For those of you who’ve outgrown the dingy hole-in-the-wall pubs of your early drinking years, here’s a new spot for a classy upgrade to an elegant evening. Mo Bar, the latest addition to Mandarin Oriental, Singapore’s F&B concepts, sits on the fourth floor of the hotel, offering a different view of the touristy Marina Bay we’ve all come to know.
A collaboration with Proof & Company, the chic watering hole was designed with the Pacific Ocean in mind, boasting hand-carved wooden sculptures, hand-woven tapestries, etched metal panels, and a sleek bar counter where you can watch the bartender create your chosen concoction.
Helpfully, the menu gives you a glimpse of what to expect from each of the 14 cocktails (and their alcoholic content), describing the drinks as ranging from “tropical” and “minty” to “woody” and “adventurous”.
To start off easy on the liquor, The Roaring City ($24) is a vibrant blend of sparkling pineapple tapache and vermouth jelly, while Sea Beast ($28) brings out the dark side in you with its black ink coriander soju and fizzy yuzu sushi.
If you prefer a dash of spice in your beverage, then the Mary From Sriracha ($26) has hints of roasted tomato pepper and mezcal beer, and the lightly fiery Mother of Dragons ($26) contains an ironically fruity mix of strawberry aloe vera and “dragon” cachaça.
Otherwise, there are other paths to Buzz Ville, with potent picks such as 7000 Leagues Ahead ($24), a blend of Super Sonic gin and kaffir lime leaf oil, and Rough Waters by the Coral Sea ($26), with herb cognac wine and, er, edible coral.
To pad your stomach with light bites before you dive into the drinks, there are dishes like the Mo Burger ($36) with bacon and a sunny-side up, chicken shawarma on pita bread ($28), somen noodles with Tasmanian crab ($32), kurobuta pork belly bao ($22), and the Singdog ($26), with achar and sambal mayo on a sausage.
Sweet endings come in options like hazelnut soufflé ($18) and an “avocado” ($16) that’s made out of pandan sponge, with yuzu and gula melaka ice cream.
As for the designated drivers, there’s something for them, too — sodas, teas, coffees, cold-pressed juices, or mocktails like the Lychee Colada 2.0 ($14) with carbonated lychee and coconut cream.
FIND IT:
Mo Bar is at Mandarin Oriental, Singapore, 5 Raffles Ave.
6885-3500. Sun-Thurs 11am-1am, Fri-Sat 11am-2am; Afternoon tea: Mon-Fri 3pm-5pm, Sat-Sun 12:30pm-2:30pm & 3pm-5pm.
MRT: City Hall/Promenade
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