It has only been half a year since Restaurant Cougar Lee opened its doors, but it has already earned an impressive 4.7 rating on Google Maps. Led by Chef Ethan Lee, the private kitchen on Tras Street is well-loved for its traditional Chinese dishes.
In Beijing, China, Lee’s parents ran a private kitchen called 錦軒 (pronounced “jin xuan” in Mandarin). It is also the Chinese name for Restaurant Cougar Lee: “Carrying on that name is my way of honouring my heritage and the foundations of my cooking,” says Lee.
He developed his respect for traditional Chinese cooking while observing the dedication and meticulousness with which the dishes were prepared in his parents’ home kitchen. He was scaling and gutting fish by the age of seven. In his words, “it was a natural part of our lives”.
Lee earned a degree in finance and economics in 2010, but his true passion is cooking. Before graduating, he travelled and worked in countries such as France, Italy, and Spain during the 2000s to explore his culinary interests. His experiences deepened his understanding of ingredients and techniques.
He returned to Singapore in 2016, eager to merge these new culinary skills with his family’s heritage. With his innovative expressions of well-loved Chinese delicacies, he’s built a commendable resume over the years. Formerly head chef at Kilo Singapore, he also owned Charcoal Club, a roast goose restaurant in Jalan Besar that has since closed.
Restaurant Cougar Lee offers an a la carte menu of over 50 dishes, as well as two lunch sets and one dinner set. Start with the Grilled King Prawn With Handmade Noodles. This dish uses angel hair pasta and replaces the predictable Chinese-style soy- or oil-based sauce with a rich lobster bisque sauce. Rounding up this hearty creation is a generous topping of tobiko caviar, imbuing the springy noodles with crunchy pops of smoky flavour.
Foie Gras Terrine Wrapped In Filo Pastry is inspired by Chinese spring rolls. The richness of foie gras is elevated with a marinade of aged tangerine peel and ginseng powder that lends an intriguing citrus-bittersweet complexity.
“Instead of relying on standard seasonings like salt, pepper, or sweet wine, these ingredients infuse the foie gras with unexpected depth, transforming the classic French meatloaf into something uniquely Chinese in spirit,” he explains.
Lee’s personal favourite is Steamed Roasted Iberico Pork “Siu Mai”. The dish takes him back to his childhood, when he had siu mai for breakfast every day. While his parents’ version was pan-fried until crispy and served with home-made pig-skin jelly, Lee’s has a crispy dumpling skirt. Tap the spoon gently to reveal rich and tangy hand-chopped Iberico pork parcels, with garden greens and horseradish hints.
Don’t leave yet, though. With salted egg yolk ice cream, the Homemade Burnt Cheesecake With Chives delivers a playful sweet-and-savoury finish! “When it comes to desserts, I want to give diners something familiar yet unexpected,” says Lee.
