Elite Traveler July-August 2016

EXPLORE SINGAPORE PLAY

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH Keong SaikRoad Tucked away in Chinatown, Keong Saik Road is one of Singapore’s most interesting drinking and dining destinations. Once the preserve of gangster dens and brothels, the area has been given a new lease of life by quirky speakeasy-style bars, celebrity chef restaurants and cute boutique hotels. British chef Jason Atherton has two outposts here – Esquina (esquina.com.sg), just off Keong Saik Road, dishes up tapas and industrial-chic decor, while The Study (the-study.sg) serves British fare in a bistro setting. Grab a table at Burnt Ends (burntends.com.sg) for mouth-watering ”Aussie barbecue“ dishes by Australian chef David Pynt. Hidden behind a bookshop storefront, refined speakeasy bar The Library may be Singapore’s most open secret, but it concocts deliciously creative cocktails; on an adjacent street The Cufflink Club (thecufflinkclub.com) whips up witty tipples amidst brooding decor embellished with Art Deco touches. The new(est) kid on the block is Potato Head Folk (pttheadfolk.com), the Lion City’s outpost of the Potato Head Beach Club in Bali – settle into the Studio 1939 Lounge on the third floor for cocktails and conversation. At the end of the night, check into one of the design-savvy boutique hotels in the area. Naumi Liora (naumiliora.com) combines heritage and modern aesthetics in original Peranakan-style buildings, while at Hotel 1929 (hotel1929.com) creative suites are decked with classic designer and vintage furniture, and sport outdoor baths nestled in tropical rooftop gardens. For something to do during daylight hours, drop into Covo (covosg.com), a Japanese salon with a wide range of personalized hair and beauty treatments, or show off your cultural sophistication by picking up some contemporary Indian art at Indigo Blue Art (indigoblueart.com).

Clockwise from top: The bustling Keong Saik Road; Jason Atherton's Esquina; The Cufflink Club; Potato Head Folk