There’s nothing too groundbreaking about an Australian-style cafe in Singapore. We mean, Singapore is basically filled to the brim with them. But, one that jazzes up into a swanky Asian bar by night? Now, that’s a head-turner.

S l a t e . is the latest addition to Purvis Street, a small hip district that foodies flock to for a dignified brunch or laidback evening hangout. Opened by the team behind Miam Miam, this cafe-bar prides itself on its evolving menu which goes from hearty brunches to modern Asian tapas.

The founding team had lived in Melbourne for about a year before moving back to Singapore, bringing back with them Aussie-inspired brunches and secrets to a great cuppa.

We dropped by during lunchtime and were warmly received by the very friendly owners.

Their spacious interior is a blend of clean and classy vibes, finished with pops of blue to lend a touch of serenity.

One of the first few things that’ll catch your eye is the hulking luminous shelf of spirits and wines that takes center-stage in the bar area. Their coffee machine sits quietly at the side, whirring away as it churns out flat whites and long blacks.

Their lunch menu features small bites such as Seafood Fritters and Thunder Fries while their mains saw a mix of Asian and Western dishes.

Our first dish was the Oxtail Ragout Rigatoni (S$16). Visually, it looked super appetising — a generous amount of rigatoni soaking in a jacuzzi of 8-hour-braised oxtail tomato stew and finished with a grating of Asiago cheese.

Thankfully, it tasted as good as it looked. The rigatoni was perfectly al dente and had melded gorgeously with the sauce, which was well-seasoned and lightly spiced. The oxtail was really tender and had completely soaked up the essence of the stew.

Sadly, the S L A T E . Chicken Rice ($13) didn’t fare as well. It wasn’t a bad dish, that’s for sure — succulent grilled chicken thigh, runny sunny side up and perfectly cooked rice. But, the whole dish didn’t seem to gel very well as a whole and felt slightly dull.

We would have preferred if more flavour was infused into the rice and for a complementing sauce to tie the whole dish together.

Although there were hits and misses, we thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience S l a t e. With their warm service, soulful food and great ambience, this establishment is just bursting with potential.

We’re sure that with the right tweaks and improvements, they’ll soon be on their way to becoming one of Bugis‘ most flocked-to dining spots.

S L A T E .
24 Purvis St, #01-00, Singapore 188601
Mon to Thu: 10.30am – 10.30pm
Fri: 10.30am – 11.30pm
Sat: 9am – 11.30pm
Sun: 9am – 4pm
Nearest Station: City Hall / Esplanade

Barking Irons is a new steampunk-themed speakeasy bistro bar in Lavender serving up an interesting innovation: local-inspired cocktails! The catch? These cocktails are made from a harmonious blend of both our all-time favourite childhood beverages and liquor.

They also have a sweet story behind the inspiration for their local drinks: they wanted to adopt the “coffee-shop style” with drinks that reminded others of their throw-back childhood generation.

A fairly new kid on the block, Barking Irons has slowly been gaining recognition amongst alcoholics for their killer cocktails and toothsome mains.

We had to try their famed local-inspired cocktails, so we went for their Bandung with Grass Jelly (S$19.00). At first glance, it looks like an unassuming glass of bandung; the drink is actually a balanced mixture of your standard rose syrup, grass jelly, and a douse of roku gin.

It even came with a giant syringe containing condensed milk, making the drink picture perfect for Instagram!

Inject the syringe into the drink, give it a good swirl, and the familiar pink drink comes alive right before your eyes. Upon taking the first sip, we were hit with a heady wave of earthy notes. The sweetness of the bandung paired well with the alcohol, giving it a light, rose aftertaste while elevating the gin’s natural botanical sweetness.

Complementing well with our drink was their Charcoal Skewers in Teriyaki Chicken (S$8.00).

We could taste the charred smokiness from the chicken, which was nicely grilled. The coating of the sweet sauce also added on to its savouriness. While the skin was crisp, the meat inside was tender and slid off the stick easily.

If you are craving for something substantial, definitely try out their Har Cheong Gai Burger (S$18.00)! Taking centre stage among their range of delectable mains, the burger is served with tantalising charcoal buns sandwiching huge chunks of chicken.

The chicken was coated with a thick layer of prawn paste; it was also well battered and crispy, oozing juiciness when we bit into the succulent meat.

Barking Irons is the bar to go to if you are looking for a chill watering hole with a variety of alcoholic options to spend with friends. This place promises nothing except good vibes, amazing service and strong booze guaranteed to give you a buzz!

P.S, the folks here are also coming up with new flavours for their local drinks, such as Ondeh Ondeh and Ice Ka Chang. If that hasn’t tempted you to head down and give them a try, we don’t know what will.

78 Horne Road, #01-01
Singapore 209078
Tel: +65 6909 0349
Tues to Sun: 4pm – 12am
(Closed on Mondays)
Nearest Station: Lavender