FOOD REVIEW: Sol & Luna — 'It’s easy to like'
SINGAPORE — It takes so much of me not to express surprise (or shock, even) while perusing the menu at Sol & Luna, Market Street’s latest entrant that occupies the mid-17th-floor of shiny new CapitaSpring. CapitaSpring was the site of the former Golden Shoe Hawker Centre, which, in a short span of two years, made way for a skyscraper whose anchor tenant is US investment banking giant JP Morgan.
My surprise is not without reason, I assure you. Sol & Luna is the newest baby of the 1-Group, known by rabid foodies as that lifestyle group that prefers setting up shops on top of buildings. There’s 1-Attico perched on Ion Orchard and the recently shuttered 1-Altitude formerly housed at the 62nd floor of 1 Raffles Place. Ergo, having Sol & Luna on the 17th floor of the newest structure in the CBD with a lush 360 degrees view of the city is but par for the course.
This is why the affordability of the food at Sol & Luna surprises me—and by affordable, I mean when compared to other 1-group restaurants, just to be perfectly clear. It’s not only affordable, it’s casual, easy to like and, for Latin-European fare, doesn’t take itself too seriously, which, I’m certain, is cause for concern for purists. This is not the place for you, puritans. Look away.
For everyone else, there’s little reason not to visit Sol & Luna. The menu is approachable, filled with options that entirely justify a solo dinner to recharge the spirit after a gruelling day at work. There’s the Fried Soft-Shell Prawn with Lime Aioli and Parsley (S$16++), small, delightfully salted, and demands eating whole sans cutleries—just hands will do. The Grilled Tomino Cheese (S$22++), at first glance, looks very hoity-toity, but it’s essentially just Tomino cheese wrapped in Parma Ham and then drizzled with Acacia honey. Savoury and sweet? Honey, where do I sign up?
The restaurant’s moniker translates to Sun and Moon, which accurately describes the menu on offer here—a breakfast spread that starts at 7.30 am, cycling through the various meals of the day until the close of day. Lunch starts at 11 am on weekdays and is when you can find the Prawn & Octopus Niçoise Salad (S$25++) with fresh seafood and perplexing burnt potatoes that look like it’s had its life turbo-sucked out of existence.
Elsewhere, the Truffle Risotto (S$25++) promises a touch of luxe with the option of adding fresh truffles if and when it’s in season. I personally think there’s no need for such extravagance—we’re in a pandemic after all. Unprecedented times et al. Still, if you’re going for luxe, there’s the Grilled Tiger Prawns with White Corn (S$25++) that fuses a bold char with a delightfully citrusy lime juice that, over time, gets absorbed into the raw white corn kernels. It’s all so simple and savoury.
That’s not to say that Sol & Luna is entirely devoid of nuanced flavourings or pairings. The Wood Fired Sardine (S$19++), for instance, comes served stuffed with mussels and wrapped with Parma Ham for a moreish hit accentuated by a sweet and creamy butternut puree. Or the Slow-Cooked lamb that, at S$28++, is rather sizable for its price. I don’t think it’s anything to shout home about, but it’s definitely not as gamey as the Rosemead one, which gave me a headache with each bite.
My favourite for the night was the Baked Veal Shank Pie (S$25++) that promises comfort, flavour, and texture on one plate. That’s a lot of expectations for one dish, but it succeeds. The veal within is soft, tender, gorgeously blanketed in a viscous layer of veal jus and red wine, mixed with hearty cuts of vegetables. I’ll come back just for this.
Desserts come by way of a Sol & Luna Tiramisu (S$16++) which the server took pains to explain was made with no cream—it’s all Mascarpone cheese, baby. Still, even creamless, it’s divine. It’s like a Royal tiramisu with lots of coffee flavours swirling around mixed with a Marsala wine that gives it such an impeccable edge. Long live the Queen, I say. There’s also a Tarte Tatin (S$13++), reserved for the unadventurous. It’s a decent apple tart, served with crème anglaise sauce that demands very little from the diner. Like I said, decent.
Sadly, the public reviews on Google for Sol & Luna have been, in a word, mixed. Some praised the food quality; others had gripes about slow service, inflexible Happy Hour considerations, and price. It’s a harsh world to open up any sort of restaurant as diners demand value for the money they pay. It’s understandable but harsh nonetheless. Still, I reckon this is but common teething problems for an outfit still finding its footing, barely two months since its opening in mid-February. I’m certain they will only get better in time.
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88 Market Street, CapitaSpring #17-01, S048948
Mon to Sun, 7am–10.45am: Breakfast
Sat & Sun, 10.30am–2.30pm: Weekend Brunch
Mon to Sun, 2.30pm–5pm: High Tea
Mon to Fri, 11am–2.30pm: Lunch
Mon to Sun, 6pm to 10.30pm: Dinner
