The flurry of bar menus over the past few years has clearly changed the way we approached an after-work tipple. While we used to be happy with Spam fries or truffle fries, which are as de rigueur as artisanal whiskies, these days it is no surprise to find a dish of butter confit salmon as an option to have with your bespoke cocktail.

This dish, served with pickled cucumber, salmon floss and a shallot-chive beurre noisette with shoyu at Fairmont Singapore’s lobby bar Anti:dote, is one example of how several bars here have raised the bar, as it were, when it comes to bar bites.

Anti:dote is known for its creative selection of modern European tapas that come with an Asian spin, and the dish is no pre-made hors d’oeuvre. To give it the right texture and shine, the salmon is soaked in a classic brine for 45 minutes and cooked sous vide a la minute to preserve the fish’s Omega-3 fatty acids.

“I usually start with something that is small but wows with flavour and impact in taste,” said Tryson Quek, who was assisting former head chef Carlos Montobbio when the bar opened last year. Quek is now in charge, but he continues to up the ante with the use of premium ingredients. Even the crackers get an upgrade: Think Sakura ebi crackers served with sea urchin.

“Inspired by premium dried local produce found in Singapore and the availability of rice in every household, I decided to dehydrate rice to make a rice cracker with a twist, combining squid ink to add colour and flavour,” he added.

Anti:dote is where you can also expect half-dozen oysters — harvested in Irish waters for three years and nine months, mind you — served with horseradish cream, compressed gin cucumber and sea grape to balance their sweet-salty flavours; all reasonably priced at S$25.

SEAFOOD SATISFACTION

Seafood, it seems, is the preferred order of the day. Two-month old Gibson on Bukit Pasoh Road, for example, is challenging the perception of bar food with a menu of artfully composed cured seafood dishes — crudo, tartare, ceviche and carpaccio are all offered alongside towering plates of seafood.

“Gibson was conceptualised to elevate the cocktail-lovers’ bar experience,” said Indra Kantono, who is the co-founder not only of Gibson, but establishments such as Humpback, Flagship, Jigger & Pony and Sugarhall as well.

“Our aim was to create an ultimate cocktail bar experience defined by a limitless cocktail programme ... and an indulgent raw seafood menu that celebrates the pure, pristine flavours of raw seafood.”

Take the signature Gibson cocktail, a classic served with pickled pearl onion, smoked radish and quail’s egg, which Kantono said was perfect when paired with raw seafood. “Enjoy a Hama Hama oyster in between sips of a Gibson — that’s unbeatable palate chemistry,” he said.

Other Gibson menu highlights include tiers of fresh oysters, tuna tartare, crab, prawns and Maine lobster (S$120 for a single tier, S$220 for a double), alongside equally decadent servings of tuna carpaccio with shaved foie gras and sea urchin crudo with burrata and caviar.

No stranger to serving up an indulgent bar bite is Waku Ghin at Marina Bay Sands. If its current menu is anything to go by, guests can still expect to splurge on Gillardeau oysters at S$15 a piece, aburi Tasmanian ocean trout prepared with a hint of chilli (S$30), or, for S$65, a whole lobster sandwich. And for S$80, you can have puree of potato with a soft-poached egg served with white truffle and Oscietra caviar.

BEYOND THE SEA

Of course, there is more to an extravagant bar snack than oysters and caviar. Available from Monday onwards, new offerings from The Black Swan on Cecil Street reflect a refreshed a la carte menu of European classics, said a spokesperson for The Lo & Behold Group.

In the new bar snacks menu, you can find exclusive luxe snacks such as Crispy Frogs’ Legs and Lobster Crisps (both for S$16, with the latter made in-house from the most flavourful parts in the lobster head, said the chef). “We also included stars from our a la carte menu such as the grilled Iberian pork chop and Stockyard Wagyu ribeye au poivre, served bite-sized,” said the spokesperson.

The aim is to offer “more interesting as well as heartier dishes that are more aligned with The Black Swan’s brand as a grand bistro”. Not to discount the general appeal of gourmet foods, this shift towards a more premium selection also offers a point of differentiation in Singapore’s buzzing bar scene.

“Premium bar food definitely appeals to Singapore’s strong foodie culture and complements the rise and maturity of the drinking culture here,” said Black Swan’s spokesperson.

Given this natural predilection, it makes sense for some bars to simply offer bar-sized variations of popular mains, especially if it’s located just above a restaurant, as is new boutique sake bar Kakure, located above Japanese restaurant Ki-sho on Scotts Road.

“Kakure showcases some of the best handcrafted sakes from Japan,” said Henry Tan, marketing manager for Chateau TCC, which owns Kakure, Ki-sho and Buona Terra. “To pair with the exclusivity of the collection, we wanted to present a bar cuisine that not only retains the tradition of sake enjoyment, but elevates the experience to a surprising level by introducing subtle twists to classic sake accompaniments.”

A signature item features seasonal sea urchin topped with Oscietra caviar and rice vinegar dashi jelly (S$78), while highlights from the hot selection include a dish of shoyu-braised pork belly from the Kagoshima, smoked Gillardeau oysters, cured stingray fin and braised Wagyu tongue.

“Rather than premium, we think there is a market and demand for quality bar cuisine,” said Tan. “The customer’s expectation when visiting a bar is very different today. They seek a certain level of craft and innovation, and are constantly looking for quality experiences that will impress and excite them. For that reason, Kakure’s bar cuisine menu showcases fresh seasonal ingredients prepared with the highest level of care, to ensure the best sake-pairing experience with every bite.”

So the next time you’re craving something more sumptuous than a bowl of mixed nuts or hot wings, know that there is a lobster roll or wagyu sliders not too far away.

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