The Black Swan

the movie? nopeeee. rather this dining establishment is the newest in the offerings from the Lo & Behold Group which manages other restaurants such as The White Rabbit and Extra Virgin Pizza, among others. this is actually the first time i've dined at any of their restaurants, and i've gotta say that i'm impressed! ;) 

starting with the ambience - tucked away in a white colonial building at the edge of Cecil Street, its entrance is unassuming, and you might just drive past the building without realising that the interior had been revamped into a restaurant. this exudes a feeling of exclusivity, and once you step through the doors, a hushed buzz invites you in. there is an energy within this place, but it's subtle, almost imperceptible. and that's the beauty of it. it's pretty dim inside (hence pardon the poor picture quality), but the bar looks outstanding amidst the darkness. service is faultless.

we started off with the char grilled beef tartare ($26) and pan-seared foie gras ($28). oh, how i've missed foie gras! :P makes me throwback to 2012 again, when i had so much foie gras (thanks to my numerous food tastings) that it could probably last a lifetime. (well, i could always have more...to last  two lifetimes maybe? :p just kidding)

the foie gras was perfect :') beautifully seared and melting smooth inside, i savoured every bite of it as i rolled it on my tongue. it came with a deliciously fluffy toasted brioche and a fascinating yuzu marmalade (gosh i didn't taste the yuzu, but it was a refreshing accompaniment to the creamy goose liver).

it was my first time trying beef tartare and i absolutely loved it!! USDA 365 days grained fed beef combined with nashi pear and toasted sesame made for a smorgasbord of flavours, and i completely could not taste a hint of any rawness :D great for noobies like me! it came with slices of grilled bread which were awesome as well. (how to they make it so crisp, yet fluffy?!)

for mains, we started with the chilean seabass ($36), which was very light on the palate and came with a bright roasted beetroot, bacon velouté. i loved the combination of beetroot + bacon, which masked the woody flavour of beetroot which i typically detest.

The Black Swan burger ($26) was delicious to say the least. a well-balanced and flavourful piece of art that included a seasoned, oh-so-juicy patty, mature cheddar, a sunny side up egg, streaky bacon, bibb lettuce sandwiched between two lovely fluffy (again!) buns. the thick cut fries that came with it were good too (though i'm not a fan of thick cut fries so i've got not much to comment on it).

and guess what! that ain't all. we ordered drinks as well, and i have to say that i loved loved LOVED my Escape to Amalfi cocktail (all cocktails at $19). just the name itself sounded sexy enough and brought me back to Italy ~ ahhh (: it was a wonderfully refreshing drink with fine bubbled prosecco excited with vodka and topped with a zesty sorbet of organic lemons from Italy's Amalfi Coast (says the menu. wow!) it was sooooo good! mummy & papa ordered Moral Hazard and Cecil Sour, which were both whiskey drinks. and i don't quite fancy whiskey so i've got no comment on that haha. they were pretty generous with the liquor though, which is a plus!

no doubt, this place is pricey. but it's really worth the splurge if you want to treat yourself to a good meal (:

The Black Swan
19 Cecil Street
Tel.: +65 8181 3305
Lunch (Mon-Fri) 11.30am-2.30pm
Dinner (Mon-Sat) 5pm-10.30pm
Supper (Mon-Thu) 10.30pm-1am
(Fri-Sat) 10.30pm-2am