A triumphant return for Jekyll & Hyde

THOUGH the pandemic continues to take a toll, there are still reasons to raise a glass. One of them is the return of bar scene stalwart Jekyll & Hyde, with brand new premises on Neil Road and the introduction of a food menu as creative as its cocktails.

From the laid-back alfresco ground floor to the dimly-lit, cosy second floor, it's a comfortable, relaxing space for all-day drinking and dining, says owner Chua Ee Chien.

It's a bold return for a bar that made headlines as one of the first high-profile casualties of the "circuit-breaker" period, when it gave up its physical space due to rent issues.

Yet the outpouring of support that greeted the news was precisely what convinced the team to keep going, says Mr Chua: "The support that we got was exponential."

The bar continued to offer cocktails via delivery, and secured its new place in July. With its reopening comes a new cocktail menu that was six months in the making and originally meant to launch in March.

Its twists on classic cocktails feature flavours that are familiar in food but perhaps less so in drinks.

Thus breakfast-inspired tipples such as the PB & J, with peanut-butter-washed Bulleit bourbon, strawberry-infused Campari, and orange-peel-infused Cinzano Bianco; and The OG B&B, an Old Fashioned variant that captures the taste of American pancakes with banana-infused Naked Grouse whisky; caramel of bacon and maple; and spiced chocolate bitters.

More local selections include the Pandan Valley, a fragrant twist on the classic highball; and An Unusual Wake Up Call, with flavours of chili, rosemary, and lime. Then there's the Clarified P&C, a cross between a whisky sour and milk punch. Named after its key flavours of pineapple and chocolate, it's served with a paintbrush-swirl of dark chocolate on the inside of the glass, for added aroma.

Such touches can't be replicated in delivery form, notes head bartender Michael Foong. So while Jekyll & Hyde continues to offer a delivery menu of bottled drinks - including old favourites such as its beancurd-based Mr Bean, and black sesame-featuring Sesame Street - the new signatures are available only at the bar. The idea is "not to compromise the experience of the drink itself", says Mr Foong.

The bar also offers a new Mod-Sin food menu, courtesy of chef Alvin Tan, formerly head chef at Shanghai Dolly and Straits Clan. Dishes include gula melaka top shell; chilli crab nachos topped with ikura; and kurobuta carrot cake.

In these pandemic-changed times, Mr Chua is exploring other possibilities and revenue streams for the Jekyll & Hyde brand, from bespoke bottled cocktails for events and corporate clients, to partnerships with local tourism experiences. This National Day, it's well worth drinking to that spirit of resilience and innovation.

Clarified P&C

45ml pineapple sous vide Naked Grouse whisky

20ml Jekyll & Hyde's chocolate liquor blend

20ml lemon juice

15ml cinnamon syrup

15ml split cream

Garnished with dark chocolate paint