Had some time to kill in the vicinity – chanced upon Caffe Fernet’s happy hour & decided why not. Predictably, the King Cole Old Fashioned ($15++) spoke to me. Bulleit Bourbon, Fernet Branca liqueur, Angostura Bitters. Totally up my alley!
Service is quick & by golly, this drink is a stiff one. I like that, because at the end of it all, I don’t find it too diluted & meh. Holds its weight throughout.
Caffe Fernet’s King Cole Old Fashioned Against the MBS Skyline
I happily sipped on it & thought about life as I took in the nice view of MBS, having been allocated an al fresco seat facing the waters. I was here in the evening, towards the later half of Happy Hour (3 – 7:30PM). I’d imagine that the sun would be quite in your face had I been here earlier in the day… So try to sit indoors during lunch time.
Quite a boisterous crowd on Thursday evening. I will be back & perhaps the next time I’ll order off their dinner menu. I have my eye on some pastas…
💳 Accepts credit cards 🌬 Indoor seats available (not air-conditioned) ☀ Al fresco seats available 🖥 Accepts reservations – I used Chope 📶 Free WiFi available 💦 Water is not chargeable
An impressively extensive menu at Le Coq – from appetizers to yakitori skewers, main courses (1-for-1 with Burpple Beyond) & pastas, & a rockin’ happy hour too. Brace yourself for a lengthy review…!
Hard to believe that their Fresh Oysters are only $2.50++ a pop. These New Zealand babies are creamy & decadent. Have them your way – with a squeeze of lemon or a dash of tabasco sauce. Or without anything at all; yes, they are that fresh. & at $16++ for a half dozen, $30++ for a dozen, that’s pretty dang affordable for the good stuff.
Fresh Oysters
Uni on Toast ($15++ for 3) got me all hot & bothered. Firstly, look at the size of that hunky sea urchin. Secondly, that bread is actually a bed I want to sleep on. Pillowy soft, yet slightly crispy on the outside so it doesn’t get soggy. Loved the textures & flavours of this one. I was left dreaming about this for days.
Uni (Sea Urchin) on Toast
Folks who want to take the heat up a notch will enjoy the Mala Chicken ($10++). It isn’t too wild, but it certainly has the numbness & spiciness that one seeks in Mala. I’m not a Mala expert, nor do I eat spicy food regularly. But I found myself picking slices from this silky smooth appetizer to pop into my mouth for that shiok feeling.
Mala Chicken Appetizer
The California Maki Dip with Crisps ($12++) was surprisingly popular; I attribute that to how refreshing & clean it is. It’s essentially a deconstructed California maki roll. Sounds simple, tastes great. The crabmeat used is fresh & flavourful, tossed together with avocado, mayonnaise & crunchy fish roe. IMHO, though, what makes this super addictive is the thin rice paper crisps on the side. Use them to scoop up the dip & comfortably crunch away. That’s pretty dang unique to me.
California Maki Dip with Crisps
Le Coq is a Burpple Beyond partner – so you can get 1-for-1 lunch or dinner mains here. However, they also have a fairly large menu that you can order from. Perfect for the office crowd, their drinks menu includes beer, wine, hard liquor & house cocktails. Swipe to see some of their cocktail concoctions that we sipped on through the night!
Their Happy Hour runs daily from 5 – 9PM, giving you a single glass of Grant’s Triple Wood Blended Scotch Whiskey or Hendrick’s Gin for $X at X PM, where X = 5, 6 or 7. At 8pm, it’s $10 a glass which is still okay, but the earlier the better fo’ sho. Also, Ladies Night is every Wednesday. #justsayin
Hello, G&T
& what better way to pair your evening drink with some skewers to munch on. Good variety of options here, with the Wagyu Beef ($6.80++) is my favourite. Soft & tender, you can taste the natural juices & flavours of the beef. The fattiness absolutely melts in your mouth… Very shiok.
Wagyu Beef Skewers
The Cartilage ($2.80++) was interesting – nice & crunchy, a texture that I was intrigued by & appreciated. Something I haven’t had before, actually. But it was unfortunately too heavily salted with the combination & heavy-handedness of both sea salt & togarashi. Gave feedback about this & they took it into account. I would hope they’ve fixed this since then. It’s always nice to speak to chefs/owners/staff that are open to feedback.
Cartilage Skewers
If the price of the Wagyu Beef is too premium for you, consider ordering the Chicken Thigh ($2.80++) or Sweetpork ($2.80++); they too are hella juicy 😍 My preference of the two is the sweetpork as it has a sauce of Thai spices & honey, & is a pleasantly tender sweet one to indulge in.
Chicken Thigh & Sweetpork Skewers
The pastas here look simple, but are good. Both are very different, so take your pick based on your taste/preference/mood.
The Cold Truffle Somen with Hotate & Caviar ($16++) was such a delight to slurp at the end of our meal… Not just because it’s cold & smooth. The light truffle flavour proved to be sooo refreshing on the palate. Very welcomed after an evening of varied specialty cocktails, taste explosion appetizers & crazy flavourful skewers.
The cold slices of scallop were of a nice thickness to lovingly sandwich between your tongue & the roof of your mouth… Before comfortably sinking your teeth into them, thereafter letting out a breathy “ahhh.” 😂
Cold Truffle Somen with Hotate & Caviar
The Mushroom Aglio Olio ($14++), on the other hand, is strikingly different as it is a warm capellini dish. A good vegetarian-friendly option, I wasn’t too bothered that this dish doesn’t have meat or seafood in it.
Most importantly, dang that flavour. It punches you right in the face! Chilli padi BAM. Finely chopped garlic BOOM. Earthy mushrooms YAS.
Mushroom Aglio Olio
Thanks Le Coq for the hospitality & Burpple for the invite! 💕
💳 Accepts credit cards 🌬 Air-conditioned seats available ☀ Al fresco seats available 🖥 Accepts reservations on Quandoo 🍽 Burpple Beyond partner
Rabbit Carrot Gun‘s Specialty Cocktails menu had me taking a second glance. They aren’t discounted during Happy Hour… But I still went for these 2. Yes, even without the discount.
Started off with a Smokey Bloody Mary ($21++), which sounds like a match made in heaven. I enjoyed the taste of health from the tomato (hahaha) & also the woody, peatyness from the Old Young’s Oak Smoked Vodka. The cheeky spice that hits you at the back of your throat is what I appreciate in a good Bloody Mary, too. In all, this was very enjoyable.
Smokey Bloody Mary
Felt like I couldn’t stop there, so I ordered another Specialty Cocktail: the Earl Grey Martini ($18++). I appreciated how the subtle flavours of the chilled Earl Grey Tea really came through, despite the strength of the vodka. A dash of sugar syrup sweetened this cocktail just nicely without making it too saccharine sweet.
Earl Grey Martini
Would be back, though probably just for drinks as the food is on the pricey side. Other Specialty Cocktails here include: • Mango & Pepper Gin & Tonic ($19++): House-infused Mango Gin, topped with cracked black pepper • Hugalibre ($18++): Angosutra 1919 Rum, Fresh Lime, Ginger Ale
💳 Accepts credit cards 🌬 Air-conditioned seats available 🖥 Accepts reservations on Chope ☀ Al fresco seats available 💦 Water is not chargeable
I’ve been wanting to pop by Almost Famous Craft Beer Bar for the longest time – finally did, albeit when happy hour was just over.
Happy Hour at this hole in the wall at CHIJMES is 4 – 7PM (Mon – Sat) / 2 – 8PM (Sun). Pints of craft beer go for $10+, premium craft beer for $12+.
Happy Hour at Almost Famous Craft Beer Bar
I missed Happy Hour, but I still enjoyed my pint of Passionfruit Wheat Ale ($14+) from Pasteur Street Brewing. Citrusy & fruity, there are hints of passionfruit & lemon, more so the former than latter so it isn’t sour like a saison. A light & delicious beer that pleases the crowd, & which I would order again.
Light & refreshing, I’m sure Pasteur Street’s Passionfruit Wheat Ale is a popular beer
Happy Hour or not, whatever you swipe your (linked) credit card for, you’ll get cashback from Shopback GO! I actually didn’t know this until I checked my phone after I swiped 😂
Sat at the bar counter with my back turned to the world; but before I immersed myself in some me time, I looked around & found the decor to be pretty simple. With various tones of grey & silver, the style is very metallic, almost like the interior of a spaceship.
One downside is that reception was pretty bad here.. I sat at the bar, not sure if it varies throughout the premises as they don’t have a huge space). WiFi also isn’t for public use, so I left after 1 beer.
I’ll probably return with a friend, or if I have offline work to do. 🍻
They had a food menu which I didn’t order from – instead, this coaster was my food for thought
💳 Accepts credit cards 🌬 Air-conditioned seats only 🍽 Shopback GO partner 📶 No free WiFi 🙋🏻♀️ Service charge applicable 🚫 No GST
Took me a while to get acknowledged by the staff at The Oyster Bank – waiting at the “please wait to be seated” sign for almost 5 minutes didn’t exactly give me a very good first impression to begin with.
Happy Hour here is from 12 – 9PM daily, & Happy Shucking Hour is 5 – 8PM on weekdays, 3 – 6PM on weekends. Double reasons to be happy. This was the reason why I came here in the first place.
The Oyster Bank’s bar area
During Happy Shucking Hour, naked oysters go at $2++ a pop (usual price $3.90++). You can order a maximum of 6 naked oysters per drink.
6 naked oysters
I ordered a glass of Somerton Cabernet Sauvignon ($10++ HH / $13++ U.P.); was shocked to find a glass of white wine delivered to me. They messed that up, but nothing unforgivable lah. Sent it back & got a glass of the correct wine shortly after.
Naked oysters with red wine? Yes.
The oysters are pretty delicious; not crazy plump, but I love how they are quite creamy & with a hint of brineyness to them. Wine was not bad, so in all I’d return for Happy (Shucking or otherwise) Hour again.
💳 Accepts credit cards 🌬 Air-conditioned seats only 🛋 Bar & table seats available 📶 Free WiFi (Funan is a CapitaLand Mall)
Shopback GO led me here – surfed the app for cashback boost locations & this piqued my curiosity. So I made the trip down to The3Peas. Interesting to note that this hidden bar is actually located along my usual running route… So I pass by at least twice a week. Considerably incognito, I love it.
Don’t hunt too hard though – it’s located on the riverside bank opposite The Warehouse Hotel; just look for the 7-11 & it’s right next door. You’re welcome!
On the opposite bank is The Warehouse Hotel
I started off with something from their specialty cocktail menu – they have 7 on the list, but can whip up something to suit your preference. This is the beauty of a bespoke cocktail bar – & an added plus to me: Prices here are very reasonable.
My poison of choice, a little predictably, was the Glen O’ Fashioned ($20 nett) – Glenfiddich 12 whiskey, snow pear demerara reduction & acanthopanax bitters. Served in a chilled glass with a burnt orange slice. Sipped on it slowly as I did my own thing at the bar seats, & also talked to Eunice who was very friendly, chatty & passionate.
Glen O’ Fashioned
Aside from specialty cocktails, The3Peas also serves alcoholic bubble tea.. Fascinating. As a 0%-sugar bubble tea drinker, I was slightly hesitant to try this. But after talking to Eunice & hearing her take me through their alcoholic bubble tea offering, I knew I had to try one.
Their 3 standard offerings cover whiskey, gin & rum: Frambo-licious, Peach Ginie & Gingerbread Snap respectively, all at $15 nett a pop. But they can also do a bespoke surprise for you at $20 nett, which is still quite affordable.
I chose Peach Ginie (gin-based), which has freshly whipped cream on top a base of jasmine green tea. I enjoyed how the tea wasn’t bitter, even as I sipped on its fresh clearness – if you know what I mean (milk tea drinkers where ya at)
When you reach the bottom, you get the creaminess to end off the drink on a very lovely note. I enjoyed this more than I thought I would!
Alcoholic bubble tea – served just like actual bubble tea
The pearls in these alcoholic bubble teas aren’t your traditional tapioca flour pearls. Think sizable fruit pops that burst in your mouth to reveal fruity flavours.
Don’t misinterpret these as saccharine sweet balls that will make you gag. They are only slightly sour if anything at all. I loved them. Mine were lychee, but they also have mango & strawberry fruit pops.
The whipped cream ends off your drink on a superb note
💳 Accepts credit cards 🌬 Air-conditioned seats available ☀ Al fresco seats available 🍽 Shopback GO partner 📶 No free WiFi 🙋♀️ No service charge 🚫 No GST 💦 Water is not chargeable
I’ve always wanted to visit The Guild, having heard so much about their food as much as their drinks. This place is a collaboration between Hong Kong’s Young Master Brewery & Chef Vinny Lauria – so the fine balance of food & tasty beverages shouldn’t come as a surprise, really.
Entrance to The Guild
I mildly panicked when I learned that a new menu was being rolled out, but my fears were alleviated as I learnt that the hot favourites were being kept on the menu. Phew!
Chef Alton Huang working his magic
Our night unfolded in magnificent chronology – starting off with some Small Plates. Their In house Smoked Local Sea Bass ($13++) was impressive even to a non-fish-lover like myself. The skin was crispy – & y’all know I hate skin, but I ate this & enjoyed it! The fish meat itself was smokey indeed, but not in an off-putting way. That’s the Lychee Wood talking, & it pairs well with the home-made laksa pesto drizzle.
This beauty comes on a delightful salad of fennel, fresh green apple & herbs tossed in a tangy Young Master Brewery Vinaigrette. An intense yes accessible dish.
In house Smoked Local Sea Bass – an item from The Guild’s Small Plates menu
General Tso’s Frog Legs ($16++) is one of the hot favourites at The Guild. While frog dishes aren’t too uncommon in Singapore, having them as an appetizer is quite unique! Frog meat tastes like chicken to some (myself included), & I envisioned this to be like some sort of elevated chicken wing dish.
I wasn’t disappointed – each of the meaty frog legs is deep-fried & slathered with a generous coat of homemade sauce. The harmonious blend of orange, ginger & soy is great, & lays a good base for the chilli which packs a PUNCH! If you can’t handle spice at all, this isn’t for you. Very shiok to wash it down with a nice cold beer… Of which The Guild has plenty, by the way.
General Tso’s Frog Legs – like chicken but better
The Brawn Terrine ($13++) exemplifies what The Guild calls “nose to tail eating”. Sustainability & minimising food waste is admirable; this dish is made using pig’s head (which supposedly contains a high level of collagen!). Brined for 6 days & thereafter braised for another 6 hours, this is what gives the meat that meltingly tender texture.
Brawn Terrine – “nose to tail eating”
Understandably, some may be squeamish at the thought of eating pig’s head. I guess this isn’t for everyone, but it was memorable for me. I particularly liked its uniqueness, & also the flavours – robust, meaty, & served with pickled vegetables that cuts through that flavour, on top of crispy charred bread.
Pig’s head ain’t that bad…
The Guild’s Mac N’ Cheese ($21++) is LEGENDARY – for its crazy intense flavour, but also how picture-perfect it is. Just look at that house-cured egg yolk in the middle; it’s pure liquid gold. Mixed in with the rich AF cheddar sauce, this is possibly the most heavenly Mac & Cheese I’ve ever had.
Consider this fair warning, though – this is crazy creamy, I doubt anyone could comfortably finish this on their own. Not even a Bui Bui like me! Best shared amongst friends over good conversation.
Legen-dairy Mac N’ Cheese
The Salisbury Rubbed Hanger Steak ($37++) met with oohs & aahs as it was served. 250 grams of chunky hunky, this is one dish that I DON’T WANT TO SHARE because damn it’s good & you can never have enough beef 😂
I could honestly eat this on its own, but the roasted garlic aioli & laksa pesto are great for those who want added flavour & sauciness.
250g of Salisbury Rubbed Hanger Steak
The Guild’s vegetables menu is quite cool too. Egg(plant)ception ($18++) is a mind-boggling dish of eggplants cooked in 5 different ways: Marinated with Balsamic Vinegar, Breaded & deep-fried, Pickled, Smoky Purée, & Butter Roasted. My favourite is the butter roasted one 😉
An eggplant & an eggplant & an eggplant… 5 times over
The Grilled Spicy Cabbage ($14++) is another one for the spicy lovers. Lovingly charred, the acidity of the the tomato vinaigrette was delicious, & the spiciness very welcomed & refreshing. Topped off with a motherload of scallions for that added crunch – as if the cabbage itself weren’t crunchy enough already. Good way to get your veggies & fibre in!
Grilled Spicy Cabbage
In all, The Guild is a great place to tuck in to unique creations, & you’ll appreciate this place even more if you are someone who enjoys alcoholic beverages.
Aside from the plethora of beers they have on tap, they also have Gin & Tonic, & Highball Whiskey on tap. These are very popular; the Guildhouse G&T & Guildhouse Highball both go for $16.00++ a pop. & they also make a pretty mean Negroni..
Thanks Danielle & The Guild for the hospitality, & Damian for the invite! 💕
💳 Accepts credit cards 🌬 Air-conditioned seats only 🖥 Accepts reservations on Chope
Finally. I made my way down to The Feather Blade. Shopback GO may or may not have a part to play in this….. There was 10% cashback boost til a couple of days ago, I knew I had to visit! That promotion’s done with, but their usual 5% cashback is still pretty bomb.
Queued for 15 mins slightly past 8PM on a weekday; got a seat at the bar counter for myself. Not too shabby.
Popcorn to snack on while I waited
Wasn’t asked how I’d like my steak ($21++), but it was done medium rare, which is how I’d like it to begin with. Very pleased with the steak as much as the side of Mushrooms ($7++) that I ordered.
Juicy steak with a side of mushrooms
If you’re looking for #propersteaks, this is the place to be. Yes, it reminds me of Flat Iron in London, but so what? Give me a delicious steak & you’ll make me very happy. 🥩
#propersteakshere
💳 Accepts credit cards 🌬 Air-conditioned seats available ☀ Al fresco seats available 🍽 Shopback GO partner 💦 Water is not chargeable
5 for $5+ oysters on Friday at The Beacon, while stocks last. I was here around 6:30PM & they still had this promotion. The premises was only half-filled, with the crowd slowly trickling in to full house by the time I left at 7:45PM.
5 oysters & my happy hour drink
So these oysters are creamy, which I love. They are also large, which I appreciate. HOWEVER, even with a sample size of 5, I found the quality largely inconsistent. This is quite a turn-off for me, so it’s unfortunately unlikely I’ll be back.
To get in on the oysters promotion, you need to order a drink. Happy hour meant that I got my house pour whiskey 1-for-1. I might come back here if convenient. If not for the oysters, the happy hour.
💳 Accepts credit cards ☀ Indoor seats are not air-conditioned 📶 Free WiFi available
In search of The Old Man, I kept my eyes peeled for the single pineapple lamp outside (thanks Google) & when I found the wooden doors, I pushed them open carefully.
Table seating area, good for groups
As I peered behind the black curtains, I was warmly welcomed into the dimly lit premises. Was ushered to a bar seat, being a convenient party of 1 & the tables mostly had groups of 4 pax at least.
I was handed a nice tight menu of 9 cocktails. I read through them & was impressed by how thoughtfully crafted this menu is. While mostly gin-based, other cocktails use unique bases like Vermouth, Absinthe, Pisco & White Rum.
Cocktail Menu at The Old Man
The ingredients of the cocktails here are also very bespoke, with infusions & sous-vide ingredients. & a lacto-fermented raspberry (what!). If you’re someone who loves trying unique drinks, you might have difficulty choosing which ones to have. They all sound great.
One of the guys, Louis, saw that I was alone & came over to chit chat for a while. He was very friendly without bordering on intrusive. Made me feel very at ease. He also offered to explain the menu to me if I wanted, but I was in quite a mood, so I wanted some time to myself & that was cool with him too.
I got lucky & was here just before peak period hit. It got real crowded by the time I left, such that many were standing & drinking – not that they seemed to mind, though.
T-shaped bar area
My first drink, The Sun Also Rises #1926, mixes curry leaf infused Bulldog gin with copra fat-washed applejack. While gin infusions aren’t new to me (I loved this one btw), fat-washing is.
Fat-washing is a technique that infuses a fatty flavor into an alcohol. I’m not sure if you’re supposed to taste the fats (in this case, coconut oil – I could only smell, not taste it), but I couldn’t & I hope it stays that way. Because I am very fat-averse 😂
I liked the flavours of this cocktail. The well-balanced tartness & sweetness of the applejack was lovely. On top of this, the layered fragrance of the lime kaffir & sweet vermouth sous vide pandan leaves were somewhat comforting.
The Sun Also Rises #1926, with very addictive snacks
Before my drink even arrived, I was served a glass of cold water that was regularly topped up throughout my evening. As a perpetual thirsty hippo, I appreciated this so much. & the tidbits, dare I say, are very addictive.
I intended to have just 1 drink, but was impressed by my 1st one that I had to order another. I chose the Green Hills of Africa #1935, which has a base of rosemary-infused pisco. A refreshing turmeric & tamarind cocktail, it had citrus notes as well, which I thought was a great drink to end my night with.
Green Hills of Africa #1935
I am excited to return to try the rest of their cocktail menu. Good cocktails are really growing on me lately, especially those with unique flavours which look & taste like much research, thought & effort have been put into them.
All cocktails on the menu at The Old Man are $17+.
💳 Accepts credit cards 🌬 Air-conditioned seats only 🙋🏻♀️ Service charge applicable 🚫 No GST 💦 Water is not chargeable 🍍 Look for the pineapple lamp – under which that’s the entrance!
Bui Bui Eats 