Nutmeg & Clove
Nutmeg & Clove opens its doors anew, this time above Gem Bar along Ann Siang Road. One of the pioneers of this particular category with Asian-centric cocktail menus, it is now better than ever, still paying homage to the rich heritage and history of Ann Siang Hill as a former nutmeg and clove plantation. The cocktail menu is also posed as a salute to the different eras in Singapore’s history, from the little red dot’s time as a Trading Post before it became a Crown Colony, to its stint as part of the Banana Republic, then as a Sovereign State, and finally the modern and advanced Metropolis that it is today.
What’s new: Apart from its jazzy new location, Nutmeg & Clove’s menu is mostly one whole new fascinating addition, all carefully crafted by bar manager Leon Tan. By that, we mean that the Crown Colony and Banana Republic are entirely comprised of new drinks, and the Sovereign State and Metropolis sections only have one drink each that were already on the previous menu that has been reworked and improved. These include the bar’s signature Nutmeg & Clove cocktail, which now is on what the team considers to be version 2.0 of the drink. For the peckish, chef Brandon Teo also has some mouth-watering new bar bites to offer.
What to order: To be honest, the names of the cocktails here are frankly quite misleading, for lack of a better description. The Barrel Aged SG Sling, a concoction of gin, orange liquor, Benedictine, peated herring cherry, hibiscus, pineapple, and house bitters that is left for some time in a charred oak barrel, tastes less like a recognisable Singapore Sling than an Old Fashioned, albeit a sweeter, less alcoholically complex one. What then does the Good Ole Fashion Revolution taste like? Surprisingly it evokes nasi lemak with pandan-infused bourbon whisky, toasted coconut syrup and chilli bitters, with ikan bilis served alongside to reinforce the point. A popular vote, however, went with the Crystal Jade Milk Punch, which was beautifully balanced, sweet but not overpoweringly so, refreshingly light and reminiscent of a drink of lemon barley. If you’re feeling hungry by this time, we strongly recommend getting yourself some of Chef Brandon’s salted egg chicken wings with chicken floss, as well as the miso-glazed pork ribs with lap cheong dressing and garlic chips to appease your rumbling stomach.
10A Ann Siang Hill, Singapore 069789. Tel: 9389 9301
Manhattan
Barber Shop
You must be new to the Singapore cocktail scene if this is the first time that you’ve heard of Manhattan. Situated on the second level of the Regent Singapore hotel, this cocktail bar is practically dripping with opulence, from the black lacquer panels and upholstered furnishings to the dark mirrored surfaces all around. Presently headed by bar manager Philip Bischoff, Manhattan serves up a thoughtful cocktail menu that has been painstakingly separated into categories, each named after a different district within New York.
Fried Green Tomatoes with Chilli Aioli, Pork Belly, Aged White Cheddar, and Scallion
What’s new: Enter the bar’s latest district, Harlem. Named after the vibrant neighbourhood in the north of the Manhattan borough, this district steps up to take over the bar’s SoHo line up, following closely behind the Hell’s Kitchen listing that was introduced late last year. This latest menu channels the eclectic mix of Southern comfort food and other social influences from African-American culture, to present four inventive gourmet bar bites courtesy of head chef Nicholas Trosien, to be paired alongside five classic craft cocktails that have gone through a new spin unique to Manhattan bar.
Lenox
What to order: If you’re not particularly familiar with Mexican distilled spirit mezcal, the Lenox is a good cocktail through which you can get acquainted. Made with Alipús Baltazar mezcal, Koko Kanu rum, Luxardo Espresso liqueur, pineapple, lime, house-made grenadine, and peach bitters, this cocktail is inspired by the signature Harlem Nights cocktail served up by the famous Lenox Lounge. Another enjoyable drink, which might appeal to those who’d prefer a pint over a tipple, is the Globetrotter, which consists of Ferrand cognac, fresh lemon, Ferrand dry curaçao, syrup and Knickerbocker beer form, and is accompanied with a handful of crunchy pretzels. Food-wise, the Southern Cornbread is a good dish to share. Freshly baked and served with aromatic barrel-aged maple pecan butter and savoury Pimento cheese, it was unexpectedly comforting. I also blush to remember how many helpings of Chicken & Waffle I had, but take a bite of that crispy drumette along with honeycomb and the house-made hot sauce and tell me if you could stop yourself for reaching for another one.
Chicken & Waffle with Manhattan Hot Sauce and Honeycomb
Regent Singapore, 1 Cuscaden Road, Singapore 249715. Tel: 6725 3377
This article was originally published in Men’s Folio Magazine April 2016
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