This CBD Restaurant Has Chinese Lunch Sets From $25++, Rated 4.7 On Google

Restaurant Cougar Lee has affordable lunch set meals

We know it can be a hassle to find wallet-friendly food options in the CBD, especially with  so many fancy restaurants around. That’s why we have curated a list of the best affordable business lunch sets in the area—and now, Restaurant Cougar Lee joins the list, offering Chinese lunch sets from just $25++. FYI, the lunch sets are available from Tuesday to Friday, from 11:30am to 2:30pm.

You can choose between the $25++ and $35++ options. The former includes a four-course meal, while the latter features five courses. Both consist of a double-boiled soup of the day, a starter, a main course, and a dessert, but the more expensive option also comes with a vegetable dish and more premium choices for the starter and main course.

We started with the double-boiled soup of the day, which is the only item that changes on the lunch set menu. During our visit, we tried the black chicken soup that featured a clear broth with Chinese dates.

It was a comforting, nourishing start to our meal, and we enjoyed how soft and tender each piece of chicken was.

Next up was our starter: a colourful combination of amberjack topped with mango bits, finished with a citrusy dressing and some chervil. This dish leaned slightly fishy, but the tangy dressing helped balance out the briny flavours. 

Alternatively, there’s the unique ngoh hiang cut into five bite-sized pieces. This features a spicy meat roll wrapped in a thin, crispy beancurd skin.

The main course is the highlight of every set lunch, and we tried two varieties here. The first featured la mian tossed in a creamy tobiko bisque, paired with a huge grilled king prawn.

We recommend this only to seafood lovers who enjoy creamy textures and can appreciate the rich, briny taste of flying fish roe.

Alternatively, go for the braised monkfish dish, featuring fresh fish slices, jumbo asparagus, and cherry tomatoes in heirloom tomato sauce.

The sauce looks intense at first, but the tomatoey flavour takes a backseat. The textural variety takes centre stage in this dish, with the firm monkfish slices pairing best with the soft asparagus and a burst of cherry tomato juice.

We ended our meal with an interesting dessert, the house-made burnt cheesecake topped with chives and a scoop of salted egg yolk ice cream.

The chives added a savoury touch to the otherwise creamy and slightly sweet dessert, helping to mellow down the rich and custardy aftertaste. However, the addition of chives is an acquired taste, one that we think only some will appreciate.

Restaurant Cougar Lee is a quick three-minute walk from Tanjong Pagar MRT Station. The cosy restaurant can accommodate at most 38 diners indoors and four at the alfresco dining area.

If you’d like to try the lunch sets, drop by between 11:30am and 2:30pm, from Tuesday to Friday.

For more eateries in the area, read our Tanjong Pagar food guide. We also have a guide to the best Korean restaurants in Tanjong Pagar. 

Address: 61 Tras Street, Singapore 079000
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am to 2:30pm, 5:30pm to 10pm, Sat 11:30am to 3pm, 5:30pm to 10:30pm, Sun 11:30am to 3pm, 5:30pm to 10pm
Website
Restaurant Cougar Lee is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by Jordon Ong.
This was a media tasting at Restaurant Cougar Lee.