The Principal. Does that term send shivers down your spine? Whether you were a good student or not back in your school days, not many enjoyed going to the principal's office. Until now. Another addition to Press Room Group this year is The Principal, the highest end establishment the group has ever operated.

Taking over the space where Cinecitta had occupied for a decade, The Principal soft-opened last week. There is no obvious signage outside and because the entrance is tucked away on one end of Star Street opposite Pacific Place Three, it is easily overlooked. Perhaps that is the reason the group picked the spot as it is not very conspicuous, quite ideal for restaurant of such calibre.

The interior is quite simple and cosy, with hints of preppiness everywhere - white walls outlined with sections of brick, tartan seat covers in the booths and along the windows, fabric-covered school chairs - obviously much fancier than real school chairs - and royal blue menu with a bronze emblem in the middle, resembling a school assembly book.

The chef, Jonay Armas is Spanish and has previously worked in the kitchen of Noma. At the moment there are only 7 starters and 7 main courses and over two lunches, we managed to sample over half the menu. Here are what we like.

While the mains overshadow the starters, the Foie (foie terrine with fresh figs, ginger crumble and pedro ximenez reduction and kumquat) is an eye-catching starter. A square of foie gras terrine, encrusted with bits of pistachios, is creamy to the touch. Its richness is lightened by the reduction of kumquats and sweet cherry. With crispy crumbs of ginger biscuits bring a crunchy element to the mix, while the honey-sweet wedge of fresh fig add depth to the overall flavor of the dish.

The Beetroot (beetroot salad with parma foam, walnuts, balsamic vinegar and hazelnut oil) is a light alternative. Red and golden beets in the form of balls, logs and discs are placed among drops of balsamic vinegar and dollops of Parmasan foam. While the beetroots did not taste as fresh as I had hoped, the Parmasan foam was lovely.

The Suckling Pig (suckling pig with lemon puree, sauteed red endives and pomegranate reduction) bears a paperthin crackling, which is only slightly crispy. While the contrast of crispy skin to moist meat was underwhelming, the thin layer of fat beneath the crackling was succulent and had the texture of softly set aspic gelee, only better. The meat underneath is very moist and tender. The lemon puree on the side is one of the best of its kind. Peeled lemons are cooked for 5 hours until broken down into a sauce resembling an applesauce, only finer with a sharper zing that wakes up the palate and cuts through the richness from the pork. This fruity element, when paired with the vinegared endive creates a balanced take on the sweet-sour combination.

The Lamb Shoulder (slow-cooked lamb shoulder with chanterelles, quince, argan oil texture and chestnuts) is a hearty main course. The lamb with just the right proportion of fat and lean meat has been slow-cooked at 65 degrees for 12 hours. The result is an unusually tender piece of meat that is packed with flavours and almost melt in your mouth. The quince on the side really balances the richness of the meat and the chanterelles act like mini sponges, having absorbed all the flavours. The chestnut slices are a nice touch, but I am not too fond of the argan oil texture. Other than that, this is absolutely delish.

The dessert, Passion Fruit (white chocolate curd, pistachio crumble and ginger ice cream) is composed of a quenelle of ginger ice cream atop crumbled cookies and white chocolate cream and passion fruit sauce, with numerous juliennes of candied ginger scattered across the top. The ginger ice cream is sweet but without an expected sharp tickle on the throat. The white chocolate cream, velvety smooth matches well with a puckering passion fruit sauce that swirls through the cream. The tartness cuts through the creaminess of silky cream and complements the sharp candied ginger. Good flavor pairing indeed

Expectation is high for this newcomer. It is The Principal's turn to wait for the report card!