We braved torrential rain, thunder and lightning to make good our reservation at Flutes by the Fort—and didn’t regret it at all. It’s a bit of a hike up to the beautifully restored 1908 black and white colonial house (once home to Singapore’s fire chiefs) but, thankfully, one of the amiable Flutes’ hosts was at street level offering umbrellas to guests. Once we dried off—the staff were quick to be of service with towels in hand—we were seated on the balcony overlooking a massive frangipani tree and the lush foliage of Fort Canning. From the well thought out menu, we made quick work of the melt in your mouth pan-fried foie gras on sweet corn bread and wild rosella flower compote and the seared West Australian scallops on Oriental mushrooms and soba noodle salad, tossed in truffle soy dressing, which were fresh and cooked to perfection. For mains, we indulged in the roasted grain fed Australian lamb rack with eggplant caponata, parmesan potato mille feuille and native pepperberry sauce and grilled black cod fillet with balsamic caramelized butternut pumpkin, green asparagus and salsa verde. Both dishes were well received and portions were spot on; meaning we could finish three courses without exploding or still feeling hungry. Our only complaint: The lamb rack was slightly underdone for the “medium” we requested. Our considerate waiter also provided us with a complimentary wild rocket salad with extra virgin olive oil, aged balsamic and shaved parmesan—which we welcomed. Not stopping there, we finished with desserts divine: Slow baked peach crème brûlée with champagne sorbet and almond crostini and caramelized lemon myrtle cream cheese tart with fresh marinated summer berries. Flutes is right up there among Singapore’s most romantic restaurants, with fantastic food, an extensive (mostly Australian) wine list, and is located in a central location to boot. Conclusion: One of Singapore’s best.
