Xava Skybar wants to bring ‘day-to-night’ appeal to National Gallery Singapore

[SINGAPORE] “Day-to-night” is way up there in the list of marketing cliches that so often come with F&B venue launches. 

Even a breezy beach club that turns into something out of a horror movie after dusk might say it has a cosy night-time atmosphere. Or maybe a black-walled, neon-lit bar will tell you that it’s a vibrant spot for lunch.

Xava Skybar, the new rooftop venue that launched on Aug 1, wants to be among the few making good on that promise of all-day appeal. 

Located atop National Gallery Singapore, Xava is the brainchild of the same nightlife veterans behind Center of the Earth (Cotu), the massive multi-concept destination on the 38th and 39th floors of CapitaGreen.

The team is banking on the new concept’s location – it took over the space once held by Italian restaurant Art di Daniele Sperindio – and sweeping views of the city to help it stand out in a crowded scene. 

“We wanted to create a destination more than anything else,” says Cotu CEO M Sanjivan, who also helms Xava. “We wanted to create an experience throughout the day... that could cater to everyone.”

Xava, which is open from 11 am to 2 am daily, was therefore designed to transform according to the time of day. 

During warmer hours, glass screen doors block out the sun, splitting the venue into a “daytime lounge” and alfresco area. Once the evening comes around, those same screen doors open up to create a single wide space that can accommodate up to 190 people.

On the menu

Xava offers eight signature cocktails at S$24 each. “We tried to embrace a little bit of the culture of Singapore,” says Sanjivan of the line-up, adding that tropical, refreshing flavours are a major focus.

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Take for instance Xava Sling, the bar’s lighter spin on a Singapore sling. The sweet, fruity notes found in the original from Raffles Hotel’s Long Bar are carried over via guava and pineapple juices, while longan honey adds a hint of the original’s body.

The mix, co-founder Cedric Chong says, is “by far the best-selling drink” at Xava.

Drawing inspiration from elsewhere in the region, Mango Hour is reminiscent of Thailand’s unofficial national dessert. A reduction of Sapporo lager and a spoonful of mango pearls turn this mango, coconut and glutinous rice concoction into what is perhaps best described as an ideal adult bubble tea.

Then there’s Velvet Thorn, which we’re told is another of the bar’s bestsellers. Sweet and fizzy with a fruity tang, it comes with a sphere of soursop and passion berry tea that’s meant to be popped along the way. This not only changes the drink’s profile, but also keeps the flavour present even as the ice melts.

City slickers prepping for a long night out will find a much-needed boost in Midnight Fuel, where an espresso martini meets an Irish coffee. Capping the rum-based drink is a vanilla foam that reads almost like a marshmallow topping.

Xava’s food menu, meanwhile, features “globally inspired cuisine”, from bourbon-glazed beef short ribs to cheeseburger skewers. It also has a lunch set menu, for those coming in the day for a “respite from the heat”, as Chong puts it.

Keeping things moving

Coming up with the concept, design and programming for Xava took “a good seven months”, says Sanjivan. He adds, however, that these are all “ever-changing”.

What likely isn’t changing is the set of circular LED panels on the ceiling, which can be customised during private bookings; a press release indicates they will also “evolve through seasonal commissions and artist collaborations”.

Chong admits that the team was initially hesitant when they first saw renderings of the ceiling design. After halving the number of panels from the 24 initially proposed, they were sold. “We wouldn’t have it any other way,” he says of the result.

The team spent a considerable amount of time figuring out the layout of the space, too. Making sure everyone could get a seat overlooking the Singapore skyline was a top priority, Chong says. “It’s a nice place, but I think people are here for the view, too.”

The default setting has higher tables indoors nearer the bar, with shorter seats placed further out. But Chong points out that everything is modular, and the furniture can be moved around whenever needed. 

Already, the team has received several enquiries and bookings from corporates; they expect the business-to-business segment to make up a substantial part of Xava’s takings.

Ultimately, for Sanjivan, Xava’s success will be determined by whether it can keep people engaged all day and eager to stay. “We want a customer to come in and stay for more than one drink – not by force,” he quips, “but because of the experience.”