Evening Oyster Happy Hour at Beurre

Beurre’s Oyster Happy Hour: Mon – Sat, 5-7PM. With a minimum order of 2 drinks, you can get these babies at $2++ a pop. Do read the fine print, though – with a minimum purchase of 6 oysters & maximum of 12 per bill, there isn’t much wiggle room IMHO. I reckon a table of 2 diners would optimize this perfectly…. Or a single solo yolo diner like myself 😂

So these oysters… They are the bomb, man. While not the plumpest, they are juicy enough for my liking. Slightly creamy & with a tinge of brineyness – which is the flavour profile I enjoy. I ordered 6 oysters for myself & tbh as I sit here typing this, I’m tempted to order 6 more to finish on my own…

I enjoy my oysters best with a squeeze of lemon & a nice glass of wine. Pleased to find that Beurre’s drinks menu has some pretty affordable options. I chose the Delle Venezie Pinot Grigio. A light & fruity one, it has hints of pears & apples, which sounds easy to drink – & that it was. It also complemented the oysters nicely, warranting a double thumbs up from me 👍🏻👍🏻

💳 Accepts credit cards
🌬 Air-conditioned seats available
☀ Al fresco seats available
🖥 Accepts reservations – I used Chope
🍽 Burpple Beyond Partner (1-for-1 set course menu)

The Guild is For Foodies and Beer Lovers

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

6 Grey Bar – Hidden Gin Gem

Itching for something to do after work on my birthday, I decided to head down to 6 Grey Bar. I tried being a good student & do some homework beforehand, but I didn’t find much info online.

Entrance to 6 Grey Bar along Jiak Chuan Road

So… I’m not a gin expert, but their variety here is impressive. Chit-chatted quite a bit with Jo; we skipped past Brockmanns, Gin Mare, Botanist, Roku, Bulldog… All of which are delicious, but which I’ve tried before.

Then the fun started. Jo introduced me to several unique gins that I’ve never heard of before. Think Wasabi Gin, Ant-infused Gin… You might assume these are gimmicky. I’ll admit, they drew me in. But that aside, the flavours are pretty special. Worth a shot (or two 😂).

I’m an early bird, & if you’re like me you will love the quietness of this place – they also have an excellent playlist, btw. I enjoyed my French Earl Grey Gin & Tonic ($22 nett) as much as I did my Me Time.

On Fridays/Saturdays (depending on when they have events planned), it gets crowded here as the night goes on. DJs lined up & all! Looks like I’ll have to return when my party mode is on 🎉

💳 Accepts credit cards
🌬 Air-conditioned seats available
☀ Al fresco seats available
📶 Free WiFi available – from Hotel 81 next door 😂
🙋🏻‍♀️ No Service Charge
🚫 No GST
💦 Water is not chargeable

Soul Searching with The Old Man

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!