Flow Bar, Duxton Hill - Cocktail Bar Review

Location: Duxton Hill
Price: ££
Value for Money: 5/5
Overall: 5/5
Perfect for: Cocktails, Lounge Bar, Intimate Gatherings, Unpretentious Date Night

If there is one thing Singapore is not short of, its cocktail bars. In fact, make your way around Duxton Hill and you’ll see that the streets are brimming full of them. Yet none of them are quite like Flow Bar.

There is no speakeasy style hidden entrance, no amber backlighting illuminating a bar filled with unfamiliar spirits, and no unnecessary ego from the staff shrouding the cocktails away from customisation by the guests.

Instead, drinking at Flow Bar feels like drinking at a close friend’s place, and this is exactly the ‘go with the flow’ vibe the bar wanted to emanate.

The Decor:

Flow Bar is situated on the second floor of Michelin-starred French fine-dining restaurant JAG. As you make your way up to the second floor you’ll instantly notice the laid back vibe of the bar. Instead of checking in at a desk when you arrive, you simply walk in and are warming greeted by the staff behind the bar.

The space isn’t large and fits 23 seats across chesterfield sofas, sleek armchairs, bar stools and small tables. This eclectic mix of furniture and warm lighting is reminiscent of a cosy and inviting living room, where friends gather around for a drink.

The Cocktails:

At the helm of Flow Bar is well-renowned Master-Mixologist Ricky Paiva and the wealth of experience he brings with him - meaning we knew the cocktails were going to be good.

The Cocktail menu here is divided into four sections, all which are inspired by the different parts of a home and each of which present their own flavours and textures.

The Living Room is the first concept and cocktails here offer a sense of comfort and familiarity. The menu houses classics such as Bloody Mary, Paloma and Cosmo.

Next is The Garden, which features seasonal and refreshing drinks and draws inspiration from Restaurant JAG’s botanical-forward creations.

The Office is the opposite and houses strong, deep libations designed to enjoy after a long day. The final concept is the most fun, The Playground is where the creative drinks sit and is a space for Ricky to express himself and experiment.

We started with the Duxton Daquiri from The Playground, featuring a delicious blend of Verita's Rum and Velvet Falernum as well as Jesse James, a warming, peaty cocktail made with Balvenie 12yo and Rye Whiskey, which packed a punch from The Office.

I then moved onto Cinnamon Girl, again from The Playground as I couldn’t resist the call of the syrupy Apple Pie Bourbon blended with Pommeau, fresh Lemon and the soft tones of caramel.

Upon the bartenders recommendation we also tried the Peppered Pineapple which soon became our favourite. This heady mix of mezcal, roasted pineapple, and fresh lime is elevated with a hit of red and black pepper evoking all the senses.

We then ended on a round of Espresso Martinis, which many have deemed the best Espresso Martinis in town. A coupe of Nikka Vodka and espresso topped with dulce de leche foam was presented to our table, and then torched for a few seconds to allow the dulce de leche to melt and then crispen. This released irresistible aromas of caramel, coffee and cream and I couldn’t wait to dive in.

I was really impressed with this Espresso Martini which evoked memories of enjoying warm s’mores as a child.

The Food:

Flow Bar is not only located directly above Restaurant JAG, but they also collaborate together. This means that there is a complementary nature to the bar snacks/light bites which are prepared by the kitchen downstairs.

We opted for duck rillettes and pumpkin hummus, both for which were served with crunchy sourdough bread provided by Starter Lab. Both plates were deliciously moreish and we ordered more bread to accompany it.

We then moved onto JAG’s signature croque monsieur, a mammoth dish comprised of 2 slabs of sourdough, emmental, gruyere, raclette and of course ham parisienne. This is the biggest serving of croque monsieur I’ve ever seen, yet it was so good we polished it all of.

This is a great dish to order especially if you are dining in a group and need something to line the stomach - as this will certainly do the job. It is definitely a step up from the post-night out greasy kebab.

I was very impressed with the food offering at Flow Bar, and it certainly isn’t an afterthought to the menu.

Overall:

Flow Bar is an open and inviting bar with friendly staff and a menu which is easily accessible to all.

Ricky exudes a sense of warm hospitality that extends the space and his cocktails too. He was kind enough to spend time speaking to us and answering all our questions.
There are big plans in the pipe-line for Flow Bar, especially in their collaboration with JAG restaurant, and I can’t wait to see them come to fruition.

For an unpretentious night-out that feels like lounging in a friend’s bar, this is the place to go.