Unusual Suspects: Real simple, here’s a round-up of some places to get cocktails or wines that may not casually be on your radar.

PROPELLER ROOFTOP BAR

A rooftop bar that overlooks Vivocity, and looks right into Sentosa…It’s gotta be the only game in (the outskirts of) town – Propeller atop Bay Hotel & Resorts. The new cocktail menu here is inspired by the wonders of the world, like My Ah Gong’s Temper (Angkor Wat, geddit? A concoction of infused rum, jagermeister, dom, vermouth, and garnished with infused ginger). Others include Touch My Heart (Taj Mahal, India), Hello Bay (Halong Bay, Vietnam), Amaze On… Okay, you get the pitcher. You can also get by with the classics, the Dirty Martini is recommended.

The expanded food menu include Indonesian Grilled Chicken with Vegetables, Lamb Rack with Roasted Potatoes, and Marmite Chicken with Dorito Pizza. The latter will take some getting used to, opt for the seafood pizza maybe. If you just want comforting bar food, the best bet is their new Merrier Hours: Two hours of free-flow house wines, draught beers, house spirits and buffet spread at $58++. The spread is very generous, with cheeses and olives in the mix (from 5pm, Tues-Sat).

And every night you can watch the fireworks from Sentosa. Not to worry if it rains, there’s indoor seating here.

Propeller, Bay Hotels & Resorts, 50 Telok Blangah Road, tel: 6818-6676.

DON DON DONKI

Whhhaaaat – the Japanese supermarket? Chotto, chotto. Yes, there’s a Japanese food court where you can have a meal with sakes and craft beers. But here’s our booze hack: Go to the supermarket and buy (till 10.30pm) all you want to drink: Chilled sakes (choice: Sake Hakkaizan, 720ml $98), alcoholic white grape juices (3%), Jap wines, Yamazaki Barrel-aged Yumeishu (at under $75 not as mad as you think), craft beers and snacks, and head to the public tables next to the sweet potato stand. If you’ve choped a table, you’re in luck – settle down and drink.

You could order cocktails from Drink! Drunk! Donki! bar as well, which serves a great Saketini at only $15. For something even more spirit forward, get the Shiawase ($15) which is bracing with brandy, whisky, strawberry liqueur, plum wine with a hint of orange zest. Also unbeatable is the Kaku Highball with Kabukin Whisky at $7, and a dram of Yamazaki 12 years at only $16. Plain robbery.

The vibe is casual, easy (on the wallet as well) and a nice break from grocery shopping. Caveat: There’s a long queue every hour for the sweet potatoes, lined up beside the tables, so expect to be gawked at. Just wave your Yamazaki at them and say ‘kanpai’.

Don Don Donki, basement Orchard Central, 18 Orchard Road. 

Drink! Drunk! Donki! Bar hours: 2pm–12am on weekdays, 3pm–1am on weekends and public holidays.

SUMMERLONG

Summerlong is more known as a family destination, on weekends the place is packed like a bag of popcorn. If you’re familiar with their Mediterranean fare, then you should get acquainted with their new revamped cocktail menu, a fresh batch of easy-drinking, refreshing drinks – it’s no-brainer stuff with nice little touches, with an emphasis on rum-based libations. At S$14++, the Summerlong Spritz is a thirst-quenching start at this city beach bar. I like Punch of the 300 (above, $20++), a spicy planter’s punch with bergamot, pomegranate and the bar’s signature Greek tea – a potent blend of mountain tea, flowers and sage.

They can rock a strong classic as well, when you want to shut out all the patter around you. I’d recommend the Dirty Martini.

CHIHULY LOUNGE, RITZ-CARLTON

Hotel lobbly bar, yes, but it’s far from the madding crowd. Head bartender Martin Villareal has a winsome cocktkail here called Helena (above), created for the Bacardi Legacy competition. It’s a blend of Bacardi Reserve, Lillet Blanc, honey ginger cinnamon syrup, bitters and lemon juice, and a punchy start to your evening. He also makes a solid Dirty Martin and a really slick El Presidente. The bar snacks are good, especially the salmon fish and chips.

Chihuly Lounge, Ritz-Carlton Singapore, 7 Raffles avenue.

MERCI MARCEL

Go to MM in Tiong Bahru for a cheese and wine pairing sess, even though there’s no cheese and wine pairing per se on the menu – we are here to help, natch. 

Here are 6 pairings we recommend, having done so ourselves:

• Muscadet AOC 2015 Domaine Bonnet-Hudeau X Lingot Cendre
  
• Sancerre AOC 2015 Domaine Francois Le Saint X Crottin de Pays
  
• Chablis 1er Cru AOC 2013 Domaine des Malandes X Petit Langres
  
• Condrieu AOC 2011 Domaine Gilles Flacher X Brillat de Savarin with truffles
  
• Chinon AOC 2015 Domaine de l’R X Comte 36 months aged
• Cotes du Rhone 2016 Château Mont-Redon X Camembert
  

You can either order, sit and enjoy the ambience (it’s a lively bistro, see our previous review), or buy the bottles and cheeses for your picnic from the retail section (cheaper option).

Merci Marcel, #01-68, 58 Eng Hoon street, tel: 6224-0113.

PS.CAFE PETIT

Since we’re in Tiong Bahru, pop into this understated outlet from the PS.Gourmet group, which has a selection of 300 wines. But keep an eye out for their new TB/TO: Tiong Bahru Take Over series, which  allows customers to meet and greet globally renowned producers and sample their expanded range of drinks.

Mar 22 Thur, 6-8pm: New World Wines

Witness the marriage of the best of old and new South America – the Chilean godfather of wine, Cousino-Macul with the new kid on the Argentinian block, TintoNegro.

Apr 4, Wed: Woodlands, Margaret River

Woodlands was one of the original five vineyards planted in Margaret River. Meet Andrew Watson, 2^nd generation winemaker and director, to learn more about its iconic ‘Wilyabrup’ Chardonnay and Nebbiolo from exciting new offshoot, Watson Family Vineyard.

Tasting is free, and you can then opt to buy more by glass or by bottle. Customers will be offered discounts of 10% off 6 bottles and 15% off 12 throughout the night.

PS.Cafe Petit, BLK 78 Guan Chuan Street, #01-41/42.

WORLD CLASS LOUNGE BY DIAGEO

In a city which is home to six of the world’s 50 best bars, it makes sense to have one bar that will teach punters how to be world class, either at drinking or decoding experiences. Diageo’s World Class Lounge will have a rotation of top bartenders to craft cocktails and to offer hands-on, educational experiences, where drinkers can learn more about how to create better food and drinks at home, and hence host better. 

From March to April, Diageo will reward consumers who have purchased World Class spirits on Redmart with cocktail workshop experiences. Ahead of this, private group bookings can also be made via email enquiries to worldclass.sg@diageo.com.

Experiences:

1 “Make World Class Drinks at Home” by learning the technique and secrets behind creating great drinking experiences, wherever and whenever they are looking to host, including workshops on:

• 3 Gin Drinks for Home
• The Aperitif and Digestiv – completing a dinner party
• 3 Unusual Drinks to Serve at Brunch

2 “Journey Across Scotland” with a tasting of 6 iconic Single Malt Scotch Whiskies, and discover your preferred Scotch whisky flavor style.

Experiences 1 and 2 will be available for redemption with purchase on RedMart from March to June 2018, or book directly at worldclass.sg@diageo.com

Individuals will be able to redeem private cocktail or single malt sessions through new ecommerce tie-ups with key e-retailers. Alternatively, they can also gather a small group of like-minded friends and book private, bespoke experiences.

TABLESCAPE, GRAND PARK HOTEL

Not tea lights, but a line-up of the bar’s cocktail offerings. Tablescape Bar has a range of barrel-aged cocktails, opt for the Oolong Boulevardier if you like it spirit-forward. If you like something sweeter, then go for the signatures, I recommend Alchemy or Silly Superstition.

Then there’s the excellent Tablescape, the restaurant offers contemporary European dishes by Chef  Robert Chan (previously The Carvery). worth coming here just the breads alone, whose fresh selection includes Focaccia with Cheese; Sour Dough Mini Baguette; Onion Bread, and Squid Ink Brioche. A notable dish to order is the Salmon Gravlax with Vegetable Shavings, Lemon Myrtle Oil and Cream Cheese Ice Cream (S$16++).

There are set-lunch options as well. Make reservations here.

Tablescape, Level 3, 10 Coleman Street, Grand Park City Hall, Tel: +65 6432 5618.

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