The new addition to the Ebb & Flow Group’s growing portfolio of F&B concepts also marks the successful debut of chef Lewis Barker at the helm
While many of us would be thrilled to learn of a new fine-dining restaurant to add to our list of coveted tables, many would be equally excited by the fact that two-month-old Sommer is helmed by a relatively young toque, who is showing all the signs of a confident but unaffected chef. That man in question is 27-year-old Lewis Barker who makes his debut as head chef at this stylish yet relaxed modern European outfit by the Ebb & Flow Group, located on the ground floor of The Sail on Marina Boulevard.
If the group name sounds familiar, that’s because it’s the same company that was behind the now-defunct Vianney Massot Restaurant, where Barker most recently served as sous chef. But unlike the heavily Robuchon-informed modern French fare Lewis had helped serve under Massot (who coincidentally, was also 27 years of age when his debut namesake earned its Michelin star), the menu at Sommer is less of a calculated visual nod to perfection, yet no-less a deliberate showcase of refined technique and an embrace a more global marketplace.
What stands out early in the meal is the kitchen’s well-executed dishes, accentuated by their modest design and plating. These include the trio of snacks that precedes dinner proper—elegant but not overdressed canapés conceived to make an impression in the mouth.
Interestingly, they lend insight into Lewis’ taste memories. A playful assembly of smoked Japanese saba on homemade crumpet, topped with kaluga caviar (harvested from a 12-year aged sturgeon), we learned, recalls a familiar dish the soft spoke Brit (from Leeds) enjoyed as a child. More smartly constructed yet still familiar is a moreish pairing of glazed foie gras (ethically sourced, of course) with caramelised onions and black truffle.