Wow, I want this poster. If I had a pub, drinking room, pool room, or any room at all that regularly featuring drinking I’d have this up. Not only is it a beautiful design, but I love the breakdowns and quick visually summaries of the different families and styles of beer. I love the various “infographics” that I’ve seen, but this might be my favorite one yet. If it were only horizontal, it’d be my desktop

Paul

When it comes to Bar Bar, I’m no hater.

There are actually now two locations for Bar Bar. Previously located out off of Bukit Timah road in the west/central part of Singapore, the old Bar Bar catered to a mix of in-the-know expats and trendy locals. The service was spotty (where isn’t it in Singapore?), ambiance sparse, and the location was a bit hard to reach even if you knew where it was. But the quality of the food, cheap beers, and these burgers keep the place packed enough to where opening another branch down by the river seemed a good idea.

I kept meaning to make a trip down with my schoolmate Asher who lives nearby (one of the first voices of support for the burgers here), but laziness usually overrode my desire to bite into this much-loved local burger… that and not wanting to pay double the cab fare than for the burger itself. Thankfully the new location is within walking distance (well a nice 15-20 minute walk) from my Chinatown home.

The new one is setup pretty much the same as the original, though it looks a bit more modern and planned out. Most of the seating is outside near the river just off of Robertson Quay… a short walk from the Gallery Hotel going the opposite direction of Epicurious. You walk inside to see the three different small kitchens at work preparing their different meals. There’s a Thai restaurant called ESarn serving my personal favorite variety of Thai food (will go back and check this place out soon).

An Indian restaurant, Sher Indian Food, offering western favorites Briyani and Chicken Tikka

And finally the Platterz. I guess they serve other food ( ) but I was here for the burger.

Prices are about half of any Dempsey joint and the flavors about double… funny how that works in Singapore. I went with the loaded up mushroom mozzarella burger which only comes out to 15.90 and got a 10 dollar pint of beer… still 5 bucks under just a burger elsewhere! The burger is pretty damn good. Best in Singapore? Well I’m still researching that . There are some nice touches though – Napa cabbage instead of lettuce gives the burger a nice crunch, the bun is covered in sesame which gives a nice nutty roundness to the flavor, and best of all, the meat itself has plenty of seasoning and interest so it doesn’t need to be drowned in fancy sauces to make an interesting bite. It’s just good on it’s own as meat and even better in the middle of two slices of bread with some cheese.

The burger at the original location is a bit flatter, more mushed in appearance. Think a high quality fast-food style burger from the US. The prices are also a couple dollars less out there. Both burgers are equally good though… it’s just that new location’s burger appears more high end. Both are worthy of attention and for hearty recommendations… hell, the original joint has burgers cheaper than some you’ll find at Carl’s Junior or Wendy’s! Plus there’s the added bonus of the other restaurants. Friends don’t eat meat or somehow not always in the mood for a burger? One stop shop that can make everyone happy

Forget those overly fancy high-end, mushy Wagyu burgers and give these a try. Saving money in Singapore tastes pretty good!

The New One
88 Roberson Quay

The Original
879 Cherry Avenue

Take me out to the ballgame
Take me out with the crowd
Buy me some yakitori and edamame….

Stepping out of the cab at the base of the massive Tokyo Dome I immediately felt the same frantic pre-game energy I knew from my childhood. It was just like seeing the Rangers or Rockies, men walking excitedly to the gate decked out in the team apparel, rows of souvenir stands, etc. The closer I got the stadium however, the more I began to notice subtle differences.

Outside the dome hawkers were selling all manner of things that were certainly not peanuts or cracker jacks.

We reached the gate and upon presentation of our ticket we were treated to a gift. In Texas we have bat night, ice cream night, towel night… almost every night a different free promo. In Tokyo, in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Giants, we visited on Hello Kitty charm night

Ushers showed us to our seats and we set about looking for snacks and drinks. Where were the surly & sarcastic beer and peanut guys / girls? Here the beer girls were cute, prompt, and attentive. I have no idea how these tiny girls hike up and down the stairs every night with the mini keg strapped to their backs, but I’m sure it’s great exercise. They even had a special cup they’d poor the excess beer head into before pouring your beer… assuring you actually get a plastic cup of beer that’s more than half full! (what a concept).

Beer in hand it was time to watch the game.

The fans were crazy…a mashup of rabbid soccer fans with their sets of historic songs and high school cheerleaders. Thankfully we were sitting in the visiting team’s side where things were loud, but nowhere near the fervor of the home team fans.

Soon it was time for some food. Though the Giants Bento Box Set looked appealing, we chose instead to go for a mix of local and traditional (yakitori and you should know the other one).

The game was fantastic. The Giants went up by 2 only to be caught by the visiting team in the 8th. The Giants held the score tied in the bottom of the 9th and I was sure we were heading for extra innings. A tiny little man stepped into the box first up for the Giants…I can’t remember if it was the first or second pitch, but it sent it out far into the left field bleachers…ending the game with a walk off home run! I can’t imagine a better first game to see. The home fans were going crazy.

The visiting fans….well let’s just say the tension got to them and my neighbor had tolerated his last picture from the westerner seated next to him.

Even if you’re not a baseball fan, or sports fan in general, when in Tokyo do yourself a favor and go see the Yomiuri “Tokyo”  Giants. Tickets can be bought at the gate, but will sell out. Ask the concierge to arrange tickets for you at the hotel as soon as you arrive and you should be fine.

Paul

Bonus Pics!

Giants Bento Box

Japanese Fan Enjoying a Hot Dog

Peace and Hot Dogs!

Littered with watering holes, this street makes a great stop for drinks

I don’t know if it is the charming conservation shophouses on the street or the drink specials that keep us coming…but we often end up in the Emerald Hill area of Singapore for weekday happy hours or a weekend drink to kick off the evening. While we have eaten at a number of the bar / restaurants, Paul and I agree this is not a dining destination per se, it’s really more about hanging out with friends over drinks.

Here are a few of our favourite highlights from Emerald Hill.

Peranakan Place
This cute little conservation building is at the entryway to Emerald Hill – and contains 3 different bars / restaurant spaces – the Alley Bar, The Acid Bar and Outdoors Café & Bar.
- Alley Bar is…you guessed it….in the alleyway, with small tables and bar stools to grab a drink.
- Acid Bar is indoors and its particular draw is the frequent live music performances ranging from acoustic to jazz. Check the website for a list of performances.
- Outdoors Café & Bar is a quieter place on the street to grab a bit to eat, chat with friends and watch other Emerald Hill patrons make their way up the hill.
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180 Orchard Road
Peranakan Place
Telephone: +65 6737 2411

Howl at the Moon
This venue features an interesting concept…an entertainment pub with Live Music, Trivia Nights, Stand-up Comedy events and Dueling Piano nights where the guests pick the songs.
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180 Orchard Road
2nd Floor Peranakan Place
Telephone: +65 6838 0281

No 5 Emerald Hill
This is a great spot to pass a Friday night after work with friends due to its relaxed, casual vibe and its full range of cocktails – from Tiger beer to sexy martinis. Plus everyone agrees the chicken wings here are killer and not to be missed. And actually because this bar shares the same kitchen as its neighbours Que Pasa and Ice Cold Beer (and actually the same owners too!), you can actually order other items like pizza from Ice Cold Beer.
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5 Emerald Hill Road
Telephone: +65 6732 0818

Que Pasa
A lovely wine and tapas bar with a charming personality set in a 1910’s shop house. Have an old world or new world wine, a glass of scotch or even a cigar. Arrive early to get a seat outside to people watch and elegantly sip your cocktail.
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7 Emerald Hill Road
Telephone: +65 6235 6626

Ice Cold Beer
What can I say about this place? It is unapologetically a pub, a regular pub  – and I love it for this. No pretensions, just sit down and have a few beers with pals. Whether you come after work with a necktie or in shorts and a t-shirt, you’ll blend right in. There is a surprisingly wide variety of beers on offer from Asahi to Hoegaarden (served in a glass so big it will take 2 hands to hold!). They also offer a fun promotion on weeknights – every night the table with the most bottle caps by 9pm takes a case of the featured beer home. The night about 12 of us went out for Caroline’s birthday we won a case of Asahi!
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9 Emerald Hill Road
Telephone: +65