Spirited Asia, Raffles Park (2025)

18/07/2025

Hidden in plain sight inside Jewel Changi Airport... lies a full-on Borneo jungle feast.

If you’re looking to explore the wilder side of Southeast Asian cuisines, slide into , probably Singapore’s first-ever restaurant focused on the sorely underrepresented cuisines from across Borneo — and trust us, it’s flavour galore.

From bamboo-cooked Pansuh chicken to smoky Sotong Bakar glazed with palm sugar, every dish here tells a story — one rooted in the rainforests, rivers, and rich tribal traditions of East Malaysia. Craving laksa? Their Sarawak Laksa isn’t your usual Nonya-style — her it’s lighter yet spicier, and loaded with prawns, chicken and umami.

Even the Rainforest Fried Rice is laced with torch ginger, tapioca leaves and wok hei — meatless, but far from meek.

Cocktail game? Pretty strong. The Borneo Sling and Borneo Elixir remix local spirits and rainforest botanicals into something wild and unforgettable.

Honestly, KANTIN is the closest you’ll get to Kuching without catching a flight.

Full review on our site.

PS:: Sarawak Day falls on Tuesday 22 July, so you know where to go to celebrate.

:: KANTIN ::
📍 78 Airport Boulevard, #05-206-207 Jewel Changi Airport, Singapore 819666
⏱️ 10am to 11pm Mondays to Fridays, 10am to 12am Saturdays and Sundays

12/07/2025

Macau’s cocktail scene is going to get a major glowup this July!

Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2025 is rolling into town on 15 July, and while the big awards night at Wynn Palace is industry-only, the real party is (mostly) open to everyone.

Think dozens of guest shifts by world-class bartenders, pop-up cocktail bars, chef collabs, and over-the-top drinking experiences, particularly at .palace, set to be ground zero where the winning list will be announced. Expect plenty of activities — and free-pouring cocktails — at and Palace Reserve Club, or cocktail-and-food pairings at , .wynnpalace, and SW Steakhouse.

And don’t forget Hong Kong — there’s plenty of action across the pond as where plenty of bar talent will be visiting.

To that end we’ve put together an informal guide — which you can find on our site — to best guest shifts, pop-ups, and cocktail dinners this awards season, so that you can make plans to sip with the cocktail glitterati in Macau or put together a Hong Kong bar crawl.

So ready your liver. Book those dates. And cheers to the best drinking week of the year!

PS: We’ll be updating our guide as we go along, so if your bar’s guest shift or pop up is not listed, let us know!

09/07/2025

Climb four heady flights of stairs and you’d just getting warmed up for Bangkok’s most audacious drinking adventure — .bar.

You may be able to find a safe classic Negroni there, but that’s not what F*nkytown — or Funkytown — is about. It’s a fever dream of a bar where the cocktail menu reads like a mad chef’s tasting menu gone rogue… and where they put the funk in literally everything from their signature cocktails to bar bites.

They call it the “Funk Scale”, where you decide how intimidated you want to be. Level 1 creations are inspired by comforting classics like Thai tea. Level 5? Sensory chaos. Here your Piña Colada has been reworked with durian, because who needs disagreeable friends that shun you for your glorious breath?

And it’s not just the drinks; think Naem-stuffed Chicken Wings, Bone Marrow Canelé, and Crispy Pig’s Ears with fermented durian sambal (yes, again).

Irreverent? Absolutely. Gimmicky? Arguable. This is, however, gastronomic cocktail craft at its boldest, pushing Bangkok onto the global stage — and putting the fun in funk while it’s at it.

Full review on our site.

:: F*nkytown ::
📍 1, 39 Sukhumvit 37 Alley, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
⏱️ 5pm to 12am daily

08/07/2025

Peatheads who love their whiskies touched by sherry — this one’s for you.

Beloved Islay Scotch whisky producer is dropping their new Sherry Oak Collection into Singapore this July. Comprising the Sherry Oak Cask 12-, 15-, and 18-Year Old, these age-stated single malts double down on Islay’s classic maritime smoke while layering in deep, sherry-seasoned complexity.

No gimmicks. No mystery NAS blends. Just carefully matured whisky in ex-bourbon, Oloroso, and PX casks for depth and nuance.

What to expect:
12YO – Vanilla caramel, red berries, gentle smoke. Accessible, balanced, inviting.
15YO – Dark chocolate, treacle toffee, liquorice. Rich, spicy, elegant.
8YO – Orange peel, cocoa, moist sultanas. Complex, smoky, unforgettable.

Why does it matter? In an age of hype and skyrocketing prices, Bowmore is reminding us what authentic whisky looks like: age transparency, cask mastery, and an unmistakable Islay DNA.

Full story on our site. Which one of these would you love to pour and try first?

07/07/2025

Singapore isn’t short on Italian restaurants — but none of them are quite so playfully irreverent as at when it comes to Italian cuisine.

This is, of course, the Singapore outpost of Massimo Bottura of Osteria Francescana fame — yes, that celebrity chef. Picture this: a pop-art splash of 1960s coastal Rimini vibes, a near full-sized Formula One replica car at the door (yes, really), a mannequin sunbathing atop the bar, and a riot of red, white, and blue for interiors.

And the food? Joyful, expressive, and yet respectful of provenance.

Some of our favourites? There’s the Lingua that’s charcoal-grilled veal tongue with salsa verde, splendidly unctuous Tagliatella of hand-chopped wagyu ragù clinging for dear life to al dente noodles, and Maialino Croccante that sees roulade of suckling pig paired with peach compote.

The Alta Marea? This is raw and house-cured seafood that arrives at your table on a catamaran platter, all kitschy and delicious and a hat-tip to the venue’s nautical theme.

And don’t skip the cocktails: the Pesto Sour sounds wild but works beautifully, while Sunburnt combines tequila, blood orange, and chilli in the best possible way. Pro tip: drop by during AperiTorno (Wed–Fri, 5.30–7.30pm) for special-priced cocktails and complimentary snacks.

Because who doesn’t want a little la dolce vita in their life?

:: Torno Subito ::
📍 26 Dempsey Rd, #01 02, Singapore 249686
⏱️ 12pm to 3pm and 5.30pm to 10pm Wednesday to Sunday; closed on Monday and Tuesday

06/07/2025

In case you missed it, Bangkok’s luxury skyline recently got a spectacular new landmark.

Welcome to , a soaring reinterpretation of Thailand’s grand residences, rising 216 meters above Wireless Road and overlooking the lush expanse of Lumpini Park. Think glittering terraces with sweeping park views, interiors rich with art and heritage, and a design philosophy that declares “Meeting of Two Civilizations”.

But it’s the unveiling of its crowning glory — the stunning 439-sqm Ritz-Carlton Suite with three bedrooms, multiple balconies, and an expansive dining room made for unforgettable gatherings — that takes Bangkok’s hospitality game to another level.

More than just a hotel, this is a cultural landmark redefining what luxury means in the Thai capital’s spiritual heart.

Here’s an inside look at the glorious suite. Would you check in here?

Full story on our site.

04/07/2025

One of the best ways to spot rising young stars — as well as seasoned but under-the-radar pros — in Singapore’s bartending scene? Tap into the country’s burgeoning cocktail competition circuit.

An ongoing one is the latest edition of Bols Cocktail Battle, which will see ten finalists from bars across the city battle for top honours come 28 July. This year’s theme is ‘Blue Disco’, which requires competitors to concoct a cocktail using a minimum of 20ml of Bols Blue Curaçao, a powerful orange-flavoured liqueur that’s blue-hued like it belongs in a post-apocalyptic movie set.

The ten finalists? In no particular order, photographed by the talented :

- Keith Chia, .sg
- Marlou Ayo, .sg in
- Nikki Lacsamana,
- Tashena J., at
- John Anthony Caballes, at
- Anton Gornev, The Mirabilis Bar at
- Mike Selvam, Mr Stork at
- Nathesh Meyhandan, in
- Akkar Lwin, .whisper.room.sg in
- Susan Chai, WooBar at

It takes plenty of courage to rise up to a cocktail challenge, putting one’s skills to full scrutiny in front of one’s peers and a panel of exacting judges. So kudos to these finalists!

Who will you be rooting for?

03/07/2025

After 13 years on Craig Road, one of Singapore’s OG Spanish restaurants has made its boldest move yet: relocating to the iconic .

But this isn’t just a change of address for — it’s a statement that Spanish dining here has truly come of age.

The alfresco area? A dedicated tapas bar perfect for tropical nights. Picture croquetas with a side of sultry humidity. Must-eats? The potato salad that is Ensaladilla de Gambas y Encurtidos is cool and refreshing, while the Bienmesabe de Lubina, an entire deep-fried seabags that will change your mind about eating whole fish.

Inside? Think art gallery meets Iberian salon — burnished metal, jewel tones, and sculptural flourishes by Sevilla-born artist Fernando Oriol. Dine here on Bogavante con Salsa de Marisco — Canadian lobster tail on asparagus purée, drenched in rich shellfish sauce — and Silla de Cordero featuring slow-cooked lamb saddle with smoked carrot purée, thyme demi-glace.

After so many years Binomio isn’t trying to prove anything anymore. It knows exactly what it is — a polished, grown-up Spanish dining experience worth every dollar.

Full review on our site.

:: Binomio ::
📍 328 North Bridge Rd, #01-25 Raffles Hotel Raffles Arcade, Singapore 188719
⏱️ 12pm to 1.45pm and 5.30pm to 11.30pm Mondays to Saturdays; 12pm to 2pm and 5.30pm to 10pm on Sundays

02/07/2025

Singapore wine lovers, meet your new table-side showpiece.

Taiwan’s sleek wine-tech brand has officially landed in Singapore, promising to level up the way you chill, decant, and savour your favourite vintages.

Their headliner? The TITAN Portable Decanter Chiller — a battery-powered beauty that chills your wine precisely (8–20 °C) while aerating it in an elegant glass decanter. Think sommelier-level precision without needing to invite one to your home.

Also in the lineup: There’s VENUS – a portable, battery-powered chiller perfect for dinner parties or restaurants where you can set your ideal serving temp with no sloppy ice buckets needed, as well as LYRA, a wallet-friendly, iceless, modular gadget designed for outdoor sips and picnics.

Why all this fuss over temperature? As the best somms know, when it comes to serving wine, temperature control is non-negotiable.

If you’re looking to level up your wine drinking experience at home, VIVANT’s suite of sweet tech may just be what you’re looking for.

Full story on our site.

01/07/2025

Singapore bartenders have spoken. The best bar in Singapore, according to the professionals who daily sling your favourite alcoholic libations, is .

The hotel bar came up tops in the latest list of 20 Singapore cocktail bars compiled by as nominated by bartenders.

The full list is as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4. .sg
5.
6.
7.
8.
9. .sg
10. .sg
11.
12. .hawk.sg
13. .sg
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19. .sg
20.

Of course, this is a peer review and no real indication of how great a bar truly is, but we love this celebration of the passion, creativity and teamwork that define what it means to be behind — and in front of — the bar and elevating our cocktail drinking experience day in, day out.

So go hit these bars up when you can.

[Photo credit: ]

30/06/2025

An OG Orchard Road steakhouse just turned up the heat — literally.

Pioneering hotel chophouse at has always been synonymous with well-executed steaks, comforting classics, and a certain dependable charm, but a fresh culinary direction led by Executive Chef Dean Bush promises to propel this mainstay into a temple of grilling excellence.

You’ll love its new penchant for fire-kissed cooking, not to mention an ingredient-first philosophy and irresistible table-side theatrics. The showstopper? Longhorn Bone-in Dry-Aged Beef. Think deep umami, gorgeous char, and a cheeky whiskey flambé right at your table. Don’t even need the sauces (though there are five to choose from).

Other must-orders? Jumbo lump crab cake with caramelised miso aioli, pickled pineapple and caviar; char-grilled octopus, melt-in-your-mouth tender with mojo verde, fennel slaw; and wood-grilled fish finished with beurre noisette flambé — served table-side for that dinner-and-a-show vibe.

Classic steakhouse energy, but refreshed anew. Fire, flavour, and a bit of showmanship — just the way we like it. So who’s booking dinner at Opus Bar & Grill soon?

Full review on our site.

:: Opus Bar & Grill ::
📍 581 Orchard Rd, voco Orchard Singapore, Singapore 238883
⏱️ 12pm to 5pm, Monday to Friday for set lunch and bar all-day dining menu, 6pm to 10.30pm everyday for dinner

28/06/2025

Looking for a stay that’s anything but ordinary?

Say hello to lyf one-north Singapore by , a vibrant, social living space designed for digital nomads, technopreneurs, creatives, and next-gen travellers who want more than just a room key.

You’re looking at smart, ultra-compact studios with clever design touches (hello under-bed luggage space, overhead shelves and wall niches), with plenty of shared facilities that make life so much easier.

Because here, community is the amenity.

There are facilities such as BOND, a fully kitted-out social kitchen where you can actually cook up a storm; WASH & HANG, an all-day self service laundrette; generous 25m lap pool DIP; co-working communal lounge space CONNECT; and even HANG OUT, a pet-friendly rooftop lawn perfect for sunset yoga.

All this in Singapore’s high-tech one-north district, just steps from the MRT, great eats, and everything else you need to live, work and play on your own terms. lyf one-north Singapore is not a hotel, no – it’s a social, experience-led hub for those who crave community-driven living. Extroverts need apply.

Full review on our site.

PS: Psst… you’ll want to also grab a bite at smash burger food truck sensation parked right outside lyf one-north’s doorstep.

Spirited Asia

18/07/2025

12/07/2025

09/07/2025

08/07/2025

07/07/2025

06/07/2025

04/07/2025

03/07/2025

02/07/2025

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30/06/2025

28/06/2025

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