In Japan, most of the cocktail bars are hidden in an inconspicuous alley, and exude a relaxing, minimalist atmosphere. The expert bartenders craft their drinks with precision and plenty of respect for ingredients. Fans of Japanese-style cocktails -– who can’t make it to Japan just yet – can find solace at these watering holes in Singapore. They serve well-balanced concoctions, premium spirits and even sakes paired with a variety of addictive Japanese delicacies.
The sister establishment of Taiga Dining at Regent Hotel offers a range of artisan sake and craft cocktails, matched with seasonal Japanese cuisine. You can choose to sit at the sophisticated main bar, alcove or private dining room to revel in the range of house specialty cocktails showcasing premium Japanese spirit or flavours.
Start the evening with a Raspberry Sour comprising Roku gin perfumed with splash of rosewater and honey. Another fruity-floral cocktail to try is the Sake Bramble, composed of Junmai Ginjo sake, crème de mûre and floral tea syrup. For spirit-forward drinks, order the Japanese Old Fashioned using premium Nikka Coffey Malt whisky, coffee-infused Okinawan sugar, alongside fragrant hinoki bitters. The House Bar also boasts a specially curated (and growing) list of whisky, rum, wine and sakes.
Food-wise, savour the signature Negitoro Monaka – delicate monaka rice flour wafer filled with chopped fatty tuna, avocado and briny ikura. Alternatively, choose from five handrolls, ranging from Spicy Tuna Handroll to the decadent Uni and Negitoro Handroll. For more indulgence, munch on the Miyazaki Beef Sando – sandwiched in between soft bread is marbled Japanese wagyu and touch of Dijon mustard aioli. If there’s a party of two, share the cooked-to-order baby sardine claypot rice or snow crab claypot rice. Omakase dining is available by request, and includes a choice of $80 and $100 menus.
Find out more: The House Bar
For pre- or post-dinner drinks, head to Akanoya Bar at Orchard Rendezvous Hotel, which serves cocktails with a fun Japanese twist. Try the refreshing Long Vacation, made with umeboshi, lime, and shiso leaves along with Black Tears Rum and bubbles. Popular drinks include First Love, an adaptation of Gimlet, using Hendrick’s Gin, Yuzu, and Kyoho grape, as well as For Goodness Sake, a citrusy drink concocted with sake and house-made white peach kombucha. The extensive sake list here features 30 to 40 selections of labels, carefully sourced from many off-the-radar sake breweries all over Japan.
To complete the Akanoya Bar experience is a snacks menu featuring Kawahagi (dried leather jacket with yuzu kosho mayo), Hotaru Ika (firefly squid with kanzo sauce), and richly flavoured Omi Gyu Tart filled with braised wagyu and smoked Hokkaido cheese. There are also popular skewers, croquettes, and aburi sashimi to be had.
Find out more: Akanoya
Table 33 is a sake-focused bar located at the basement of Palais Renaissance. This is the brainchild of Janice Chi, who’s also the co-founder of Ki Teppan & Rogama as well as Ishinomaki Grill & Sake. Certified sake sommelier and sake scholar Chi along with her solid team of certified sake sommeliers ensure that guests get a comprehensive sake experience here. Over the years, Chi’s had many opportunities to discover the world of sakes, travelling through the prefectures, learning, and forging friendships with the brewers.
Table 33’s sake cellar is well stocked with up to 180 sakes from 47 prefectures in Japan. There are over 50 sakes from Akita prefecture alone. Chi has also procured single tanks of sake, from Fukui prefecture, exclusively for table 33. A highlight is the Ippongi Daiginjo from Fukui, a snow-aged sake with 30 percent polishing. The tank of sake is blanketed with snow for slower aging and a smoother texture. Chi has also secured 11 labels from G Club, an exclusive members-only sake club based in Japan. Standing out from most sake places here is its selection of hot sakes, some of them have been aged such as the Rumiko and exclusive Akita G Club.
More than 50 sakes have been sourced from the Akita prefecture. Known as the Land of Beautiful Sake, Akita is known for producing mellow, smooth and delicate Nihonshu. Labels include fragrant and fruity sakes brewed with Akita Yukiguni yeast, whereas some are robust and dry – a result of the Yamahai or Kimoto brewing style.
Not keen on sake? There’s a collection of over 20 Japanese whiskies including the Umiki Blended Whisky (aged in pine barrels), and Kamiki Sakura Malt Whisky (aged in oak barrels and second aged in non-charred cedar casks and then Sakura casks). Available too are two dozen champagnes by the glass, including Dom Perignon 2012 and grower champagnes.
Pair these sips with bar snacks such as grilled Hokkaido salmon jerky, lotus root chips topped with grated cheese, and braised gyutan (beef tongue). Besides a variety of yakitori, sashimi and nigiri, you can order dishes from the adjacent Ishinomaki Grill & Sake as well as Ki Teppan & Rogama.
Find out more: Table 33
(Related: Five rare Japanese whiskies for serious collectors)
The fine art of cocktail making can be experienced at this minimalist bar by the folks behind Nutmeg & Clove. This intimate venue is located on the second floor of a shophouse at Purvis Street. Here you can sit at the long bar and watch the bartenders rustle up a range of Japanese-style craft cocktails. Founder Colin Chia describes the concept as a classic cocktail bar inspired by the Japanese way of bartending, which focuses on technique and precision while using the freshest ingredients.
Complementing the drinks is a range of well-executed izakaya fare like tamagoyaki (omelette with mentaiko and ikura), succulent grilled wagyu striploin steak, yasai croquette (assorted vegetables), kaki fry (breaded Japanese oysters), and Ikageso kara age (squid tentacles with yuzu tartar). Besides paying homage to classic cocktails, the bar also features a new rotation of seasonal cocktails using the best ingredients every two months. Coming up in the new menu are: Wakame Martini, Melon Highball, Strawberry (sour style) and Ume (warm cocktail).
In the next six weeks, Last Word will host four acclaimed guest bartenders from some of Asia’s best bars: Terry Kim from Alice Cheongdam, Seoul (19 July), Hidetsugu Ueno from Bar High Five, Tokyo (2 August), Michito Kaneko from Lamp, Nara, Japan (16 August) and Hiroyasu Kayama from Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo (5 September).
Find out more: Last Word
This boutique Japanese bar is tucked away in a charming black and white house along Scotts Road. Bar manager Kazuhiro Chii, a Yokohama native, typically elevates his cocktails with seasonal fresh fruit from Japan. Currently, he recommends Bellini as Japanese peach season has just started.
Other unique concoctions to order include Samurai Mule made with sake, lime juice, lemongrass syrup and ginger beer or Wa Mojityo crafted with umeshu, lime juice, ginger ale and fragrant shiso leaves. If you like something to perk up your palate, sip the Yamaoroshi with wasabi gin, cacao liqueur, cream and fresh wasabi. Chii also recommends pairing the Black Storm High Ball (Black Whisky spiked with black pepper) with the morsels of Japanese fried chicken. Aside from bar bites, the small food menu also includes decadent creations such as slow-cooked kakuni (braised pork belly), luxurious chirashi don, and boldly flavoured wagyu curry rice.
Find out more: Kakure
This unpretentious izakaya and sake bar, which opened early last year at Trengganu Street in Chinatown, presents a modern interpretation of Japanese fare along with a sake collection. The drink offerings include perennial favourites like Dassai, along with boutique and seasonal sakes from smaller breweries. Each bottle is tagged with a description label to help guests understand their characteristics before deciding which to order. You’ll also find a range of Japanese whisky and shochu.
The menu includes a range of small plates like foie gras chawanmushi, oyster tempura and lobster croquette. For carbs, slurp up the cold udon tossed with tobiko and topped with seasonal truffle shavings, or tuck into some comforting oden. There’s also yuzu glazed char-grilled pork jowl, plus a good selection of charcoal-grilled chicken, pork and vegetable skewers to complete the izakaya experience.
Find out more: Nomiya
(Related: The 5 newest independent bars to head to for a good time)