Cilantro

WHY GO

Tuck into some of the finest French-japanese cuisine in town amid soft lighting, playful jazz music and seating arrangements that are made for staring lovingly into each other’s eyes.

WHAT TO ORDER

The cold angel hair with sea urchin and sweet prawns is a perennial feature on the menu for good reason – the sea urchin lends creaminess to the pasta and the sprinkling of cress leaves an aftertaste that’s clean, refreshing and unexpected. The tourte of unagi and foie gras is another noteworthy appetiser; a pie that looks deceptively unassuming on the plate and when sliced, releases a sweet waft of decadent fat and crisp pastry.

The Blackmore Wagyu is promising and tastefully plated to showcase the meat’s colour and texture. The portion is ample and the side dishes of greens and mashed potatoes are excellent. Also worth checking out is the Hokkaido kasube fish. The texture of the fish is firm and silky, and the broad beans and cabbage cut through the accompanying sauce rather well.

The mango pain de gene is a pretty plate of French almond cake with mango and strawberries, and a dollop of earl grey icecream. Conversely, for a more pronounced Japanese influence, the green tea bavarois with Okinawa black sugar is an excellent choice.