The former travelling wine bar takes over a crowd favourite coffee place at dusk, offering sourdough-inspired dishes with a minimal waste philosophy, and natural wines.
Look, we’re simple people. Give us wine and carbs and we’ll be in high spirits – even if it means having to spend more time in the gym. So when we heard that travelling natural wine bar Drunken Farmer joined forces with the sourdough-focused Le Vin Levain pop-up, we knew we were in for a treat.
Hot new table: Drunken Farmer review
Remember when Drunken Farmer first graced us with its presence at Tiong Bahru Bakery Safari back in (gasp) pre-Covid times? Well, the former nomadic wine bar by Spa Esprit Group found a permanent home at Common Man Stan on Stanley Street. Don’t worry, there’s no need to change your brunch plans. The specialty coffee purveyors will be around for their usual service. But come dusk, it’s a whole different vibe as the natural wine bar and bistro takes over on Tuesdays to Saturdays from 6pm.
Kitschy vibes that make quite the welcome
The sleek, airy interior transforms into a kitschy space with character, using simple but smart touches. The entrance now has Japanese noren curtains with the words ‘Drunken Farmer’ plastered across. Roller blinds with visuals of kung fu masters and cool wordplay like ‘Ferment Nation’ and ‘No Gut, No Glory’ line the walls. And there’s also a neon sign to commemorate the union of coffee and wine. But our favourite has to be the projection of vintage silent cinema screenings across the room – it really sets the stage for some after-hours fun.
Never underestimate the power of fermentation
Chef de cuisine Paul Albert helms the kitchen, reprising the sourdough-focused menu we all enjoyed at Le Vin Levain. But these aren’t your ordinary sourdough pizzas, snacks and hefty bites. Staying true to the establishment’s minimal intervention philosophy, the menu is filled with slow-fermented ingenious ingredients. They’re sourced from local farms, with hand-crafted cheese made from local cows’ milk and, of course, pizza made from a 159-year-old sourdough starter. Even the simplest dishes are jam-packed with flavour.
Drunken Farmer’s salad ($15) may look like any ordinary plate of greens. But it offers levels of flavours thanks to sweet and tart punches from an apple juice reduction, and homemade Greek yoghurt marbled with beet juice reduction. Plus, the veggies come from Open Farm Community’s garden.
The Sourdough “Couvert” ($12), a basket of naturally-leavened bread served with house churned butter and pickles fermented from scratch, is good as it is. But do yourself a favour by pairing it with the Spanish mackerel rillette ($14). Remember to have the bread, rillette, homemade miso mustard and crème fraiche drizzled with local herb oil in one bite. *Chef’s kiss*
Don’t forget the pizza! Whether you’re into classic flavours like margherita ($20) slathered with house-made temple stracciatella or you’re keen to try new innovations topped with house-made goat cheese, roasted shiitake, kale, pancetta and chilli honey ($24), there’s something for everyone.
You call it waste, they call it flavour
And these folks aren’t kidding about the minimal wastage. The tangy, lightweight batter on the sour karaage ($20) is made using sourdough discard. And the briny dip that comes with the jet-black squid ink crackers ($13)? It’s created using the heads and shells of prawns from blue prawn rolls ($22).
Organic wine pairings for a match made in carb heaven
As for the wine? Look no further than 80 natural, organic, biodynamic and sustainably farmed labels sourced from France, Italy and Spain. If you’re overwhelmed by the range of white, red, sparkling, rosé and orange wines, let natural wine expert Eduardo Bayo do the pairing for you. We particularly enjoyed the Blanc de Noirs Brut ($32/glass), a bubbly mix of white peach and iris notes; and Domaine Danjou-Banessy Supernova ($18), an orange wine that brings out the funk in smells and flavour.
Don’t be surprised if you catch us wolfing down pizzas and sipping on wine here. With delish sourdough plates and wines to fuel our souls, this might just be our next favourite hangout.
Drunken Farmer, 11 Stanley Street, Singapore 068730; open Tuesdays to Saturdays from 6pm-10.30pm
