PUBLISHED May 20th, 2021 05:00 am | UPDATED May 26th, 2021 04:37 pm
Ancient Baltic myth pays homage to a god of fermentation – Raugupatis – and we can see why – so many of the best things in life are fermented, after all. Think tangy, chewy sourdough, cheese of all kinds, and the heady joys of wine. And bringing all these flavours together in tipsy revelry is Drunken Farmer – the latest natural wine bar and bistro by Spa Esprit Group to hit the CBD.
If the cheeky name sounds familiar, you might have previously snagged some natural vino from Drunken Farmer’s online bottle shop, or at one of their pop-ups with Tiong Bahru Bakery. Now, this nomadic wine merchant has set up home in Stanley Street, taking over fellow Spa Esprit Group concept Common Man Stan in the evenings. Come 6pm, the cafe’s lights dim to neon violet; the walls flicker with projections of silent films and kitschy prints of kung-fu masters. The stage is set for the grains and grapes to come out to play.
Drunken Farmer is all about fermentation the age-old, natural way. That means a menu of sourdough breads and pizzas slow-leavened with a 159-year-old starter (the very same used in Tiong Bahru Bakery’s famed sourdough waffles), alongside a range of natural wines produced sans pesticides, sulfite additives, and other chemicals. It’s a gut-nourishing reprise of another recent pop-up by the group, Le Vin Levain – you’ll find many dishes carried over from the latter’s menu, crafted by chef de cuisine Paul Albert.
The humble bread basket steals the spotlight here. Made with aforementioned 159-year-old starter, the Sourdough ‘Couvert’ (S$12) features loaves of sheer fluffy, crusty bliss. Slather on the house-churned butter with smoked sea salt, and try not to swoon.
The jet-black Squid Ink Crackers (S$13) make an impression too, sprinkled over with powder from discarded prawn shells – umami doesn’t begin to cover it. The discards also go into a briny-sweet prawn dip topped with sago pearls (which happens to go fabulously with the sourdough too). To balance out all that savoury goodness, opt for bubbly from Champagne’s first biodynamic producer – the Champagne Fleury Blanc de Noirs Brut NV (from S$32 per glass) with its crisp apple notes.
Much of the dairy in the dishes here are homemade from locally sourced milk. The Heirloom Tomatoes (S$16) salad, for one, features goat’s cheese crafted in-house with milk from Hay Dairies – it’s noticeably milder and less funky than you might expect from goat’s cheese. Heirloom tomatoes and basil oil – made with leaves from Open Farm Community’s garden – round up the fresh, tangy medley.
Another refreshing starter to snag is the Spanish Mackerel Rillette (S$14), a creamy affair of whole Spanish mackerel marinated with rosemary, thyme, and other herbs, then minced with housemade ricotta and balsamic vinegar. It’s rich enough to be had just with bread, but try mixing in the accompanying dips – house-fermented miso grain mustard and a herbaceous, salted crème fraîche – for a flavour bomb. To cut through the creaminess, sip on the Cueva Brutal Ancestral 2019 (S$94), a pét-nat sparkling with tropical fruit acidity.
There’s a small range of hot starters too, notably the Sourdough Kaarage (S$20) – a triumph of minimal waste ethos. Chicken thigh is battered using sourdough discard as well as Tiong Bahru Bakery’s Beerguette pilsner, itself brewed with leftover bread from the bakery. More doughy than crisp, these bites are sharpened nicely with house-fermented kimchi mayonnaise. It’s a lovely match with the Si Rose 2018-19 (from S$23 per glass) – an orange wine from Alsatian organic and biodynamic pioneer Christian Binner that’s juicy with tart lychee and rose notes.
With so much going on with the starters alone, it’s easy to get distracted from the main attraction: the sourdough pizzas. But they’re worth getting back on track for with their crisp crusts and wonderfully chewy insides. The Margherita (S$18) does the classic right with local basil and housemade stracciatella, while the Anchovy & Pesto (S$23) packs an intense briny punch of cured anchovies, brightened with basil-pistachio pesto and balsamic vinegar.
Is there such a thing as too much bread? Not if we’re talking about the Sourdough Waffles (S$12++) – a familiar dessert for those who’ve already tried Tiong Bahru Bakery Diner’s star dish. These tart, airy Liege waffles are ripe with banana-sweet notes, amped up with 100% fresh banana ice-cream and drizzled with salted caramel. Round off the feast with another gorgeous offering from Christian Binner, Le Scarabée Qui Bulle 2014 (S$142) – a Grand Cru sparkling number laced with melon and a seductive hint of honey.
Drunken Farmer is located at 11 Stanley St, Singapore 068730, p. +65 6877 4855. Open Tues-Sat 6pm–10.30pm. Closed Sun & Mon. Drunken Farmer’s delivery and takeaway menu is available via Deliveroo and GrabFood, Tues-Sat 12pm–8.30pm.