Singapore's gems

My relatively frequent trips to Singapore have been occasions to explore the city’s ever-growing commercial expansion. Highly talked about establishments, from classic tourist jaunts to hotels-of-the-moment to celebrity chef restaurants, have been ticked off on my itineraries. I’ve enjoyed them all, yes, but I yearned to see other snippets of Singapore that weren’t listed in every guidebook — places that were slightly off the beaten path. I did some research and enlisted the help of my friends, Lion City residents Derek Rossel and Nikki Muller, and on a recent trip discovered new places that fit my bill of good food and good drinks, carried over by the word-of-mouth phenomenon. (Those of you who are in Singapore this weekend for F1, check them out!)

Speakeasy

The more intimate fine-dining second floor of Buyan features hand-painted Russian murals on the ceiling

There is something attractive about places that are “hidden” and clandestine. Speakeasy is a sign-less bar located at a Peranakan shophouse in the Tanjong Pagar area, vaguely described as “near Chinatown.” The dimly lit retro-chic, two-story bar imposes house rules like, “No name-dropping,” “No braying, shouting or other loud behavior,” and “Do not bring anyone unless you would leave that person alone in your home,” harking back to the Prohibition Era where patrons ordered alcohol without raising suspicion. Today, this translates into an intimate atmosphere to enjoy great drinks and conversations among close peers. Cocktails are vintage recipes from the Prohibition Era of 1919 to 1933, with names like Empire Glory (ginger, lemon and rye whiskey) and Rockefeller (rye whiskey, fresh watermelon and mint). Even its opening hours make it somewhat hush-hush: only four nights a week, from Wednesday to Saturday.

54 Blair Road; +65 6410 902; speakeasy.com.sg

Buyan Russian Haute Cuisine & Caviar Bar

Beef Stroganov at Buyan

The first Russian restaurant in Singapore is a three-story shophouse in the rapidly gentrifying Duxton Hill. The first floor features a bar with over 50 different types of vodka, the second floor is quiet fine-dining with Russian murals hand-painted on the ceiling, and the third floor is casual dining set against rustic wood and stained-glass windows. Menus come in the form of iPads, an intelligent method to allow patrons to familiarize themselves with the cuisine, with longer descriptions and clear images. Choice appetizers are the caviar, served with paper-thin blinis, onions, quail eggs and sour cream, and the Varenyky, hot dough pockets filled with mushrooms. The beef Stroganov is done exceptionally — melt-in-the-mouth finely sliced beef strips atop mashed potatoes and mushroom sauce. There are wines from the oldest wine-producing region in the world, Georgia, like the dry Rkatsiteli-Mtsvane, Tbilvino, Special Reserve, and Tsinandali, 2008, which wash down a meal beautifully.

Buyan made headlines when it was disclosed to the public that they owned the oldest Champagne in the world, an 1841 Veuve Clicquot — one out of 145 bottles salvaged from a 19th-century shipwreck in the Baltic Sea en route to the court of Russia’s last czar, Nicholas II! Other rare bottles include a 1907 Heidsieck & Co., 1821 Chateau-Chalon Vin Jaune, 1877 Chateau Margaux and 1854 Chateau Lafite Rothschild, all of which they plan to display in their $5-million wine museum. Even though the restaurant has an incredible history shelved in their cellar, the restaurant is not at all off-putting or out-of-this-world expensive. In fact, those celebrating their birthday are given a glass of Armagnac from their birth year. How’s that for generosity?

The retro-chic interiors of Speakeasy

9/10 Duxton Hill; +65 6223 7008; buyan.sg 

40 Hands

A café that has been declared by both locals and expats living in Singapore as serving one of the best cups of coffee merits a visit despite its difficult-to-find, hole-in-the-wall location in Tiong Bahru. The best GPRS is an informed taxi driver or a friend who has been there several times. Despite that, the chic, narrow café is packed on weekends, and securing a table can be difficult during the prime time of brunch. The coffee — beans purchased through direct trade and made fresh within two weeks of roast date — is the biggest draw. Sandwiches are also hearty, like the Mediterranean lamb, and truffle mushroom. Today, 40 Hands now also serves tapas in the evening, a menu concocted by chef Ryan Clift of the Tippling Club. Across the store is a boutique bookstore, Books Actually, which features uniquely curated special editions of old classics, hand-stitched notebooks, as well as old film cameras, typewriters and other vintage items.

78 Yong Siak St. #01-12; +65 6225 8545; 40handscoffee.com

The first Russian restaurant in Singapore, Buyan, is located at a shophouse in the rapidly gentrifying Duxton Hill.

Bronte

Straightforward contemporary Australian dining is made even more enjoyable when it is located at a distance from the maddening city rush, and within an expanse of fresh air. Bronte, named after a Sydney beach suburb (less obvious than Bondi), is a new bistro-style neighborhood restaurant on Greenwood Avenue at the residential area of Bukit Timah. Salads, steaks, barramundis and duck legs are all made with fresh ingredients. A large selection of Australian wines and beers are also in stock. It’s a nice place for a laid-back weekend dinner, where time seems to slow down its pace for an evening of good food and good company.

8 Greenwood Avenue; +65 62 199 151; bronte.sg

Bar 84

A magic show over drinks can be quite intoxicating. Bar 84 is a little slice of Japan quietly concealed towards the back of Gallery Hotel, unlike its sister establishments Filter and Em by the River. Plush and serene, cool jazz music sets the mood around a predominantly Japanese clientele. The best seat in the house is by the bar, where the Japanese owner himself performs magic tricks over some of the best (but also expensive) cocktails in the city. A mojito is painstakingly made for about 15 minutes, with the bartender meticulously stirring in all measured ingredients, and manually peeling off fresh mint leaves and finally topping it with fine confectioner’s sugar. Word is that Sydney-based Japanese chef Tetsuya Wakuda is a regular visitor. There is a SG$10 cover charge, and an additional $10 for the magic show. Phone in advance as there are only 10 seats at the bar counter, and there is an hour-long wait for the next round.

A beautiful cappuccino at 40 Hands Cafe

1 Nanson Road, The Gallery Hotel; +65 6235 0002; galleryhotel.com.sg

A Curious Teepee

Crispy Skin Barramundi Fillet with Ortiz Anchovy Butter, Kipler Potatoes and Fennel Salad at Bronte

My friend Derek described A Curious Teepee as, “like finding Dean & Deluca in a flea market. It’s the right tenant in the wrong location.” That is probably the best description of the lifestyle store-cum-café/bar located at a youth mall, Space, with a surrounding open area lined by vendor stalls and skaters whizzing back and forth. The store is carefully curated upon the concept of living curiously and finding inspiration in the everyday. It features home ware, crafts, souvenirs, clothing, jewelry, and labels like Sandqvist and Sifr, OwnMuse, Sundays and Stolen Girlfriends Club. The café/bar at the back serves some of the best cocktails in town, including the most delicate Sea Salt Margarita — with a foam that stays on until the drink subsides. This is not a surprise as the owners are the same people who run Tanjong Beach Club, Butter Factory, White Rabbit and Overeasy. The coffee is from Papa Palheta, which uses sustainable coffee beans certified by the Rainforest Alliance. Quiches and desserts like the Apple Drummer, Rolling Scones and Valhrona chocolate cake are all large enough to share.

SCAPE Mall, 2 Orchard Link; +65 6820 1680; acuriousteepee.com

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