Bam! Tapas-Sake Bar

Sample the unusual pairing of sake and Spanish tapas at this gastro bar, which features a menu that changes fortnightly depending on what’s available in the market. Besides small plates, the restaurant also offers omakase and set lunches (from $38), with items such as cold capellini with tobiko and bamboo clam, quail with peanut, celery and apple, and Spanish pork with organic mushrooms and ginger rice.

Bar Ippudo

Izy

Jinzakaya

This new, laid-back Japanese eatery by the Les Amis Group offers a varied menu of small plates, skewers, yakimono mains, salads, ramen and udon, on top of a respectable list of sakes, shochu and beers on tap. Food-wise, you'll find interesting selections such as the hiyashi chuka ramen ($12.80), with crab meat, salmon roe, shredded chicken and cold noodles; MBS 8 Wagyu namban ($15), spring onion wrapped with sliced Wagyu beef and kitsune natto ($3.50), fried tofu stuffed with fermented beans.

KOI Sushi + Izakaya

Neon Pigeon

Taking up residence at co-working space The Working Capitol, this modern izakaya sports a hip, grunge-inspired facade with grafitti murals, a sexy crowd and a trendy menu. You'll find sharing plates like chilled cucumber with crush chili peanuts and goma ($8) and smoked baby back ribs in sake barbecue sauce ($18). The restaurant also offers a list of craft sakes, wines, whiskys and liqueurs, special mention goes to their cocktails, craft beer and special in-house junmai daiginjo sake ($28). There are also regular parties and events happening there, like the popular Knife Fight series (which pits chefs in Singapore against each other in a Hell's Kitchen-like showdown), and guest appearances such as a bartending pop-up by Michito Kaneko (Winner of 2015 World Class Bartender's Competition).

Sumiya 

The Horse’s Mouth

Thanks to a big sign outside the shopping mall, this underground drinking den is no longer as hush-hush as it used to be, though parting the unmarked curtain in Uma Uma Ramen and heading down the dark steps still feels excitingly illicit. Although you’d expect too-cool-for-you barkeeps and impenetrable menus here, the mixologists are truly friendly, chatty and do their best to deliver a fun cocktail experience.

Uma Uma, Izakaya Bar & Restaurant

This ramen shop, yakitori joint and izakaya-in-one has a curated food menu with six different types of dry and soup ramen ($14-16), and a larger selection of yakitori, kushikatsu (breaded and fried skewers) and bar bites. Of course, no izakaya is complete without a decent drinks menu, and Uma Uma has an extensive variety ranging from spirits like rum, Bourbon and Scotch to sakes and signature and classic cocktails like Negroni ($18) and Aphrodisiac ($18).