PUBLISHED September 13th, 2013 01:00 am | UPDATED May 26th, 2020 12:52 pm
I love it when cool new restaurants and bars start up in an area that is progressively becoming less filled with KTV bars. In this case it’s back to Boat Quay…and the venue… Ah Sam’s Cold Drinks Stall.
Firstly, I love the name. Nothing fancy, no shameless gimmicks or pretence… Just a title that pretty much does ‘exactly what it says on the tin’.
Speaking of titles, there is currently no signage so please remember this address if you want to go: 60A Boat Quay. You’ll arrive, stand around outside and awkwardly look at the dodgy ‘Spa – Massage’ sign at the entrance to the stairway and contemplate what passers by must be thinking you… But have no fear, the spa is on the 3rd floor…what lies on the second floor however is Ah Sam’s, Singapore newest classic ‘underground’ cocktail bar.
You may recognise owner and bartender Sam Wong who was previously one of the star mixologists at Jigger & Pony on Amoy Street. A young Singaporean drinks-specialist with a warm smile.
Occupying a relatively small area, your choice of seating is either one of the coveted 8 seats around the bar itself or one of the two long wooden benches (also nice to be fair). The entire place could probably accommodate 20-30 people maximum which is honestly the way I like. I hate crowded bars. Besides, if you want a properly made drink, surely it’s better to be in a queue of 3 than one of 30. Right?
So what is on offer here cocktail wise? To put it simply….the classics. Expect drinks like the Old Fashioned, Old Pal, Martini, Gin Fizz, Sazerac and the like. Although on a whim, I ended up having a Blood and Sand which was ex-cel-lent! Refreshing, balanced and quite delicious.
In my two visits so far, I’ve had a few of these already and and am happy to report on their immensely pleasurable drinkability.
Ah Sam’s Cold Drinks Stall is a simple place…few furnishings and simple, well-made classic drinks.
It doesn’t try too hard, and frankly it doesn’t need to. It just does just fine.
Written by The City Nomad