Niche sips for curious palates at Neil Road cocktail bar Hi Stranger
Rare spirits come in 10 ml pours for those looking to try a little bit of something new
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[SINGAPORE] The world of spirits can seem a tough one to crack, not least when a bottle may cost several hundred dollars – with no guarantee of getting something you’ll even like.
Sure, there are online reviews, but there’s only so much to glean from a video or blog describing oak notes and buttery mouthfeels.
Enter Hi Stranger, which opened in Neil Road this May with a focus on helping the city’s curious sippers “discover something unexpected”.
The idea behind the bar, says co-founder Bastien Renard, was to “contribute something that feels immersive, welcoming and driven by curiosity”.
To that end, Hi Stranger offers a selection of rare, small-batch spirits – all displayed right up front as one enters – in pours starting at 10 ml, for as little as S$5. Renard explains that this approach lowers the barriers to entry for those wanting to try something new.
It also allows more people to enjoy those spirits that are particularly limited in quantity, he adds, picking up one such bottle: a custom blend produced in partnership with Savanna Rum, a distillery in Reunion Island off the coast of Madagascar.
The label, with its swirling lava-like patterns, was designed by Renard to tie in with what he calls Hi Stranger’s first “chapter”, A World Aglow.
The plan, he adds, is to change up the look and feel of the place every so often, so things stay new and interesting.
For now, A World Aglow is his interpretation of Fire of Love, a 2022 documentary that follows the lives of two volcanologists. Warm, orangey tones fill the bar, and the drinks lean deep into smoky and spicy notes.
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On the menu
Hi Stranger was also conceived as a “cocktail playground for the curious”, with nine signature drinks created by head bartender Khalya Khalik for the inaugural menu.
Among them is The Krafft Negroni – one of Renard’s favourites – which tops off the usual negroni with mezcal for a smokier take.
The custom Savanna rum blend is used in The Naughty Martini, a hard-hitting spin on a dirty martini.
For something lighter, there’s The Basil Martini, a brighter take on the same classic, this time equal parts savoury and herbaceous.
Besides the signatures, Hi Stranger runs a rotating “revival” programme, featuring one not-often-seen cocktail every week.
Meanwhile, those staying late into the night get an invitation to “catch the Ramos” by way of a sign above the bar.
Just one Ramos gin fizz is made each night, Renard says – a likely relief for those behind the bar, considering that the drink’s eponymous creator is said to have hired “shaker men” just to make the labour-intensive cocktail.
For something to munch on, the bar offers sharing plates including cheesy pao de queijo and a romesco sauce-drizzled Spanish octopus. The food menu is the brainchild of head chef Edwin Tay, who previously worked at one-Michelin-starred Nouri.
Settling in
Renard and fellow co-founder Roomi Luo decided some three years ago to open Hi Stranger – just a few weeks after meeting each other. The impetus, he admits, came from a shared “difficulty in being selective”.
“Our moods change all the time,” he says. “Some days we want to have cocktails, other days we want spirits, and yet other days we want to have food. Sometimes we want all three… and that was our goal.”
Juggling three programmes – cocktails, spirits and food – is no easy feat, with multiple considerations at play, from manpower to sourcing. “It made life very hard,” Renard quips. “But I’m glad we did it.”
While the F&B industry is facing tough times and competition is high, Renard says there’s never a “perfect time” to start a business. “You’re never fully ready for things like this; at some point… you just have to take the chance.”
The bet appears to be paying off. Renard and Luo have been alternating days at Hi Stranger as they continue their day jobs, but things are “getting busier and busier”, which may soon necessitate a different arrangement.
As for what else is next, Renard teases that he is in discussions for collaborations for the bar’s next chapter and menu, though details have yet to be ironed out.
“Things are moving,” he adds. “People are interested in our concept and joining us to bring crazy stories to life.”
Krafft Negroni
- 30 ml gin
- 30 ml Campari
- 30 ml sweet vermouth
- 5 ml mezcal, as a float
- Grapefruit twist, as a garnish
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