May was set out to be an exciting month as I set out for Singapore for their Sake Matsuri and to discover not just the sake scene there, but also Singapore itself and its culture.
In no way was I prepared for the smothering heat, but totally worth it to experience the Sake Matsuri, the Bars and Restaurants, and of course their vibrant neighborhoods and architecture.
Singapore Sake Matsuri 2024 - Industry Session
What an epic start to the Singapore Sake Matsuri, which opened for industry professionals one day early to get a close look at what is happening in the Singapore market!
Great to get a chance to talk to other sake professionals, get some lectures, and have a little bit of time before the masses come in to try and chat with the makers and shops. To be honest, it was super exciting to see so much variety in terms of sake, but also plenty of doburoku and shochu!
Singapore is certainly ahead in the sake game, which I am not entirely surprised as by its closeness to Japan. As well as because the people who do bring in the brands are incredibly dedicated to their visions.
Kudos to the organizers for putting on such a great sake event!
Singapore Sake Matsuri 2024 - Public Event
As expected it was an epic start to the public event of the Singapore Sake Matsuri (not to be mixed up with the Sake Festival, which is a different event).
To say it was hot, would be an understatement and the organizers certainly did everything they could to keep the sake cold. It was exciting to see so many people come out for this and even more interesting to see such a young crowd. Honestly for me, a real bonus here was being able to communicate in English, as well as getting my hands on some overseas brands that rarely make it to Japan...
RPM
One thing you certainly will not run out in Singapore is great options to drink and eat and with a vibrant cocktail scene, it is almost torture to pick just one place to check out, turning a night out into a bit of a bar crawl...
One place to start, because it's a bit more quiet, with a pub-like feel is a great cocktail bar with plenty of shochu @rpm_singapore!
loved the cocktails and just amazing to see so much shochu, what a great recommendation by no other than shochu and awamori aficionado Stephen @lyman.eats
Jigger and Pony
Got a chance to pop into @jiggerandponysg , a Singapore cocktail bar that was ranked as number 14 on the world’s 50 best bars in 2023, and try a few of their cocktail creations!
Loved the cocktail menu itself and the drinks certainly came out the way as advertised. However, I somehow did expect a little more show (presentation and garnishes), as it felt a little underwhelming (especially being so high up on such a prestigious list). Maybe it was just me...
Nevertheless, glad I went to see what the hype was all about.
Hawker Micheline Food Tour Singapore
One of the things I was most looking forward to in Singapore was the vibrant food scene and with that, it's Hawker centers!
Being a bit of a picky eater and not wanting to waste food and money, I figured one of the many Hawker food tours would be exactly what I needed and it turned out it was one of the best things I did.
Strolling from one Hawker center to another trying up to about 9 dishes and getting the local gossip and stories about each dish and the people who made it, was a real highlight.
Very excited to go back to some of the stalls I visited, but also go back and really just try everything!
Suiraku - Sake Restaurant
I knew Singapore was a melting pot of great food. However, I did not expect so many outstanding and authentic Japanese bars and restaurants.
One of them was @suiraku_sg and I would book another trip to Singapore in a heartbeat just to come back and eat here!
Amazing sake selection (also available warmed to just the perfect temp) with a food menu to match it. They do both Kaiseki (course menu) and a la carte and are really one of the places in Singapore to come and eat amazing Japanese cuisine.
Ohigara Sake Bar
Another great place to enjoy sake and a little bit of food is @oriharasg !
To be honest (again), this felt like being in a sake bar in Japan. From the decorations, the space itself and of course the sake fridges filled to the brim with delicious brews.
Also (and unsurprisingly) the guys behind the bar have great knowledge of what they have and if you are still undecided, why not get one of their sake flights and let the staff choose for you?
Definitely, another place I would like to explore a little more next time I am in town.
Omunomu
@omunomu.sg a craft sake & raw bar was on top of my list to visit in Singapore!
Alex, the man behind the concept has visited Japan over the last couple of years extensivly and I had the pleasure of not just sharing a few meals with him on those occasions, but we also had the chance to travel together a little bit including some brewery visits.
Great to see so much craft sake and Doburoku outside of Japan - and with Alex's passion in curating a fine list of beverages it is exciting to see how dedicated he is to promoting them!
Although there was no “homemade” Doburoku on the menu that night, there were a few interesting brews including @lib.rom ‘s “cacao” X Umeya Brainery which sure got us all talking.
If you do happen to be in Singapore and want to drink something a little different make sure to add this to your list!
Raffles Bar
No visit to Singapore would be complete without popping into the historic Long Bar at @raffleshotelsingapore where the iconic Singapore sling was created 🍹
The cocktail is widely regarded as Singapore's national drink since it was first mixed in 1915.
It is also quite likely the only place in Singapore where littering is encouraged, as the floor is filled with peanut shells and it is quite surprisingly satisfying brushing these off the table...
Sake Enthusiasts Catch-up Singapore
The Last Supper - and we certainly made it count!
A bit of a logistical endeavor bringing so many extremely busy people under one roof, but what an incredible evening and the perfect way to end my short trip to Singapore!
It was so exciting to reunite with Melissa from @sakeconnect in Australia and Singapore-based Seth@sethtst and Clement @clemlzm my SPC1 classmates. Needless to say, there was outstanding sake and so much food we could have stayed out eating and drinking all night.
Koan - Sake and Wagashi
Finally made it to Koan (@kiss.a.co) a small standing bar dedicated to sake and wagashi pairings, which I had on my list for a few years.
Loved the space and attention to detail, where everyone else loves cats here in Japan at Koan you will quickly notice it is th Fox that is the center of attention here.
What did we try?
"Today’s wagashi", a cute Maneki-neko-shaped monaka, was expertly paired with Chimera from @shirasugi_syuzou and Ine Mankai from @mukaisyuzou to either complement the red bean paste or bring out the sweetness of it.
Very much looking forward to coming back and seeing what other pairings he has in store!
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