Have you ever been torn between catching a movie at the cinema and eating a delicious meal in a cafe with your friends? Why not do both at the same time, as UrbanWire did?
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Nestled in the burgeoning arts arena, Pitch Black, at 63 Haji Lane, is a 2-storey shop house, art gallery, mini movie theatre and café all rolled into one. A joint venture between 3 friends who’re all first-time dabblers in F&B, Hugh Sullivan, 36, Consultant; Josephine Ma, 24, Personal assistant; and Josh Quek, 22, Event organizer, Pitch Black was conceived to “make an impact on the arts scene, not to just be a café where people only come to eat,” says Hugh.
The Cafe
Since opening slightly over three weeks ago, this tiny café seems to be attracting a fair bit of attention, judging by the number of curious onlookers and walk-in customers. The cafe screams industrial chic with its raw concrete walls, fascinating artwork incorporating computer parts, and clean, simple steel-trimmed furniture.
They serve homemade sandwiches, finger foods, and sinful desserts. The bar offers a decent selection of alcohol; just ask them to make you their signature drink, Pitch Black. Priced at $9 a pop, it’s a lean, mean black concoction of mango, vodka, and a little extra something they won’t reveal.
Though the usual fare includes salmon and tuna sandwiches, mashed potatoes, and soups, they also offer some ingenious creations, like the Wild Berries Chicken ($5.50).
The shredded chicken served atop a baguette has a rather bizarre purple tinge, mainly because the blueberries are steamed together with the chicken. It’s reminiscent of Dr. Seuss’s ‘Green Eggs and Ham.’ The sweetness of the chicken, coupled with its rosemary hints, hits at the back of your throat, an oddly enjoyable sensation and taste simultaneously. The accompanying gourmet cheese sausages provide the perfect balance to the meal.
Another star item, the cheese brownie ($2.50), features visible amounts of parmesan cheese divinely layered into the moist chocolate brownie. It’s worth every cent. Add another $2 for a dollop of homemade ice cream with flavors like Horlicks and Jasmine Tea to complete the gastronomic adventure.
While you’re attacking the pastries, take note of the blueberry cheesecake ($3.80), which is rich in flavor, glides down easily, and offers a little piece of heaven with every bite. The blueberry jam has the right consistency and just the right amount of sweetness.
The Movie Experience
Celluloid connoisseurs hark up your ears for a 20-seater movie screening room on the second floor boasting a 6.1 Cinematic Quality Surround Sound system and Blu-ray suite, an ultra-high definition entertainment technology, Singapore’s first and only such facility. $7 or $8 will be charged, respectively, for a non-Blu-ray or Blu-ray movie. Hugh explained that Blu-ray doubles the average DVD screen quality and has the aural enhancements to match. The extra comfy couches are a plus, too.
Couch potatoes can have their food order sent while they unwind with some of the bigger blockbuster movies. For those who want to really immerse themselves in the cinematic experience, popcorn is $2.50. Movies are complimentary for café customers.
Currently, Pitch Black screens more commercial films such as Crash, Underworld, Momento, and Fight Club. However, Hugh adds, “We’ve been talking to some of the local filmmakers to screen their movies and have a short exchange after that with the audience, and we’ve also spoke with the Israeli Commission to have 4 to 5 independent films shown here.”
Click here for the movie schedule.
The Art
The grey curtains may line the sides of the screening room to absorb the sound, but once drawn back, the white wall reveals an ideal space for an art exhibition. From art to photography, this stretch of wall is a blank canvas waiting to showcase upcoming artists, hopefully creating more publicity and awareness for them here in Singapore.
This space also serves as a platform for new artists to showcase their works. It’s organic in every way because they could be having book or poetry readings one day or hosting an art exhibition the next. Here’s to food, art, and movies!
