Luke’s Oyster Bar & Chop House

Yes Luke’s is inside the Robinson’s department store on Orchard in Singapore. The menu has a good selection of US east coast oysters. Kale salad is very good. The item to try is the hash browns which are prepared with cheese and onions. The tenderloin I had was seasoned and cooked to perfection. I would recommend a visit. It is a small restaurant so I am sure reservations are required on primo nights.

They had oysters from Katama, Marion Port and Wellfleet. The clam chowder was rich and delicious. And the Moscow Mule was perfectly prepared.

Luke’s is a cool hidden place, somewhere that will catch anyone off guard if they have no idea where you are taking them. :) The food itself is good but not spectacular and extremely pricey.
I’ve been here twice, once for a lunch date and the other for a group dinner. Just to find this place, you need to walk to through the Robinson’s in the Heeren and ask around to where you will find what looks like a backdoor to nowhere only to find a beautiful and sleek modern restaurant. That’s really cool.
For lunch, my gf ordered the Lobster Roll and I got the burger. We also ordered a dozen oysters which surprisingly weren’t that fresh tasting. The lobster roll was overly salty and truly not all that great at all with an overly soft bun that doesn’t hold the meat well. The burger, however, was something that hit the spot for my gourmet burger craving. I would go as far to say it is the best gourmet burger here in Singapore (gourmet meaning a tasty thick patty that requires nothing but the bun and and maybe another light addition like cheese or sauce).
For dinner, my two friends and I all ordered one of their steak dishes. We all remember this as a great dinner but for sure was way more expensive than we thought was proper.
Ambiance is great, service is good although food comes out very slow so give yourself time, and the food in total is OK but not enough to be wow’d or for the most part, not worth the cost. Drink menu is pretty typical for a steak joint (penicillins, old fashioneds, etc.). Give it a shot, for sure try out the burger. :)

I stopped in for a late lunch. I bookmarked this place based on some Unilocal reviews. I had trouble finding the door, but once I asked for directions I was all set. I was dining alone, so they put me in a nice two person booth. My server was very nice, but I went for long periods of time without seeing him. The food was excellent. I had the lunch special lobster roll and the green goblin cocktail. I was very impressed with the quality of the food. I don’t usually eat the bread with sandwiches, but this bread was the perfect complement to the lobster. It was so delicious. I will return to try dinner sometime. There were a bunch of things on the menu that I would like to try.

The BF surprised me with a wonderful belated Valentine’s Day dinner as we were both away on biz during that over-​commercialized event, so he brought me to LUKE’s @ Heeren.
Trying a restaurant for the first time always gives me a sense of adventure and having to find the «door» to this restaurant is the start of the adventure. After having read reviews online that looking out for the door to the restaurant is tricky. We originally wanted to give ourselves that challenge to look for that elusive «door». After awhile we caved and asked the SA. When we finally arrived at the «door» dawned in antique gold, something whispered into my ear, «Open me and it will the start of a wonderful culinary adventure!»
Once you step in, it’s like you have entered into another world that was unexpected from before.
The restaurant was dimly lit, cosy and had a romantic feel. It was also a tad small, so I suggest you make reservations way in advance if you need to celebrate a special occasion with your significant other.
Our order for the evening:
1. Jumbo crab cakes
— I liked the fact that because they knew we were sharing, they split the portion into 2 individual portions.
— OMG this has got to be one of the best crab cake in Singapore! Imagine sweet snd succulent but more importantly meaty (not crab shavings) crab flesh carefully moulded tightly within a light batter that tasted a little like slightly crusty Parmesan cheese and carefully placed on what tasted like light lemon mayo aioli. The light lemon flavor complemented the crab meat well and brought out the sweetness of the crab flesh even more. To me the experience was simply divine. Definitely a must-​try!
2. Ribeye with salt and pepper corn crust
— For the ribeye, you have got a choice of how you would like the beef to be done, sweet or savory.
— BF chose the savory option which was with salt and peppercorn crust
— In fact it was the crust that brought out the flavor of the beef and gave it a slight edge against a regular ribeye.
— The beef was nice but I think for what’s worth we have tasted better steaks at other joints.
3. Kurobuta pork with spiced apple jam
— So I read a review of a prominent food critic and wondered why he chose to eat the kurobuta pork vs the beef. After trying for myself, I understood why.
— Presentation-​wise it doesn’t look like much. But when you start to slice the pork with your knife, you will realize how tender it is. Put Abit of the spiced apple Jam on the pork and you’ll be in porky pig heaven!
— The only con about this was that the pork was fatty. But then I am sure it’s required to allow the entire piece of meat to be marbled and tender to such amazing goodness level!
4. Sides: Kale salad with peanuts
— The kale salad is one of the signature sides.
— The kale was sliced in thin shreds and tossed in a refreshing dressing that tasted like it had light honey mustard, lemon, mint etc.
— It’s definitely a good complement to any mains but I only wished they didn’t put in so much dressing. It overpowered the crisp and crunch of kale which i personally preferred.
5. Sides: Old fashioned potato hash
— One word, WOW!
— so this is like a pancake of rosti, only thing different is that it is 85% crisped through! This is like the «NEW FRY» I tell you…
— Something that I would order again if I were to go back! Shiok!
6. Dessert: Key lime pie (deconstructed)
— By the time you are done with your mains and sides, you won’t have much room for dessert. So we ordered the lightest on the menu.
— This dessert didn’t put a smile on my face.
— In my opinion, there wasn’t much crust or bite into this dessert, it was just filled with a lot of creamy meringue and lots of lemon curd. I am a fan of lemon curd but that was way too much! Presentation was nice but that’s all to it I’m afraid.
On the whole, my BF and I had an amazing dining experience. It is definitely one of the better fine dining restaurants around. It would have been much better if they improved on their desserts. Just a note of caution, this place is pricey but worth it if it you are celebrating a special occasion.

I always thought lobster is overrated as it is always tasteless or dry or hard to me, I much prefer prawns or even crayfish. Well that is until I tried the lobster mac and cheese here. The lobster meat is in chunks (none of those shredded nonsense) and is actually sweet and tasty. I love the sprinkling of ritz crackers over the dish and it is just the right proportion of cheesy creaminess against the al dente pasta.
The Travis burger is juicy and full of beefy goodness. It is served with crunchy coleslaw and crispy fries.
The crab cake is another delight. It is chockful of real crabmeat and little else.
I liked how the server was willing to serve the portion on two plates when requested as we were sharing,
It is a small intimate place which has a few alcove like tables for two, giving a bit of privacy to diners. I like the white tablecloth and service and quietness which provides a good respite from the maddening crowd outside.

Luke’s is I think one of the best restaurants in Singapore hands down. Haven’t been back often enough because it is hard to get a reservation on short notice!
Oysters — always very fresh. Would recommend whatever is the special.
My favorite is the crab cakes — not too much batter and well cooked.
Both the steak and lamb are excellent choices for mains.

I’ve always been curious about this hidden outlet in Robinson’s, so when the opportunity arose, I invited a friend for a drink here so I could check out their bar. Food was out of the question for me, as I’ve experienced sticker shock at their Gemmill Lane outlet in the past ($ 24 for lobster sliders?! $ 105 for lobster pot pie?!)
Finding it isn’t too difficult if you see where it is on the outside. Just find that corner on the 3^rd floor overlooking Orchard Road and you’ll notice the sleek doors in no time. Once inside, you’ll notice how cool this outlet is– navy walls, dim lighting, and decent views of the shopping crowds.
The drinks menu is pretty substantial. They have lots of wines and a full bar to choose from. They can even do bespoke cocktails, but I believe it’ll cost you a little extra. I loved how they had this interesting cocktail that I unfortunately forgot the name of, but it’s description was very vague– named after a Mr. Connelly who wears pink shorts, and when you order this drink, you must ask for extra onions.*
But after much discussion I decided to stick with the tried and true Rock & Rye. It’s their signature cocktail that involves rye whiskey steeped with various ingredients (some secret) over weeks. I had it on the rocks and I loved it! It starts off as citrus-​y and ends very warmly (probably due to the cinnamon.) To me, it tasted like autumn and Thanksgiving!
For my second round, I had Johnny Drum bourbon, aged 15 years, neat. Part of my reason for choosing it was price, as it was one of the cheapest on the menu at $ 19. It was actually quite lovely and I highly recommend it as well.
When we walked in around 6 PM on a Friday, there was no one there, so it’s a great place to start the weekend if you don’t have reservations and plan on going somewhere else after. And hey, if anyone wants to host a fancy UYE here, I’m down. :)
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*Mr. Connelly is supposedly a regular at Luke’s, and if you drink there enough, they’re willing to name a drink after you! #NewLifeGoal

Its second outpost at The Hereen, Orchard is the more accessible outlet that couldn’t have pleased me more. The lunch reservation was made through Michael, the general manager of the restaurants who is so obliging when I had to make changes to my appointment a few times.
The restaurant is very well hidden within the new mall — Robinson — level 3, The Hereen @Orchard. The signage wasn’t very visible but since it faces the main street, I know which direction I should be heading to within the departmental store. That being said, spot the small wooden door with a gold plate that reads the restaurant name within the new women-​wear fashion label «Still».
The orders were taken prompt without turning down my special requests. I visit with the aim for the Travis burger, available only on lunch menu. It seems that they knew people like sharing out and so, they offer to portion 2 mains and plate half of each into 1. That’s a clever move, unless u prefer finishing up a main course on your own, the classic norm.
I am forewarned that the Luke’s Lobster Roll (S$ 45) require slight more time to serve and yes, it arrived in 20−30mins together with the Travis beef burger. It is perfectly fine for me as I don’t rush for good stuff. Quality is what I have been rewarded for the wait. Go for the lobster slider: if there’s only 1 main you can have. Succulent chunks of fresh lobster meat filled the golden pan toasted bun, lightly buttered. A dash of mayo with some sorta lemony taste seems to transform the seafood magically into a dish far better than a prized foie gras or a champ snow beef cut. I have been lobstering at other places but the perfect way to conquer it and present it before your eyes, yes, Luke’s Oyster and Chop House certainly has emerged from the crowd. I’m very impressed with the house’s lobster sandwich, I claimed one of the very best, the crowd pleaser.
The Travis beef burger (S$ 27) was good too. Unlike some tasteless beef-​clad sandwiches, the beef patty arrived tender and moist. The rosy centre lend a deep flavour and heightened by a nice crisp at its edges while its medium cooked center was so juicy that I don’t remember pairing each mouthful with any beverage. The mustard-​mayo zest up the sandwich a little more while the pickles add a bit of tang to it. The high-​quality beef sandwich is truly the heartthrob of many regulars. If you want a taste of the beef burger, be sure to visit at lunch time before it is nowhere to be found in the dinner menu. The shoe string fries are so very addictive! Each strands are deep fried to golden, scented in rosemary and dusted in a handful of old bay seasoning mixture. Alternatively, you may consider swopping the french fries to a creamy potato purée and topping it up for S$ 8, here I have got a small iron-​cast serving. It was so worthy! If you adore a rich and creamy version, this one will definitely melt you away.
The signature dessert is not to be missed, you meal wouldn’t have a nice closure without the enchanting sweets. The Banana & Coconut Tart with Avocado Ice-​cream (S$ 16) is a must have. The sweet coconut crumb has the texture of an Italian biscuit and a discerning coconut flavour, a tropical disposition. What matters most, is the vast mouthfeel experience when the icy cold met with the warm banana tart underneath. The tart was cleverly baked less sweet so that it marries perfectly with the nectarous avocado ice-​cream, without the need to feel cloying.
Bön appetit, Unilocalers!