These new creative players are shaking up Singapore’s cocktail and mixology scene.
Cat Bite Club
Agave and rice. This is the mantra at Cat Bite Club, a haven for those seeking to dive deep into the delicious world of rice and agave spirits.
A project 17 years in the making by long-time friends Jesse Vida (previously the head bartender at Atlas Bar) and Gabriel Lowe (ex-bar manager at Bangkok’s Paradise Lost, and whose career has also seen him shaking up cocktails all over the world from Bogota to Peru), Cat Bite Club is the co-founders’ love letter to all that they love and have discovered about the two spirits in their decades in the bar industry.
Much like a curious cat, you’ll discover the similarities between agave and rice spirits, be it in terms of their flavour and ingredient crossovers, or the artisanal production processes behind each drop of liquid gold. The knowledgeable Vida and Lowe will be all too happy to share their knowledge, or you can quite simply experience it by way of elegantly structured cocktails that utilise agave and rice spirits painstakingly procured from some of the world’s best and even under-the-radar producers.
Dive into a menu of classic cocktails - but done with a twist: Experience the classics made with either a rice or agave-based spirit.
Negroni heads would do well to sample the Bitter Rind, a soju-based take on the cocktail that intrigues with its savoury finish thanks to the addition of coriander water. Conversely, there’s the Stoic Stare, a tequila-based variation that tastes just like summer mornings in a glass with the use of flavours like elderflower, sage, and gentian. The espresso martini, margarita, and queens park swizzle are other classic cocktails done with both a rice and agave-based variation.
Light bites featuring traditional Mexican and Asian ingredients complement your tipples perfectly; tuck into the likes of tuna tostada and steamed lotus buns with chilli chicken or potato salad that are great for sharing.
Jungle Ballroom
This brand new bar tucked away at one corner at Mondrian Singapore Duxton is dedicated to modern Asian mixology and Southeast Asian spirits.
Head bartender Adrian Besa and his team work with Proof & Co. to craft a highly creative and colourful cocktail menu. The unique drinks are expertly crafted and incorporated with Asian ingredients such as longan, banana leaf, young mango, turmeric, black sesame, ginger, cacao and others. Kick off the evening with ‘Views from the Treetops’ made with Singapore dry gin, bianco vermouth, citrus, cacao, persimmon and black sesame. Or the refreshing ‘Neon Ballroom’ with white rum, rosemary, mango, lime, rockmelon and champagne – presented in a glass with sparkling lights (literally).
Beyond the standard menu, the affable team will be glad to make something bespoke according to your preference. The food menu is equally delicious – ranging from Korean spicy chicken, samosas to lamb ribs. Also, looking for late night drinks won’t be an issue as the bar has a 2am license.
The Jungle Ballroom team will regularly embark on excursions around the region, holding temporary residencies in unique bars. These ‘Jungle Journeys’ are intended to serve as cultural exchanges, where Adrian and his team learn from the people they visit and then return to Jungle Ballroom with ideas plus new flavours and liquors.