We weren’t around during the Prohibition era, back when speakeasies were essential for thirsty tipplers looking to throw one back… But that’s not to say that we don’t enjoy the thrill of unlocking a secret entrance or trudging down an obscure staircase every now and then to unveil a bar.
Speakeasies are all the rage now and in a city, as storied with a nightlife scene as effervescent as Singapore’s, there’s just no telling how many incognito drinking dens you’ll find hidden in the most unexpected locales. Some behind a fridge in a restaurant and others, down a dimly-lit stairway. If you’re new to Singapore’s cocktail scene, Operation Dagger is a great place to start.
Ingeniously thought out to impart equal parts thrill, novelty and bar-bending drinks, Operation Dagger deserves top marks in every regard. Located just a stone’s throw away from all the action, in a random basement along a back alley in Ann Siang Hill, this speakeasy is where it’s at if you’re looking for a bar that exudes major cloak-and-dagger vibes and a repertoire of elevated cocktails.
Easily missable, locating Operation Dagger is by no means clear-cut. The entrance is marked by scribbled code written in ‘hobo symbols’ — the elusive and highly perplexing hieroglyphic language of early 1900’s train-hoppers and vagabonds.
Should you successfully manage to navigate your way past it, you descend down a dark, dubious stairway into what reveals itself to be a spacious underground lair. Operation Dagger is replete with bare concrete walls, stone tables and its centrepiece is a cloud feature made up of hundreds of recycled lightbulbs. Its back bar boasts rows of unbranded apothecary-type bottles marked with even more hobo symbols—symbols that only the bar team can interpret.
A stalwart in the ranks of some of Southeast Asia’s most cutting-edge cocktail joints, coming to Operation Dagger for a tipple means leaving whatever preconceived notions you have about cocktails at the door. Here, their ethos has always been about multi-sensory experiences and transcending boundaries—to the extent that they even leave out what base spirit goes into what, discouraging guests from harbouring any prior prejudices toward a particular drink.
Operation Dagger’s Cocktails | Dangerous Drinking Water
É KHổ QUA
To simply say that their expertly formulated É KHổ QUA tastes refreshing would be a great understatement. Sure, it’s smooth on the palate but it is also nuanced with a string of intriguing profiles. As instructed, we took a bite of the garnish, a lacto-fermented bitter melon, before proceeding to take a sip. Bitter at first, the subsequent sip revealed a creamy mouthfeel, fresh acidity and a balanced flavour of green grass and sweet cane sugar.
So It Wasn’t Coffee
So It Wasn’t Coffee is a coffee G&T that’s both refreshing yet pleasantly complex. It’s also a nod towards Head Bartender Thomas Girard’s sustainability-driven ethos. Involving more than just its namesake, the gin is infused with recycled espresso grounds and boiled lime rinds, giving the cocktail an earthy flavour with mildly charred bitter undertones, and a homemade citrus stock tonic which lends a citrusy touch and refreshing carbonation to the cocktail. It comes topped with an orange brittle which you can either drop inside or nibble on in-between sips.
Cheese, No Egg
One of the bar’s most notable cocktails—and the one that seems to get patrons most excited—is the Cheese, No Egg. The cocktail—comprising sharp cheddar, cream and honey—arrives at the table in a glass dome nested on a bed of hay, to which star anise is torched and allowed to sit underneath the cocktail, imparting its smoky aroma into it. Though much of the drink’s allure lies in its theatric display, we must admit that the smoky fragrance did lend something pretty special to the savoury cocktail.
Purple Yamborghini
Approachable, visually inviting and delectable through and through, the Purple Yamborghini is another dairy-forward cocktail that’s bound to impress even the most discerning of palates. The purplish-hued cocktail derives its colour from roasted yams and its creamy, sourish tang from the yoghurt. Pandan serves as its predominant profile, giving the drink a sweet, floral undertone.
All cocktails (or in Operation’s terms, ‘Dangerous Drinking Water’) are priced at S$25++.
Hooches | In-House Fermentations
While cocktails are Operation Dagger’s main affair, it’s well worth to consider one of their in-house ferments as well. We tried the Jackfruit (S$22++/glass), made simply by fermenting jackfruit and coconut water with yeast. But what stole our hearts was the Choc Pinot – pinot noir fermented with raw cocoa nibs. Note that Choc Pinot is not on the menu, but can be purchased by the bottle at S$90++.
Operation Dagger’s Bar Bites
French Fries
Their food programme is limited to just four items but they’re all incredible. The absolute must-try is their version of French Fries (S$8++) which swops out classic russets with dehydrated long beans instead. We’re calling it. These guys may have just given French fries a run for its money. Each ultra-crispy ‘fry’ is given a generous sprinkling of savoury black garlic salt, sugar and a dash of cayenne, making every subsequent bite even more addictive than the previous one. Package it and sell it, we’ll be the first on board!
Their list of bar bites may be small, but every dish was brilliantly executed, following a strict zero-waste ethos. Take Carrots (S$21++) for example, a vegetarian-appropriate snack featuring roasted heirloom carrots served alongside pickled carrot skins and a gremolata made using the leafy tops of carrots.
Address: 7 Ann Siang Hill, #B1-01, Singapore 069791
Opening Hours: 6PM – Late (Mon to Sat), Closed on Sundays
Contact: +65 6438 4057
Nearest MRT Station: Chinatown
Disclaimer: We were guests of Operation Dagger, but all opinions remain our own.
Read our guide to Singapore’s best hidden cocktail bars.
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