IF you were a fan of the original Tung Lok restaurant in Liang Court where the food was traditional and the decor even more so (to the point of being old-fashioned), you might want to say your goodbyes right here and now because it's gone and it's not coming back.

At least, there are no plans to bring back its original concept, so if it's nostalgia you're looking for, head to the likes of Noble House or Paramount restaurants. Otherwise, as far the Tung Lok group is concerned, the way to go now is modern Chinese.

It seems to be a winning concept, if the success of the first Tung Lok Signatures in VivoCity is any indication. That totally forward-looking eatery in pristine white and green has been seeing healthy crowds flocking to enjoy the best of all its restaurants in one place.

As the name Signatures indicates, the restaurant offers all the top-selling dishes from its various restaurants in one glossy picture menu. So if you liked, say the vegetarian goose at the former Charming Garden, or the steamed soon hock with pickled chillies from the House of Hunan, you get to order it all at one place.

Now, there is a new Tung Lok Signatures in the restaurant enclave at The Central in Clarke Quay, where it stands out for being one of the few non-Japanese restaurants there.

With its now signature clean lines (albeit with less than pristine muddy-coloured chairs), the new outlet is huge, with a large dining room and a very inviting alfresco dining area.

Menu-wise, it's the same as the VivoCity outlet, although it tries to differentiate itself with constantly-changing specials each week. And if you happen to like something from a previous week's special menu, you can still have it prepared on request.

When we were there, we were served a modern Chinese lobster prepared two ways ($22 per person) - the first half baked in superior stock and served still in its shell for a very Western presentation, while the second half was stir-fried with bamboo pith. Kind of like east-west lobster if you like. But while the twain don't usually meet, this one managed to achieve a reasonably successful co-existence. That is, it was perfectly acceptable, but one would have preferred a less fussy approach when it comes to the natural succulence of lobster.

Meanwhile, the double-boiled cordyceps and fish maw soup made with Japanese sakura chicken went down very well. Sakura chicken is farmed in Malaysia according to Japanese farming methods that eschew antibiotics and is touted as being more healthy. While soups are normally double boiled with stock, this particular soup was prepared with water and the sakura chicken, the result being less intense than normal, but you could enjoy the clean flavour of the pure chicken broth. The goodness of the cordyceps and fishmaw helped too.

One highlight though, was the crispy 'lion head' ($8.80 per person) - a rather interesting take on the usually stodgy meat ball, it had the smooth, chewy texture of the original meat ball, but heightened with a crunchy crust. The sweet crab meat on top was an added bonus.

Instead of ending with noodles or fried rice, check out the steamed bamboo clam with glutinous rice ($9.80) - the clam shell is prettily displayed with a mound of sticky rice, and served with a small ladle of soup with a dumpling in it. Far less heavy than your regular braised ee-fu noodle.

Still, despite its dalliances with Western presentation and modern Chinese influences, the core of Tung Lok still remains traditionally Chinese. So while you're sometimes distracted by its unnecessary stylistic manoeuvres, overall, you know the quality still remains dependable.

Tung Lok Signatures
#02-08 The Central, Clarke Quay
Tel: 6336-6022
Rating: 7/10