For those of us who are familiar with Junior the Pocket Bar, the half-yearly menu changes always inspire equal parts excitement and wistfulness. Excitement for the next concept, and wistfulness for the temporary nature of each concept.
Well, that time came not too long ago, and its latest incarnation is a… high concept.
Never the Same
After the Mezcal-based Norma, the New Orleans- inspired Magnolia and the celebration of Tiki drinks that was Pacifica, Junior crosses the pond to bring the Alps to Singapore.
All said, it is a risky proposition.
The Alps, after all, is not known for its lush tropical rainforests, and Singapore isn’t the destination for those who want to ski down powdery slopes and cruise on the calderas.
More to the point, the flavours one would find in the mountainous spine of Europe would be altogether alien to most Singaporeans. Where sugar and spice are all things nice in this part of the world, the flowers, berries and herbs take a bit of getting used to.
Not to mention a small little detail. Who in Singapore has even seen an Alpine bar?
So, imagine our surprise when we stepped into Junior’s pocket-sized premises at Tanjong Pagar.
Putting on the Snowshoes
Petite Chalet lived up to its name. The bar seats about ten people total. Photos of smiling ski enthusiasts, snowshoes and even the odd cuckoo clock adorn the pear-green walls.
One might very well mistake it for a ski lodge somewhere up in the mountains- minus the view of pristine white slopes. Modern science can only do so much, after all.
We were informed that while Petite Chalet was an Alpine themed concept, it wasn’t confined itself to any particular country’s part of the Alps. The ingredients and styles thus included elements of Austrian, German, Italian, French flavours and so on.
The ample rack of liqueurs behind the bar certainly attested to that. We spied spiced pears, herbal spirits and even some Amaros. There were plenty of bittersweet flavours, to be sure, and enough herbal influence to give the medicine men a run for their money.
Viva Vivaldi
Petite Chalet’s menu is divided into four seasons with a different style of drinks (all at S$25++) for each season.
Spring
We started on the Supernature, which proved to be a good taste of what was to come. The ingredients read almost like a remedy, and there was no running from its herbal flavour. Mancino Bianco vermouth, celery soda, gentian, fino sherry and green herbs.
The overall effect was something like a ginseng and celery soda, but one that was balanced with sour and slightly sweet notes. We were pleasantly surprised at how tasty it actually was, once we got past the initial shock.
The Killer Queen, inspired by the Queen song, tones down the herbs. Composed with Citadelle gin, lemon, blueberry, rhubarb and elderflower, it had a vibrant florality and shades of herbal sweet-sour that one associates with the passage into spring.
The gold star garnish scattered on its surface had a…star-tling effect.
Summer
The heat of summer came through in the Pines and Needles. With St George Terroir Gin, clarified tomato, bianco vermouth, chartreuse elixir and an Alpine cheese crisp for garnish, it was probably our favourite of the drinks at Petite Chalet.
The ripe sweetness of the tomato gave the drink a warm, summery tones and a nice savoury edge. The Alpine aromas of pine trees and fresh forest floor are of course, present. While these smells usually evoke a coolness, thanks to the full flavours of the drink, we instead imagined a lush sea of endless green and blustery warmth.
Autumn
We also tipped our metaphorical headwear to the Tyrolean Hat. The combination of Widge’s Gin, clarified pear, maurin quina and soda, gave it a refreshing, sweet and even a light honeyed flavour. The trademark herbal flavours were subtle but effective, adding a bracing bitterness that heigtened the fruity flavours of the drink and add a nice firmness.
For something properly autumnal, we tried the Cuckoo Clock. Made from brown butter rye whiskey, apple brandy, green walnut liqueur, DOM Benedictine and vermouth, it had more than a passing resemblance to confectionery. Like many of the other drinks, the ingredients read much worse than it ended up tasting.
We’d describe it as a Popcorn Ricola Manhattan. The caramel and nut flavours are nicely complemented with the rye and apple flavours, and the DOM gives it a nice depth.
Winter
Death in the Treeline was designed as a wintery Daiquiri, though the presentation is both very different and completely apt. Served in a stout mug that smacked of cold-weather comfort, we found the drink rather sweet; perhaps appropriate for the season, but a little too much for us.
While it had a rounded herbal middle flavour, it did remind us of orange soda with a generous helping of herbs. We recommend giving it some time to dilute and integrate.
Summing it all up
Well, that was quite the trip. We’d say that Petite Chalet does have a great fidelity to its concept; one does feel transported to the Alps while seated at the bar.
While your mileage might vary when it comes to the drinks, we see that as a great thing. Don’t get us wrong, the cocktails are excellent overall, having both depth and balance. The flavours, however are definitely unusual to our Asian tastebuds; even more so than we expected going in.
We see that as a good thing, however. The whole point is to step away from our comfort zones once in a while and go on a trip. Sometimes, that trip is to a ski lodge on top of a mountain, surrounded with the fragrance of herbs and flowers.
Jingle Bells, Herbal Smells
Christmas is around the corner, and Petite Chalet will be serving up five twists on Yuletide drinks. There’s Uncle Joe’s Eggnog, which has the traditional eggs, cream and spice, but, in keeping with the theme, also Rye Whisky, Cognac, PX Sherry and Becherovka.
If you desire something bubbly, the Gift of the Magi might be up your alley. Made with champagne, pear, white cacao, gold, frankincense and myrrh, it somehow manages to tick both the fizzy and winter-flavour boxes at once.
