Noa Lounge’s colourful Mediterranean fare brings in the chi-chi crowd

NEW RESTAURANT

Noa Lounge 83 Neil Road #01-02-03 Singapore 089813 Tel: 6513 4178 Open for lunch and dinner Wed to Sun: 12 pm to 2.30 pm; 6 pm to 10.30 pm

YOU want to be careful when making a booking at Noa Lounge. You don’t want to fight with the staff at the new Mediterranean bar-eatery in Duxton Hill over a booking they know nothing about; while somewhere in Hertfordshire, UK, a shisha restaurant of the same name wonders why you still haven’t shown up.

We realised our mistake well before any verbal fisticuffs. Still, it’s worth adding “Singapore” to your Google search if you want a table at this latest addition to the Mondrian’s food and beverage (F&B) enclave.

The hotel has been open for a while now, even though its surroundings still look unfinished – like its renovation contractor went home for Chinese New Year and hasn’t come back yet. Besides Noa, there’s only a discreet curtain of bamboo shielding a new Kengo Kuma-designed sushi restaurant. We know of at least two more establishments still in the wings, waiting to shed their hoardings and join what seems to be the latest hobby among F&B operators – finding a new hotel to open at.

For now, Noa has the novelty factor going for it, with the Mondrian’s chi-chi vibe channelling the right kind of crowd through the nondescript glass doors into its instantly heart-palpitating interiors in colours that scream as loudly as the human conversations around you. It’s not a small space, but after packing in a bar with ceiling-high shelves of alcohol, spacious dining booths, a big kitchen and potted plants, there’s no place for the noise to travel – except through your ears and up your brain.

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We understand that most people define this as ambience, so Noa does have a lot of it. In just its first week of opening, it’s packed. It could be the Mondrian, it could be chef-owner Alain Devahive’s goodwill built up from his other restaurant, Olivia. While that one had a Spanish accent, this one spans the Mediterranean, and the extra geographical coverage proves to be a good thing. The menu is compact but well-curated; the pricing manageable; the flavours confident and mostly on point.

The staff seem new and tend to be all thumbs. But restaurant manager Catalin Firanescu bounces around the dining room as if powered by caffeine and the presence of Devahive himself. The latter is hands-on to the point that he’s even replenishing napkins and fetching cutlery, when not poking his head into the kitchen.

Firanescu’s demeanour is what helps make the experience at Noa. He knows his food and what’s on the menu, and what he suggests works almost all the time.

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He suggests one pita to share, for dipping into the muhammara (S$9) and hummus with crispy chickpeas and smoked sardines (S$16), but we can’t stop at just one. Blame that on the smoky blend of roasted red peppers with a slinky, punchy creaminess drizzled with olive oil and a scattering of pine nuts. And the hummus – smooth and garlicky chickpea puree also drizzled in oil, but dusted with paprika powder and garnished with crispy chickpeas and smoked sardines. It’s the first time we’ve encountered such a combination, and it’s an instant attraction – the earthiness of the chickpeas with a lingering briny finish.

There’s also sea bass carpaccio (S$38), or, rather, lightly smoked but still sashimi-like slices of white fish marinated in oil, lemon juice and capers. It’s a demure companion to the two gutsy dips, so it does fall behind, impact-wise.

That’s quickly remedied by the “bombas” (S$16), which seem familiar – we’ve eaten a variation of them at Olivia, but we’re happy to repeat that here. These have nothing to do with the brand of Spanish rice but are little croqueta-like “bombs” of crunchy, deep-fried, battered meatballs that are almost fluffy inside. Draped in a blanket of aioli and harissa sauce, these little flavour bombs turn us into meatball converts.

Meatballs of another kind show up in lamb kofta (S$35) – spiced ground lamb (rather than skewered on sticks) served in a ceramic pot with gravy and garnished with fava beans. It’s served with skordalia – kind of like Greek mashed potatoes. It’s one of those staples that are hard to go wrong with, but they’re not earth-shattering either.

Black cod marinated in miso (S$48) is roasted and plated in a circle of mojo – rather like a Spanish pesto – and anchovy sauces. The fish is meaty, the sauces an intriguing partnership, but the excess salt undoes an otherwise trippy trio.

Firanescu again saves us from dessert decision-making with a spot-on choice of a cherry and pistachio ice-cream sandwich (S$15) – a geometric confection that layers crispy, almost savoury cookie crisps with tart cherry jelly and pistachio ice cream. The filling of a zingy black lime and grapefruit tart (S$14) is reminiscent of Chinese preserved lime, and covered with pink pomelo segments. The pastry chefs here go easy on the sweetness but compensate with refreshing alternatives.

The presence of the two bosses currently keeps the standards up at Noa – hopefully it stays this way, and Noa Lounge makes its mark without being mistaken for something else.

Rating: 7