96 JULY 2019
We scour the bar scene to bring you the new and
noteworthy. It’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it!WINE & DINEFirst impressions: As soon as we
entered through a discreet entrance into
an old-fashioned parlour, I was already in
love with Idlewild. The interiors alone are
worth checking out; inspired by the first
commercial transatlantic flights from New
York’s John F. Kennedy Airport (originally
called “Idlewild”) in the 1940s, the décor
is both eclectic and sophisticated-chic,
creating a fun, nostalgic and globally
inspired atmosphere that perfectly
captures the “Golden Age” of air travel.
It’s made even better by a live jazz band,
which plays Wednesdays and Thursdays
from 8.30pm, and Fridays and Saturdays
from 9.30pm.The Chosen One: Inspired by 10
cities along the Transatlantic Route, each
of the 20 tipples is created with spirits and
ingredients sourced from or inspired by
each respective location. From the Lisbon
section of the menu, we loved The LastCrusade ($25), made with Never Never
Triple Juniper gin and Portuguese spice-
infused lime cordial, with a side of fried
curry leaves to eat in between sips – a
taste that totally works!
Our hands-down favourites of
the night, however, were both from
the Casablanca page. The Berbere
Smash ($22) – a mix of bourbon,
classic Moroccan flavours like mint
and cardamom, and a hint of salt and
preserved lemon – was sweet and salty
at the same time, and reminded me of
a margarita, only with bourbon. Not a
whisky fan at all, I still loved this drink
because it didn’t taste overly strong; I’ll
definitely order it again when I return.
Topped with a giant honeycomb to
snack on between sips, the Touria ($24)
combines Ford’s Gin, cumin-laced honey
syrup and fresh capsicum juice – a totally
unexpected ingredient that we’ve decided
is too underutilised in the cocktail scene.Bite on this: Each travel destination
is also represented with a tapas-style bar
snack influenced by its native cuisine. We
enjoyed everything on the menu, from
London’s classic fish and chips ($24) –
cod, malt vinegar, sea salt and lemon – to
the yellowfin tuna with sesame oil atop
wonton crackers ($18 for four pieces)
from Lima. I particularly enjoyed the
scallop ceviche with chilli and citrus
juice ($18) from Lisbon (and would have
eaten the salsa-like juice with a spoon had
I not controlled myself). Whatever you do,
don’t leave without trying the Mexico City
avocado fries ($15); they’re not the type
of fries you’d expect but rather deep-fried,
almond-coated avocado wedges with a
side of lemon mayo for dipping – divine!- Amy Greenburg
IDLEWILD
Lobby Level, InterContinental Singapore
80 Middle Road
6825 1045 | idlewild.sgBerbere
SmashThe Last
Crusade