MO Bar’s new menu waves to Singapore’s past, present and future
The Mandarin Oriental bar is serving up new ways to look at cocktails – literally
[SINGAPORE] Commanding panoramic views of Marina Bay through its floor-to-ceiling windows, Mandarin Oriental’s MO Bar draws inspiration from Asia’s historic trading ports and the Pacific Ocean.
Its design mimics the intimate quarters of a boat, said bar manager Charlie Kim. There are touches of wood in a sea of blues, including teal walls adorned with modern art. Cabinets displaying an array of antique bar tools sourced from historic port cities add a layer of storytelling.
The 80-seater bar includes a 25-seater area – dubbed the “captain’s corner” by Kim – that can be closed off, offering an exclusive retreat for private events.
The bar has been around since 2018, but its latest menu, The Echoes of Singapore, presents a new way of looking at cocktails – literally.
On each table lies a sleek box, its dark blue design sporting wave-like motifs that echo its oceanic inspiration. Inside is a retro Viewmaster with a tinted reel disc.
Patrons can hold the binoculars-like contraption up to their eyes for a playful, immersive way to explore the cocktail selection – or pick up the traditional printed menu that also sits in the box.
The Echoes of Singapore is the sixth volume of MO Bar’s cocktail menus. It comprises 15 cocktails across five chapters, from honouring Singapore’s past and present to celebrating industry innovations and collaborations.
The opening chapter, Past Echoes, features three cocktails inspired by yesteryear, including Miss Samsui.
As a twist on the Manhattan, the bold ruby tipple – with lapsang souchong tea and maraschino cherries infused for months in red wine – pays tribute to the samsui women, female Chinese immigrants in iconic red headscarves who played a vital role in building pre-war Singapore.
“We want to kind of honour their contribution to Singapore itself,” said Kim.
The second chapter, Modern Interpretations, re-imagines Singapore’s iconic culture – including kaya toast – through a contemporary lens. The next chapter, Innovative Future, features three progressive creations, including an innovative take on Tiger Beer.
The home-brewed Hop ‘n’ Rol is cold-distilled to elevate its ABV (alcohol by volume) for a cocktail base, then blended with housemade passionfruit cordial and Japanese craft vodka for a grainy finish, complemented with a masala-powdered prawn cracker.
The three drinks under Industry Community celebrate local collaborations with like-minded businesses – including an Espresso Martini without espresso, in collaboration with bean-free “coffee” startup Prefer.
The Espresso Martini re-interprets the caffeinated classic with two types of rum, housemade Guinness syrup and egg white. Instead of coffee beans, it is topped with barley crisps, symbolising Prefer’s “coffee” blend of bread, soya bean pulp, and spent barley grains.
The menu ends with the Exceptionally Mandarin Oriental chapter, where signature cocktails are jazzed up with elements of the luxury hotel.
The Mandarin Martini, for instance, reinvigorates the classic dry martini with a touch of mandarin bitters, while the MO Whiskey Sour infuses the hotel’s signature custom tea blend with bourbon, offering a smooth sip of citrus and floral notes with meringue froth.
“The Echoes of Singapore is our way of distilling the city’s essence into a glass,” said Kim.
The new menu, launched in late February, will remain for about a year.
Miss Samsui
- 20 ml of lapsang souchong-infused Bourbon
- 30 ml of IMO shochu
- 15 ml of Cherry Heering
- 5 ml of Maraschino liqueur
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