(WWW.THEBLACKSWAN.COM.SG)
The Black Swan is among my favourite places for dinner and drinks after a work week. The food is consistently good, and it’s never pretentious, despite the movie set-ready, 1920s Great Gatsby-inspired decor. Four years after its opening, it has embarked on a series of tweaks to further fine-tune the experience.
For starters, there is now an alfresco garden patio right outside. “We wanted to change the perception that The Black Swan is a fancy, dress-up kind of place,” explained the PR rep. A significant portion of its menu has also been revamped, with new items like a 60-day dry-aged Pure Black Angus Prime Rib Steak ($158) and Kobe Cuisine Wagyu Striploin ($65).
Chef Daniel Sia (previously of The Disgruntled Chef ), the main man behind this revamp, aims to move The Black Swan towards being more of a chophouse, with an expanded selection of premium beef cuts sourced from the US, Australia and Japan. A hefty 800g porterhouse (price unavailable), done to a lovely medium-rare, was the highlight of my dinner on this visit, while perennial favourites like The Black Swan Burger ($32) and Alaskan Snow Crab Salad ($24) reminded me why they survived the menu overhaul. The last order is at 10pm.
When my dessert arrived, I requested that we move to the garden patio. For now, only bar snacks, desserts and drinks are served outdoors, which is a right shame, because the area is absolutely beautiful – imagine dining under the warm glow of fairy lights, surrounded by lush greenery.
The PR rep said the live music acts were still being finalised for the debut of the garden patio later this month, so I had to make do with an eclectic playlist of Top 40 hits and R&B favourites – not that it was any hardship at all. As I relaxed under the twinkle of the fairy lights, serenaded by the dulcet tones of Bruno Mars in this rare oasis within the CBD concrete jungle, I was reminded why I’m still a fan of The Black Swan, four years down the road.
Late-night posh nosh
You don’t have to resort to prata or Korean fried chicken to curb those midnight cravings.
RED TAIL BAR
Last order: 1.30am (daily)
You can’t go wrong with the Fried Chicken Skin (right), as each piece is coated in an addictive salted egg yolk sauce. Tender slices of the Coffee Pork Collar are worth the late-night calories too.
(www.marinabaysands.com/entertainment/nightlife/rooftopbars/flight.html)
The bar snacks here take on a distinctively East-meets-West veneer – like in the case of the Duck Confit Quesadilla with hoisin sauce, scallion, onion and capsicum, and the Oriental Sliders.
ADRIFT BY DAVID MYERS
(www.marinabaysands.com/restaurants/celebrity-chefs/adrift.htm)
Last order: 1am (Friday and Saturday)
The King Crab Toastie here gets a mouthwatering boost with chilli and pickles. You won’t stop at just one serving.
MITZO
Last order: 1am (Thursday to Saturday; eve of public holidays)
For nights when you need some warm, comforting dim sum, Mitzo’s fried soft shell crab with curry floss and signature special barbecued pork will do just the job.
TIGER’S MILK
(www.theclub.com.sg/ restaurant-bars/tigers-milk)
Last order: 1.30am (Friday and Saturday)
Whether you have black cod with a Peruvian yellow pepper sauce (above) or skewers of pork neck with shishito peppers, the bold flavours of Peruvian cuisine are what you’ll remember.
PHOTOS OF FLIGHT BAR & LOUNGE AND ADRIFT BY DAVID MYERS MARINA BAY SANDS.
