In the discreet corner of a street lies a small, unsigned building. After much fumbling, the heavy glass door creaks open and you make your way carefully across the unwashed floors.
Groping around in the semi-darkness, you head down a dingy staircase and a steel door emerges. Holding your breath, you push it open.
Welcome to Halloween Horror Ni- uh Operation Dagger.
Voted Best New Bar at last year’s Singapore Bar Awards, Operation Dagger is an elusive bar located within the basement.
This bar is in fact, so elusive there is no sign of it. Literally.
Away from the hustle and bustle of Ann Siang Hill however, Operation Dagger serves as a great watering hole for the work weary.
Source: Sethlui.com
A cocktail bar that emphasises on the experimentation of flavours and textures, the bar has taken to replacing traditional spirits with their very own concoctions.
We had the opportunity of savouring five of the bar’s signatures drinks and boy were we taken away by the experience.
1. Apple Miso
An interesting combination of rum, fermented apple, miso caramel and sesame, the Apple Miso happens to be, at the moment, the favorite drink of co-founder Luke Whearty.
Garnished with a bar spoon made of distilled toasted sesame spirit and toffee crisp seasoned gomashio, this Japanese inspired drink we say, definitely isn’t for anyone who dislikes sesame.
2. The Egg
A favourite amongst the regulars, The Egg consists of cured egg yolk, vanilla and sugar that are shaken and strained into a ceramic egg cup before being placed in a jar of smoked hay and star anise.
The result?
A slightly intense drink with a custard-like texture that reminds us, unsurprisingly, of everyone’s favourite salted egg yolk.
3. Chocolate Pinot
If you’re a wine person, we’d recommend you to go for the Chocolate Pinot. That’s right – Chocolate. Friggin’. Wine.
Infused with raw cacao and vanilla, this drink, for starters, smells heavenly. As both a chocolate and wine fan, we’ve got nothing to complain about.
4. Fallen Fruit
Our favourite drink of the night? The Fallen Fruit.
A mix of wine, caramel, vanilla, fresh pears and curry leaf (say whaaaat), this drink is slow cooked via a sous vide method before being filtered overnight.
Served in an adorable pear ceramic mug and vanilla bean straw, this refreshing drink is a dream. Side note, we bit into the straw just to see what vanilla bean tastes like and no, it wasn’t pretty.
5. Hot & Cold
Last but definitely not the least, we have the Hot & Cold, a Pina Colada-ish drink that replaces rum with tequila.
Topped with a layer of warm white chocolate and coconut foam, this dessert drink, we think, will be popular with the ladies. A taste of both hot and cold, this one ranks a close second on our list.
With unconventional combinations of textures and flavours, Operation Dagger definitely isn’t for the faint-hearted.
If you’re looking to broaden your drinking horizons or are looking for a fun date idea, a night at this cocktail bar will just be the thing for you.
Operation Dagger
Address: 7 Ann Siang Hill #B1-01, S069791
Tel: 6438 4057
Email: [email protected]
Open: Tue – Sat, 6pm – 12am
Header image credit: iwanimawocha.com
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