M E D I A T A S T I N G

Confession: I felt an eye roll coming on when I first heard of Preludio’s “Monochrome” concept. The word “gimmicky” leaped into mind and I thought the menu would not be the most exciting because of the limitations set.

I WAS WRONG.

Precisely due to the defined perimeters did the courses blaze with originality and a refreshing deliciousness.
Owner-chef Fernando and his team pushed themselves to come up with new expressions of “black and white”. So there were less of the obvious expensive ingredients like sea urchin and truffle (although two kinds of excellent caviar did make an appearance), and more of the elegant unexpected like French white beetroot and a 25-year-old balsamic vinegar. All of which, I think, are factors that contribute to the pretty sane prices of $168++ and $218++ for the 6-course and 8-course degustation dinner menus.

The wine list, put together by Chip the Beverage Manager, riffs on the monochrome theme with wines that come from grapes in limestone and chalk regions to represent “white”, and for “black”, those from areas rich in volcanic type soil, granite and schist.

I love that the theme was extended into the restaurant space. Amidst the very tasteful minimalist-designed interior are table centerpieces of bell jars housing intriguing mini-worlds. Each of these black and white pieces of art, crafted by @divisionhq, a husband and wife team, are one-of-a-kind.

Verdict: Highly recommended.