supposed to define the dish.

This may appeal to diners who prefer a less intense preparation, but those expecting a bold miso marinade may find it underwhelming.

The additional dishes were worth ordering

We were still a little hungry after completing the tasting menu as a table of four.

It should be noted that this was a media tasting, so we were sharing every dish and we came with large appetites. Nevertheless, the extra dishes ended up including some of the best food we ate that evening.

Har Cheong Calamari

The Har Cheong Calamari ($16++) is a must-order.

Calamari can be extremely plain once you get past the fried batter. Using har cheong, or fermented prawn paste, gave the coating an extra layer of seafood flavour, saltiness and umami without overwhelming the squid.

It tasted familiar because most Singaporeans recognise the flavour of har cheong gai, yet it was different enough to feel fresh.

The sambal mayonnaise made complete sense with it. It added creaminess and heat while maintaining the dish’s distinctly local flavour profile.

Of all the fusion combinations we tried, this was the most convincing because it did not feel as though two culinary references had been forced together. Har cheong and squid simply belonged together.

Hokkaido Scallop Risotto

We originally considered ordering the burrata salad, but the restaurant team advised that it might not be the best choice after we had already eaten our mains. They recommended the Hokkaido Scallop Risotto (S$38++) instead.

The risotto uses lobster stock, Parmesan and ponzu pearls, and arrived with four Hokkaido scallops.

It carried the same appealing lobster flavour as the Shrimp Pasta but was less oily. The rice absorbed the stock well, giving each mouthful a richer and more even flavour.

The scallops also made it feel more generous than the pasta. Diners who want a smoky, grilled flavour may prefer the prawns in the pasta, but I would choose the risotto for its balance and overall value.

Desserts: one safe choice and one star

Chocolate Mousse and Hazelnut

The Chocolate Mousse and Hazelnut (S$16++) was a good chocolate dessert, but there was nothing particularly unusual about it.

The mousse was smooth and properly chocolatey. My husband described it as a deconstructed Nutella mousse, which was fairly accurate as they had 2 layers of chocolate mousse (dark and milk) topped with hazelnuts. Chocolate and hazelnut are a dependable combination, and this delivered exactly what we expected.

It is a safe order for chocolate lovers, although it was overshadowed by the dessert that followed.

Burnt Manchego Cheesecake

The Burnt Manchego Cheesecake was the star of the dessert course, which made it especially painful that four of us were expected to share a single slice.

The cheesecake was rich, creamy and unmistakably cheesy. Unlike a conventional burnt cheesecake, the Manchego gave it a stronger savoury edge and a lingering sharpness.

The accompanying mixed berry gelato was essential. Its coldness and acidity cut through the richness of the Manchego and prevented the cheesecake from becoming too heavy.

Diners who enjoy strong cheese may be happy eating the cheesecake on its own. Personally, I thought the gelato paired well and made the dessert feel complete. But if you’re not a fan of berries…then you may not enjoy this dish.

Whole cakes can be pre-ordered, but they do not come with the mixed berry gelato. I would therefore recommend buying a berry sorbet or gelato separately if you are serving the cake at home.

Next time, I want an entire slice to myself.

Drinks and atmosphere

Viva Lavender has a wine list, sangrias and cocktails designed to accompany its tapas and grilled dishes. Its wine selection is intended to be approachable, with staff available to recommend pairings rather than leaving diners to decipher an intimidating list.

The cocktails we tried were enjoyable and suited the restaurant’s relaxed atmosphere.

At the time of publication, Viva Hour runs from Mondays to Thursdays before 8pm, offering 50% off the second glass of house-pour wine and 20% off cocktails with a food order. Its weekday three-course set lunch starts from $29++, which may make the restaurant particularly attractive to people working nearby.

Is Viva Lavender worth visiting?

Viva Lavender is not a restaurant where every dish lands equally well.

The menu is strongest when it stops trying to demonstrate “fusion” and allows a clear idea to lead the dish. Eggplant with honey worked. Har cheong with calamari worked. Lamb belly with cauliflower worked. Manchego cheesecake with mixed berry gelato worked.

The weaker dishes tended to contain several internationally inspired components without making the main ingredient more distinctive. The pineapple kimchi and ssamjang aioli did not rescue the Secreto Ibérico, while the Ceviche de Pulpo needed to make the octopus the star (although I have to say that each piece of octopus was really tender).

I would return, but I would order selectively.

My recommended dishes would be the Eggplant Crisps, Har Cheong Calamari, Pressed Lamb Belly, Hokkaido Scallop Risotto and Burnt Manchego Cheesecake. I would also consider the Shrimp Pasta for its lobster bisque, although its portion of prawns could be more generous.

Viva Lavender makes the most sense as a lunch or after-work dining option for people already based around the area. For everyone else, the Har Cheong Calamari and Manchego cheesecake may be enough reason to make the detour — just park at ARC 380.

Venue details

Viva Lavender
161 Lavender Street
#01-02/03/04
Singapore 338750

Opening hours:
Daily
Lunch: 11.30am–3pm
Last order: 2.30pm

Dinner: 5.30pm–10.30pm
Last order: 9.45pm

Instagram: @vivalavendersg
Website: vivalavender.sg

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Images: Melissa Fann for In Chef Mode, and Viva Lavender (header)