If you’re at the top of your game, where do you go from there?
Jigger and Pony is a heavyweight in Singapore’s cocktail scene. Since it opened its doors in Telok Ayer in 2012, it has attracted a cult following, played host to Singapore’s best bartenders, and even created a family of well-regarded bars and restaurants.
And now, it has moved from its first home to a new one. Where to next?
The Jig’s Up
The old Telok Ayer bar was ensconced within a shophouse. With a immense wooden table sitting square in the middle, and the lights dimmed low, it was a perfect place for good drinks and quiet conversation.
As it turned out, there was a price to pay for that cosiness; Jigger got more than a little claustrophobic on weekends. There was also something that felt a little stiff about it. A touch of formality that pushed us to its raucous sister bar Sugarhall next door.
So when the landlord abruptly declared the end of Jigger’s time at Telok Ayer, parts of us were suitably crestfallen, but we also smelled opportunity for the venerable bar to renew itself.
The new premises, then, comes as a blessing in a posh disguise. Despite its new location within Amara Hotel, it feels, paradoxically, more inviting and personal.
The large, “piano” bar, so named for its glossy black lacquered finish, takes up the bottom half of the new premises, along with a large central table that should seem very familiar to regulars of the old bar at Telok Ayer. Booths line the walls for those who desire privacy.
It’s much the same as we remember; communal, informal, and modern. Curious that we got that sensation, considering the bar is brand new.
A short flight of stairs leads up to the velvets of the “private” seating area and a second, smaller bar counter. Lush velvet sofas, warm orange and teal tones and soft, piped lighting give it shades of a 70s lounge. Comfortable and very stylish.
There is a touch of the familiar that makes the new bar seem different yet similar in subtle ways. There’s some cleverness to breaking it into two parts; it was a surprise to us that it seats up to 140 people now.
Pony Up
If the decor manages to be both completely different yet, somehow, feel familiar, then hopes are necessarily high for the drinks. Fortunately, the menu does not disappoint.
The same team behind the bar at the old Jigger and Pony have returned, and a brief hiatus between the closing of the old bar and the opening of the new seems to have given them the time they needed to come up with some excellent tipples.
The menu, as before, is focused on classic cocktails and twists on the same. We particularly liked the Tokyo-Hi ($23++), which is a variation on the Japanese Highball. The whisky has been replaced with Nikka Coffey Gin, shiso peppermint infusion, umeshu, gari (picked ginger) and water.
The acidity is quite unique, coming not from the typical citrus but from the pickled ginger that sushi-lovers might be familiar with. The result is somewhat spicy, tart, yet mellow and refreshing all the same. An interesting blend of flavours indeed.
We also quite enjoy the Java Cooler ($23++), which one can call a Gin and Tonic. There is some sesame infused into the Tanqueray, which is stirred up with calamansi and pink tonic. It’s a lot more tart than the regular- a sharpness that one associates with the dimunitive local fruit. The garnish of an Indonesian rice cracker is a nice touch- and works quite well to add some texture and crispness to the drink.
A High Horse
If you need something a little stiffer, the Sakura Martini ($23++) will do just fine. It’s quite close to a true martini– which we’re thankful for. There are no strange syrups and alien cordials in this drink. Instead, the ingredients are simply Roku Gin, homemade sake vermouth and a preserved sakura blossom.
It’s rather earthy, a little spicy, and quite crisp and citrusy (though not sour). Most importantly, it’s made properly. Stirred, not shaken, and served ice-cold.
The Singapore Sling ($23++)does not resemble the saccharine mess which seems to de rigueur in your average bar. While the ingredients are largely the same, the use of lapsang souchong and rhubarb, and the omission of Dom and Cointreau make for a remarkably well balanced drink. The candy-sweetness of the original now takes on a smoky, herbal edge, yet retains its tropical personality. We’d go so far as to say that we consider it to be rejuvenated.
If there’s one drink that we would come back for, it would be the Dry Rob Roy ($23++). Talisker 10 goes into it, as does Dolin Dry Vermouth, liquorice, and shiitake bitters. One might draw a comparison to one of the successes of the modern cocktail scene, the White Negroni.
Similarly, the sweet, rich Rob Roy, has been brightened up into something crisp and clean-tasting- some would say modern. The Talisker adds a certain peatiness to the drink, but that is well tamed by the lightly sweet Dolin and liquorice. The salinity, as always, gives it a nice added dimension. It’s best enjoyed while chewing on the oyster leaf garnish, which despite its vegetal appearance, does taste like the freshly shucked mollusc.
If you’re feeling peckish, we suggest the Tuna Tartare Pie Tee ($20++). It’s full of rich, soy-seasoned tuna, avocado and cucumber. Take a bite, and one will find a crispy shell punctuated by a creamy inner layer. The true surprise is the firm, meaty tuna. Very tasty indeed.
Summing it all up
Well, the king has returned, and if anything, it feels like it’s taken its high standards up a few notches.
The drinks are, as always, excellent- which we often take for granted. There is a certain finesse in all the drinks that we have tried- something that feels modern, yet cleaving through to the soul of the drink.
We think back to how, in coming to a new location with a fresh beginning, the bar still manages to feel like its old self- just better! It’s a fine line to walk, but the folks at Jigger and Pony made it look easy.
We should be glad.
