The Masses Singapore is a stylish and cosy 50-seater bistro tucked away in a quiet corner of the bustling Bugis precinct. It is opened by chef Dylan Ong, former owner of French eatery, Saveur.
The kitchen serves up contemporary fusion plates—or ‘Franco-Asian cuisine’ as they call it—inspired by traditional French cuisine, adopting flavours and techniques from Japan and beyond.
The Masses Singapore is also a great place for casual drinks after work. Demonstrating the same pride, precision and finesse that has won the restaurant much praise since it first opened, their resident bartenders shake up a storm. The drinks menu presents a repertoire of tasty classic cocktail abbreviations nuanced with flavours of Southeast Asia.
Fancying something else? The restaurant boasts an inventory of more than 40 types of organic, natural, biodynamic wines from all over the world. Craft beer and sake are available too. The Masses constantly strives to provide diners the perfect dining experience. This is why their menu gets a revamp every four months to keep things interesting for both diners and chefs.
Pertaining to the restaurant’s menu, current offerings for both mains, small plates & cocktails will only be available from now until 31 January 2020.
Gold Digger
A smooth marriage of fresh, earthy flavours and strong citrusy components, the Gold Digger (S$16++) impresses with its fruitiness and sharp acidic appeal.
A refreshing cocktail that holds its own very well, its tartness would stand up against fatty, meaty dishes such as pork, duck or even lamb.
Each Gold Digger cocktail comes with a fortune cookie. Open up the biscuit and a slip of paper revealing four digits await. Who knows, you might just win the next 4D with these numbers.
Ingredients: Lemon ginger mint-infused gin, yuzu juice, honey, fresh lemon juice & egg white
Wo De Mei Ren
Translating to “My Pretty Girl”, Wo De Mei Ren (S$16++) perfectly embodies the spirit of summer. It boasts a distinctive lemon-lime aroma coupled with a fresh, sweet flavour.
It’s cool, refreshing and the lime juice really wakes everything up. The cocktail gets a generous finishing of fresh mint and candied watermelon rind.
Ingredients: Kaffir lime-infused rum, fresh watermelon, midori, orange curaçao & fresh lime.
High On Spice
As its name suggests, High On Spice (S$17++) is one that comprises many spices. Featuring warm spices such as anise and cinnamon along with ginger and curry leaf, this cocktail is an amalgamation of sweetness, heat, tanginess and flavourful complexity, all rolled out in one.
The flavours really hit you quick so we recommend sipping. The cocktail is paired with a rice cracker to give the cocktail a profile similar to curry rice.
Ingredients: Vodka, 70% absinthe, curry leaf, ginger, cinnamon, brown sugar, fresh lemon juice, egg white & torched star anise.
9394
A twist on a classic Old Fashioned, the 9394 (S$18++), is a robust cocktail that definitely leans toward the sweeter end of the spectrum. Infused with the natural oils from the peel, the drink is perfumed with a sweet citrusy flavour that nicely rounds out the strong whisky taste.
A straightforward drink that’s bold, assertive yet definitely more approachable than a classic whisky cocktail, we figure that even the ladies would take to it as quickly as the men.
Yes, your eyes aren’t tricking you. That’s a torched kinder bueno!
Ingredients: Prune-infused whisky, sherry, campari, angostura bitters & orange
Don’t Touch Ma Tofu
Putting their own spin on popular local sweet treats, Don’t Touch Ma Tofu (S$16++) is a sweet and creamy alcoholic creation. Resembling a fascinating threesome between chendol, peanut soup and tauhuay, it could almost pass off as a dessert!
The drink is nutty with a distinct creaminess underscored by a smoky caramel and toffee-edged sweetness.
Ingredients: Rum, chocolate bitters, blended silken tofu, peanut butter, grass jelly, simple syrup & gula melaka
Bak Kwa X Singleton
Partnering up with Singleton, the bar has designed a trio of cocktails utilising the single malt scotch as its base spirit. Among the three, the one that caught our attention was the Bakwa X Singleton (S$15++).
A whisky-based cocktail with heady notes of grilled meat and caramel, we enjoyed this frothy concoction for its punchiness, savoury accent and bitter undertones of chocolate.
Ingredients: Bak kwa fat-washed Singleton whisky, sherry, soya bean, coconut water & chocolate bitters.
Crabmeat Kueh Pie Tee
Among The Masses’ slew of delectable and innovative noshes and nibbles, the Crabmeat Kueh Pie Tee (S$9++) is one that we highly recommend.
A solid one-biter, each crispy kueh pie tee shell is layered with stewed jicama, a special house-made XO sauce before being filled to the brim with copious amounts of fresh crabmeat.
Our initial bite was greeted by a delightful crunch followed by the warm melt-in-your-mouth jicama and the delicate, sweetness of the flaky crab.
Savoury Meringue
Meringues are typically associated with sweets but here, they take it up a notch by turning it into savouries.
Adorned with ikura, dots of yuzu aioli and otak powder for a touch of heat, their Savoury Meringue (S$9++) impressed us thoroughly. Nested within a light, airy shell, the elements atop explode in the mouth to reveal salty, umami-packed goodness. These savoury-sweet one-bite wonders are a must-order!
Infused Ajitsuke Tea Egg
Here in Asia, there are a vast number of ways that the humble egg can be prepared. Taking inspiration for the Taiwanese Cha Ye Dan (otherwise known as tea egg) and the Japanese Ajitsuke egg (aka ramen egg), they have come up with (and perfected) the mother of all egg dishes with their Infused Ajitsuke Tea Egg (S$9++).
Steeped in Chinese herbal tea at just the right temperature, the egg remains soft on the outside revealing a velvety-smooth yolk. The dish is topped with a trio of roe—tobiko, herring roe and caviar—and is perched atop a crispy potato chip.
Address: 85 Beach Rd, #01-02, Singapore 189694
Opening Hours: 12PM – 10PM (Sun to Tue & Thu), 12PM – 12AM (Wed, Fri & Sat)
Contact: +65 6266 0061
Nearest MRT Station: Bugis
Disclaimer: We were guests of The Masses Singapore, but all opinions remain our own.
Read our guide to bars and supper spots in Singapore.
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