May 2015

224 318

WINE&DINE
224 May15
We scour the island’s bar scene to bring you the
new and the noteworthy – it’s a tough job but
somebody’s got to do it.
Longplay
4 Haji Lane
6291 3323 |
First impressions: This narrow, 50-seater vinyl and
cocktail bar puts a homey spin on the industrial-chic trend.
Choose to sit in intimate “booths” – wood-and-leather
chairs separated by gauzy curtains for an air of privacy
– or nurse your drink at the counters, which have brass
mirrors that are perfect for stealthily checking makeup (or
eye candy behind you). The music is just as important as
the drinks here: expect an eclectic playlist of old school
funk, hip-hop, jazz and hard rock.
The Chosen One: Named after the twinkle-toed Singing in
the Rain star, The Fred Ast’air’e ($20) is a delicate and
mildly floral gin concoction with apricot liqueur, Riesling
and bitters. It comes in a vial-like bottle that, when poured
into the accompanying shallow glass, comes close to
two servings.
The Cheapskate: Craft beers and ciders start from $15.
Bite on this: Unfussy light bites are taken to the next
level with ace ingredients and bold flavours. We loved
the succulent buttermilk chicken bites with tangy
coronation sauce ($12), as well the spicy togarashi
squid with a tongue-tickling harissa dip ($14).
Last but not least: The bar just started Bring Your
Own Vinyl Sundays, when like-minded audiophiles are
encouraged to play their favourite records. All genres of
music from the 1930s to the 1970s are welcome.
Cherylene Chan
Copper
10 Jiak Chuan Road
6222 5565 |
First impressions: A sophisticated den with a futuristic,
steampunk-esque theme and “alchemist meets mad scientist”
décor; we loved the fact that it’s windowless, so you could
hide away during the day and lose yourself in the mysterious
surroundings.
The Chosen One: Copper is all about gin, and the choices
are mind-blowing. We opted for a classic Negroni ($24) – one
part gin, one part vermouth and one part Campari, garnished
with orange peel. The drink was beautifully prepared, served
in elegant hand-blown glasses and smelled amazing –
packed a pretty good punch, too!
The Cheapskate: You can grab a G&T for just $10 Monday
through Wednesday, or come along to ladies’ night on
Wednesdays for free-flow prosecco from 6pm to 9pm.
Bite on this: The menus feature an array of really interesting
dishes, and every mouthful was an experience. From the bar
snacks, we tried the lamb kaftas ($18) and babi guling
tacos (Balinese grilled pork in tortillas; $18), which were
delightful, bite-size treats. Also worth a mention is the supper
menu – available from midnight to 3am – consisting of three
carefully chosen dishes including the best French Onion
Soup ($14) I’ve ever had! There’s also a dinner menu, with
five- and eight-course options available.
Last but not least: The passion here for gin is on a scale we’ve
not seen before. They prepare their own infused gins, with over
30 flavours to choose from including fennel, rice, ginger, apricot
and lavender, to name just a few. If you aren’t a gin fan, there’s
also a variety of champagne, wine and spirits to choose from.
Katherine Allaway