Aside from an ample selection of bourbons and whiskies, this new bar near Ann Siang Hill also offers New Orleans fare like chicken and waffles, gumbo, shrimp and grits and more
You’ve got Caribbean rum lounges, ritzy gin joints, even bars with craft beer towers that quench the thirsts of parched guzzlers amongst Singapore’s zealous drinking community; is it surprising to find an establishment catered to bourbon boozers as well? Not at all.
Livening up the already-animated Club Street is this new waterhole that pretty much cuts to the chase in its specialty. More than an homage to the beloved whisky-based tipple, the namesake, Bourbon Street, is actually derived from the street of the same name in Louisiana’s French Quarter. So as you might expect, the sentiment Bourbon Street harbours for New Orleans culture is palpable – in its bar bites menu serving classics like gumbo, and especially in its staggering selection of bourbon on display. If bourbon’s your bevvie of choice, you’ve come to the right place.
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Expectant connoisseurs can saunter in to find a gritty, faded brick wall behind a steel caged partition on their left, while the dozen-seat bar beckons across it with its dizzying array of bottles lined neatly, yet formidably, on shelves. Black walls create a cosy, closed-off feel, separating patrons from the clamour of the Club Street buzz outside; the bar’s glass door entrance kept at distance with a lengthy, narrow corridor leading to the back-room tables. It all constructs an environment where bourbon pros can feel like they can take their time and savour (and squabble over) the taste profiles of Bourbon Street’s 30 bourbon varieties – Blanton’s Original, Buffalo Trace, Hudson Baby, Jefferson’s Ocean; you name it, chances are they’ve got it. Yet, at the same time, it doesn’t feel overly stuffy to the point where it alienates casual bourbon drinkers either. If you fall in the latter camp, we recommend two cocktails for you to wet your beak.
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For a real kick, The Big Old Fashioned ($16) should get your belly all warm and toasty. The proportion of bourbon is generous in this beast, but its potency is balanced out with the sweet hints of grapefruit juice. But if that’s too much to handle and you prefer a lighter jab, the Tropical Tantrum ($18) is a fruitier, more summery recipe – while citrusy with the use of pineapple bourbon, this also goes down the gullet with a cheeky, spicy tingle. We weren’t kidding when we said this place goes batty over bourbon; here, you’ve got cocktails infused with Earl Grey bourbon (The After Work Special, $18), purple shiso bourbon (Gentle Oak, $20), black tea bourbon (Vanilla Iced Tea, $18) and even cinnamon bourbon (Gingerbread Julep, $18). Yet, if for some reason, you’ve ended up here despite not being a bourbon drinker, Bourbon Street also stocks gin, cognac, rum and absinthe cocktails just for you.
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But what’s a New Orleans tribute dig without some homely, hearty grub? You’ll find the usual suspects of Louisianan fare here – the Good Ol’ Gumbo ($10) we had was a thick mixture of smoked sausage and chicken stew, peppered with spices, and cooked just right without the rice grains being too hard or soggy. If only we had some fresh seafood in this mix though! That would’ve been swell. Fans of chicken and waffles shouldn’t expect your usual deep-fried, battered-to-a-crisp variation here; instead, the Bourbon Street Chicken and Waffles ($15) features brined chunks of buttermilk chicken without the skin, layered atop crispy (less fluffy) waffles and drizzled with a maple syrup enhanced with – you guessed it – more bourbon. And if you’re still hungry for more Louisiana-inspired bites, the Cajun chicken wings ($10) and shrimp and grits ($15) will round up the culinary tour for you.
Just remember: whatever you choose to gobble up and drink down, do yourself a favour and opt for a bourbon. You’ll never run out of options here, clearly.
Bourbon Street, 46 Club Street, Singapore 069423, p. 6221 1025. Open Tue-Thu 5pm-1am, Fri-Sat 5pm-late.