Cicada is a multi-concept dining and entertainment venue located in the heart of Clarke Quay’s bustling entertainment strip. The all-day dining bistro serves Asian-inspired tapas, late-night desserts and not one but seven signature cocktails on tap!
The newly opened establishment’s F&B concept pivots around modern Asian cuisine, treated with French culinary techniques and sensibilities. The result? Its well thought-up array of dishes and alcoholic drinks exude elegance and creativity.
Replete with lush, leafy foliage, bathed in natural light and scattered with softwood and wicker furniture, dining at Cicada feels worlds away from the city’s towering buildings. Strip away the pulsating beats from the bars and clubs nearby, you’ll feel like you’ve been whisked away into a lovely tropical countryside abode.
Our team recently paid a visit and were floored by the overall experience; from the food, well-crafted cocktails to the impeccable service. Read on to know exactly what we fancied and what intricate details we felt needed further refinement.
Seven Cocktails On Tap
Cicada’s inventive cocktail list sees twists on familiar classics i.e. Thai Collins and Cicada Sling sitting alongside a dizzying array of house signatures. But perhaps the cocktails worth diving in to are the ones they carry on tap.
While many bars rarely venture beyond one or two cocktails on tap, Cicada’s experimental bar team boasts seven. Making sure that their cocktails maintain great standards, only high-quality ingredients and spirits are used in concocting them. They make their cocktails completely by hand in carefully, calculated batches to ensure freshness.
Cicada Sling
Cicada Sling comes pretty close to the iconic Singapore Sling albeit being much sweeter. It also boasts subtle hints of ginger and a sharper citrus note. As an introductory tipple to ease the palate into the courses that arrived soon after, we would prefer it less sweet. That said, those with a sweet tooth will surely like this!
Iced Kopi
Take all the sweet, rich and buttery flavours commonly associated with Christmas morning and throw in equal parts of vodka and spiced rum and that’s exactly what the Iced Kopi delivers. Finished with whipped cream and speckles of coarse coffee grounds, this rich, velvety cocktail is perfect to end your meal with—as you would with a shot of espresso.
Thai Collins
Nuanced with hints of lemongrass and Thai basil, the classic Tom Collins cocktail is elevated, giving it a subtle Southeast Asian appeal that neither feels deliberate nor completely overshadows the simplicity of the classic cocktail. Well-balanced, aromatic and refreshing, we enjoyed this very much.
Chocolate Mojito
When it comes to the humble mojito, the muddling process makes all the difference. Comprising simply fresh limes, mint leaves sugar and white rum, majority of its citrusy characteristics are derived from the juice and natural oils of the respective ingredients.
For their Chocolate Mojito, as much as we appreciated the balanced contrast between the bitter chocolate and the sharp citrus… There seemed to be something lacking in terms of its aroma and overall appeal. The chocolate wafer did nothing to influence the taste of the cocktail apart from reminding us that one of the key profiles in it is chocolate.
Among their repertoire of cocktails on tap, guests can also order the super-refreshing Quayside Aperol Spritz—comprising Aperol, Prosecco and Homemade Orange Syrup—, smoky and unabashedly potent, Fennicillin and lastly, the complex, big-boy-appropriate, Farang.
Beer-Battered White Bait
On the food front, their variety of signature food items span anything from light snacks, sizeable sharing plates, mains and dessert. A great accompaniment to drinks would be their Beer-Battered White Bait.
Seasoned generously with a medley of spices, battered and deep-fried, these little slivers of crunchy fish are addictive enough on its own. But it’s made even more so with the addition of freshly grated ‘wasabi snow’ and tangy wasabi mayo.
Cicada’s BaoBao Trio
More playful dishes are rife with Asian influences. Try the Cicada’s BaoBao Trio, which features various twists on the classic bao.
The Crispy Prawn Kakiage sees a fried patty made up of battered prawn and vegetables, topped with piquant wasabi mayonnaise. The Chicken Katsu features a breaded chicken fillet licked with a funky rojak salad. For vegetarians, the Aubergine & Mushroom works out quite a treat.
The textures are a fantastic blend of chewy mushroom bits and soft, mushy aubergine and the flavours are well balanced, underscored by a sweet and umami-packed teriyaki mayo that makes it all the more addictive.
Cicada’s Nori Tacos
The Nori Tacos are presented as a trio of savoury, meaty delights. Neatly arranged atop Japanese rice stuffed inside of a battered and deep-fried nori shell, these palm-sized wonders rank high among the few dishes that we tried.
It’s simple, but the flavour profiles of each individual taco are well thought-up. Each nori taco is filled with different ingredients—Salmon Belly Cubes with Japanese pickles, Korean Beef Bulgogi with Kimchi Slaw and Pan-Seared Foie Gras with Peanut Sauce and Pickled Cucumbers.
Smoked Dumplings
Camouflaged behind a shroud of applewood smoke prior to being served, Cicada’s Smoked Dumplings warrants a return visit. Period. Amusing by means of table-side theatrics, the beauty of this dish doesn’t end at the novelty of it smoking its way from the kitchen to your table.
Its soft, eggy exterior is perfumed with a smoky aroma, complementing the cubes of foie gras that lies hidden within. Biting into it, you’re immediately hit with a rich, buttery shot of pure decadence, enough to leave you well intrigued and eager to reach in for seconds.
Oriental Braised Duck Leg
Braised for 12 hours in a concoction of oriental herbs and five-spice, the Oriental Braised Duck Leg is fall-off-the-bone tender. It’s concentrated jus is rich, herbaceous and sweet, playing off the mild gaminess of the duck really well.
If your stomach still allows, definitely go for their desserts. Their Sticky Date Pudding is exceptional. But the main standout for us would be their Yam Mille Feuille! A strudel of sorts that sees layers of velvety yam paste piped in between each layer of buttery pastry. Served alongside it are fresh berries and homemade coconut ice cream.
Address: 3 River Valley Road, Clarke Quay, #01-10, 179022
Opening Hours: 5PM – 11PM (Sun to Wed), 5PM – 1AM (Thu to Sat)
Contact: +65 8123 1466
Nearest MRT Station: Clarke Quay / Fort Canning
Disclaimer: We were guests of Cicada, but all opinions remain our own.
Read our guide to Clarke Quay’s nightclubs.
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