The Lobby Lounge invites you to embrace the chaos with its Messy Munching menu

The Lobby Lounge at InterContinental Singapore is throwing table manners out the window with its new and playful Messy Munching menu — a playful departure from its usual elegant afternoon teas and refined dining — available from now till June 30.

Here, diners are encouraged to ditch the cutlery and eat with their hands — arguably the most instinctive (and let’s be honest, most enjoyable) way to savour these dishes.

There’s something liberating about digging into food that is visually chaotic and unapologetically messy, especially when the sauce-slathered eats are served against the polished backdrop of a five-star hotel. Somehow, it works — and we’re all for it.

For families, especially those with kids, this might be a hit. It is a fun, hands-on dining experience where a mess isn’t just accepted — it’s encouraged!

Glorious, all-indulgent sharing platters

A seafood platter is perhaps the dish to eat with your hands. The Sloppy Seafood Avalanche (S$59) is loaded with snow crab, tiger prawn, crawfish, sea scallop, black mussel, clam, whelk, burrata cheese, and artisanal linguine in a not-too-spicy tomato sauce.

There’s no shame in getting your hands deep into this. Peel the plump prawns, crack open crab legs for its tender flesh, and let the rich tomato sauce run down your fingers. The seafood is fresh and sweet, carrying a briny depth.

The burrata cheese adds creamy relief to the spice, while the al dente linguine underneath soaks up every drop of sauce — bringing the whole mess together into a familiar, comforting savoury finish.

The menu also features the sinfully crispy chicken stack with truffle bechamel (S$52). It is a rich stack of fried chicken strips, poached egg, Swiss mushrooms, brussel sprouts, mashed potato, provolone cheese, and the generous truffle bechamel.

The chicken itself is decent, but not particularly memorable. What pulls everything together is the rich and earthy truffle bechamel sauce. Mix it with the runny yolk and you’ve got a silky, gooey sauce to coat your chicken strips in.

The gooey overloaded wagyu beef subs (S$48) was one of our favourites on the menu. It is a sinful pleasure on a plate — wagyu meatball-capsicum stew, beef bolognese, tomato, lettuce, cheddar cheese sauce, onion marmalade, all in a crusty baguette and served with fries.

It’s heavy, no doubt — but deliciously so. The meatballs are juicy and tender, melding perfectly with the savoury bolognese and cheddar cheese sauce. Dip the crispy fries into the blend of sauces and you’ll see why we couldn’t stop picking at this dish.

Chocolate chaos bombs

You didn’t think they’d skip a chaotic dessert, did you?

A final act of indulgence, the chocolate chaos bombs (S$28), is a pile of choux puffs, Madagascar vanilla ice cream, chocolate raclette, strawberries, almond flakes, and roasted pistachios.

It’s dramatic, messy, and the perfect sweet send-off in true chaotic fashion. Despite the decadent presentation, it’s well-balanced — not overly sweet, with a delightful mix of warm and cold, crunch and cream. We were scraping the plate clean.

Cocktails with some fun

Led by head mixologist Rhodora, The Lobby Lounge’s bar team reimagines some of its drinks through a visually playful, messy lens. The results are inventive and dangerously sippable.

The Gothic Arch (S$26) is a creamy, tropical-leaning concoction made with Chalong Bay spice rum, ube cream liqueur, banana liqueur, Adriatico Amaretto, lime juice, ginkgo nuts, and a dusting of coconut flakes.

It is lush, layered, and slightly spicy. The sweet banana-ube notes are lifted by the nutty amaretto and spiced rum, while the lime cuts through to keep things bright. Rich, balanced, and comforting — all while still refined in its taste.

Then there’s the kopi colada (S$24), a local take on the pina colada. Veritas rum, pineapple juice, lemon, milk wash, coconut cream, and Nikka Coffey vodka are topped with sweet kopi foam gula melaka and dried pineapple.

The first sip delivers a bright, citrusy hit that mellows to smooth coconut and coffee notes. The kopi foam adds a hint of roasted bitterness that lingers, anchoring the cocktail with a familiar, Singaporean edge. It is bold and tropical, but familiar and well-balanced.

At first glance, a messy, finger-licking menu might feel out of place in the plush setting of InterContinental Singapore. And at times, it does. The contrast between the elevated, fine-dining setting and casual chaos can be jarring.

But there’s charm in a dinner that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Between the vibrant, playful presentation and the bold mix of flavours, the Messy Munching menu at The Lobby Lounge offers an experience worth trying — at least once, for its novelty.

This was an invited tasting.

For the latest food news, read our stories on the bold new Pan-Asian menu at Coriander Leaf and the innovative dual-dining concept at Raffles Singapore’s Binomio.

Book a table at The Lobby Lounge via Chope, then a ride to Intercontinental Singapore.