Tucked away on the ground floor of an inconspicuous heritage shophouse along Bukit Pasoh Road is Beats Bites & Cocktails. While the gastrobar is an easy two-minute walk from Outram Park MRT Station Exit H, the convenient location isn’t Beats Bites & Cocktails’ main draw. In fact, it’s worth a special trip for imbibers and foodies who don’t live/work nearby!
While Beats Bites & Cocktails is considered relatively new in the buzzy neighbourhood, the team behind it is anything but. Founded by Caroline Tan & Douglas Williams, the duo previously resided in Beijing and ran a successful F&B consulting group and cocktail bar. Their A-team also includes bartending veteran Dee Atan, DJ Shigeki Ito and culinary director Chef Max Levy.
Set foot in and be greeted by a DJ station which flows seamlessly into the cocktail lounge. Surrounding this space are sound suppression walls, adorned by Devialet Phantom speakers that distribute music evenly. An open kitchen and outdoor garden await beyond the main dining area – where botanicals are harvested and used in their edible creations.
“Beats Bites & Cocktails is our impassioned desire for a unique space that offers fabulous music, food, and cocktails in equal measure. Based on our experiences and ideals, we created not only a place that we would enjoy, but also something to complement the Bukit Pasoh scene. The setting and vibe are decidedly unstuffy so guests can unwind and soak up the cozy, unassuming atmosphere,” said Caroline Tan, Co-Founder of Beats Bites & Cocktails.
Adventurous tipplers would be thrilled by Beats Bites & Cocktails’ creative cocktails and excellent curation of wines. Not sure where to start? We highly recommend their value-for-money Bites Tasting Menu (available from Tuesday to Saturday at S$148/pax), where you can indulge in a gastronomic experience that is equal parts food and drink.
Beats Bites & Cocktails: Tasting Menu (S$148/pax)
We kicked off our feast with a few Asian-inspired nibbles, namely Drunken Herbal Shaoxing Corn Fed Chicken (S$12); a trio of Anchovy Stuffed Baby Capsium ($15), Cold Konjac Noodles and Dashi (S$15), Roasted Kuari Gochu Peppers (S$12); and our top favourite, the Bertha Ash Biscuits with Foie Gras (S$12).
Bertha Ash Biscuits with Foie Gras
The biscuits are cooked in Bertha Wood Fired Oven with Binchō-Tan — the first of its kind in Singapore. Instead of using baking powder, these bickies are baked with leftover ash from the oven, achieving a pleasant bitterness that cuts through the unctuous flavour of the longan honey miso marinated foie gras. If you only have space for one starter, this is it.
Beats Bites & Cocktails’ Curated Selection of Wines
The bites were well paired with 5% ABV Copenhagen Sparkling Tea (S$20 / glass, S$95 / bottle). A new innovative drink created by award-winning sommelier Jacob Kocemba, the unique taste is achieved using carefully selected teas and only organic ingredients. The tea leaves are soaked in hot & cold water over an extensive period of time to extract its flavour.
Seafood Procured from Japan, Italy & beyond
Seafood fans should try their Sicillian Wild Red Shrimp (S$8/piece); Hokkaido Jumbo Scallop (S$8/piece), slathered in snow fermented yuzu three-year aged yuzu kosho and 10-year solera Pedro Ximenez sherry vinegar; and Cloudy Bay Tua Tua Clam Soup (S$24) served in a briny broth of cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil, en rama sherry & yuzu ponzu.
Vast Cocktail List at Beats Bites & Cocktails
For maximum satisfaction, pair your seafood with the herby and spirit-forward White Negroni V1.0 (S$22), concocted with Arvesølvet Cask Aged Aquavit, Widges Gin, Mancino Vermouth, Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto and Luxardo Bitter Bianco.
Their cocktail list is comprehensive and are grouped into the following categories i.e. The Bitter Familia, Martinish, Highballs, OF Style and Sours.
Those who live for the gram would not want to miss out on their Purple Rain (S$25). A Widges gin-based handcrafted tipple infused with hibiscus and butterfly pea, borrowing its floral notes from elderflower liqueur and flower foam. The fun lies in popping the ‘bubble’!
Have we also mentioned that Beats Bites & Cocktails has >120 types of bitters to pair with their alcholic beverages?
Wagyu Beef
The Japanese Wagyu Beef Cube (S$8/piece) and Australian Wagyu Tataki (S$18) are a dream come true for wagyu lovers. The former is a fatty umami bomb that exploded in our mouths, while the latter is a soft, juicy and sweet one-bite beefy wonder. Wash down the buttery mouthfeel with their potent rye whisky-based Brookylnite (S$25++).
If beef ain’t your cup of tea, you can opt for other decadent meat dishes such as the succulent Tontoro Pork Cheek (note: only available in the tasting menu) and Chicken Curry Tartlet (S$6/tart). Tender curry chicken is encased by a palm-sized crisp tart shell and served with a dollop of refreshing cucumber-spiced yogurt. Verdict: Light and tasty!
Claypot Rice
The last savoury dish on Bites Tasting Menu was the tummy-filling Claypot Rice (S$18). Cooked with shitake, sweet X.O sausage, duck liver Shaoxing sausage and served with a soft centered marinated local kampong chicken egg. The fragrance of the Chinese wine, sweetness of the meats along with the scorched chewy rice makes it a great comfort food.
Ice Kachang Dessert Cocktail
We wrapped up our scrumptious dinner with an Ice Kachang Dessert Cocktail (note: only available in the tasting menu), a tropical spiked slushie created with pineapple-flavoured rum, green chartreuse, pimento dram, spiced pineapple syrup and cranberry tea pearls!
Read our guide to bars & supper spots in Singapore.
Disclaimer: We were guests of Beats Bites & Cocktails, but all opinions remain our own.
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