Alibabar the Hawker Bar
Previously known as Ali Baba Eating House, this East-side hangout went through a major revamp and came back as a “Hawker Bar”. A coffeeshop by day and hawker bar by night, this is where you can sip on upmarket brews and a cup of milo peng, all in one place.

Bincho
Part of Loh Lik Peng’s Unlisted Collection group (Esquina, Burnt Ends), this eatery in one of Tiong Bahru’s art deco blocks leads a double life. In the day, it’s an old-school mee pok stall and at night, it transforms into a so-hip-it-hurts Japanese yakitori bar.

Bokky Curry
Young couple Lim Kim Bak and his wife Eunice Oh run this new hawker stall (opened early February) in Hong Lim Food Centre selling curry chicken, a hot local favorite. Drop by early to avoid disappointment—their main star runs out fast. How fast? Follow them on Facebook (they’re super active there) to find out.

Coocci Contemporary Japanese
This Japanese stall couldn’t feel more out of place. On offer are classic Japanese creations (like curry udon and rice bowls) as well as other random
fusion plates, including chicken tortellini.

The Good Beer Company
Daniel Goh’s great little drinks stall offers over 50 different beers and ciders, from countries like Taiwan and the US. He also owns Smith Street Taps, a stall selling craft beer on tap (which is right next door).

PasarBella
With everything from a mini wet market at Oceans of Seafood to food stalls selling artisanal products (run by passionate folks like Ai Ming Syu at The Cheese Ark and Corrine Chia at the neighboring Great Beer Experiment), PasarBella is as much upscale hawker as it is farmers’ market.

The Soup Bar
Helmed by chef Gary Lum (who spent 10 years working in the kitchens of places like The Ritz Carlton and Brasserie Gavroche), this new stall serves wholesome gourmet soups, pasta and salad.

Twoface Pizza & Taproom
Another case of split personality in Tiong Bahru. By day this spot is a kopitiam and by night it’s a self-service pizzeria (well okay, maybe the kopitiam tradition of self-service is still kept alive) serving locally-inspired grub and craft beer.
 

Can't get enough of brunch? Well, book a spot at these three brunches pronto. Ritz-Carlton's OTT SuperBrunch is happening on Mar 16, while Edge and Wooloomooloo Steakhouse have recently rolled out new deals.

Don't miss out on picnic-themed menu highlights like gourmet pies, meats prepared on a seven-meter long Gridiron grill and of course, Champagne, at The Ritz-Carlton's SuperBrunch: The Picnic Party (Mar 16, noon).

Over at Edge's Sunday Champagne Brunch (available Sun noon-4pm), indulge in a four-hour feast, complete with free flow of Veuve Clicquot, wine, beer and cocktails and must-try items like suckling pig and duck confit ravioli. There are even gluten-free desserts like red velvet cake and brownies.

Finally, Wooloomooloo Steakhouse has just launched a weekend brunch. For $68, you get to enjoy a five-course brunch (available Sat-Sun, 11:30am-2:30pm) with favorites like eggs benedict with smoked salmon, Wooloomooloo's signature beef Wellington, light bites like lobster bisque and burrata mozzarella and sweet creations such as bread and butter pudding and cheesecake.

Speaking of meat, if you haven't visited Lawry's in while, now's a great time because their popular one-for-one lunch deal for Standard Chartered cardholders is back, from now till Mar 31 (valid daily from 11:30am-2:30pm). Go for it before it's gone.

Future Music Festival Asia
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

What: The overseas edition of this Aussie music festival is one of the largest in Southeast Asia, having drawn a whopping 55,000-strong crowd last year. Its third edition is set to be the biggest yet, with over 70 international and local acts taking over multiple stages at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium across three days.
Who: EDM royalty including deadmau5, Armin van Buuren, Martin Garrix and Paul van Dyk, alongside hot names like Pharell Williams, Tinie Tempah and Wu-Tang Clan.
Why you should go: It’s only about an hour if you fly ($77 for round-trip ticket with AirAsia) and there’s plenty of different music genres for audiophiles.
March 13-15. Bukit Jalil National Stadium, Malaysia. www.futuremusicfestival.asia. RM 208-588 ($79-224).

Ultra Korea
Seoul, South Korea

What: One of the most talked-about music festivals in the world (the original Miami edition’s early bird tickets sold out within minutes), this high-energy, buzzing juggernaut, with an impressive stage setup, had around 100,000 ‘Ultranauts’ raving over two days last year to a star-studded lineup of top DJs including Carl Cox, Armin van Buuren and Afrojack.
Who: Already confirmed for its phase one lineup are EDM’s biggest names—Avicii, Hardwell, Nicky Romero, W&W and Alesso.
Why you should go: Ultra is famous for its amazing party vibe, thanks in part to a killer schedule of EDM’s brightest superstars. Just watch the official after-movie on YouTube and you’ll see why.
June 13-14. Seoul Olympic Stadium Complex, 10 Jamsil-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, South Korea. www.umfkorea.com. KRW 120,000-250,000 ($142-295).

Summer Sonic
Osaka, Japan

What: This annual two-day rock, pop and indie music fest is a worthy rival to Fuji Rock—and you don’t even have to camp. Festival-goers can look forward to impressive acts across a number of stages; Muse, Metallica, Linkin Park and Fall Out Boy topped the bill in the last edition.
Who: Headlining this edition are Arctic Monkeys, Robert Plant, Phoenix, Avenged Sevenfold, The 1975, Azealia Banks, Kasabian, Metronomy and many more.
Why you should go: Because no-one loves indie music quite like the Japanese. Plus, there’s an amazing venue setup on an island at the edge of the city, (typically) great weather and a 60,000-strong crowd.
August 16-17. Maishima Summer Sonic Osaka Site, 2-2-15 Hokukoryokuchi, Konohana Ward, Osaka, Japan. www.summersonic.com/2014. JPY 13,000-28,000 ($161-348).

Stereosonic
Sydney, Australia

What: One of Australia’s most happening and fastest growing music festivals—also held in Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Melbourne—this awesome electro shindig saw over 200,000 attendees and seven stages last year.
Who: The lineup is slated to be announced in July, but after 2013’s edition featuring David Guetta, Armin van Buuren, Calvin Harris and Nero as headline acts, alongside major players like Afrojack and Sebastian Ingrosso, 2014 shouldn’t fall short.
Why you should go: OK, so you don’t know who’s scheduled to play at the event, but based on its track record, the lineup
is sure to be packed with famous DJs as well as local Aussie acts that are unique to
each city.
November/December. Venue TBA. www.stereosonic.au.

Sunburn Festival
Goa, India

What: Goa sure knows how party, and this seven-year-old EDM festival, which has since cast its net in Colombo, Mumbai and Dubai—and is rumored to be hitting Singapore in the near future—is proof. It’s not just mind-blowing sets you’ll be getting; last year, Sunburn had its own cruise, a flea market, a Ferris wheel and multiple after-parties within walking distance.
Who: The lineup for this year is still unconfirmed but expect its organizers to pull out the big guns, with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Axwell, Tiesto, Above & Beyond and Dash Berlin, having made appearances in previous years.
Why you should go: It’s a massive three-day carnival with great music covering all genres of the electronic spectrum and more.
December 26-28. Venue TBA. www.sunburn.in. INR 4,891-6,521, ($100-132).
 

There are cakes, meringues, cheesecakes, cupcakes (of course) and plenty more at Strictly Pastry, the latest addition to the east.

The business was initially based online before chef-owner Hannah Wong decided to set up this takeaway shop on Joo Chiat Road. You'll find items with quirky names on offer, like the Ugly Sue, a meringue filled with passionfruit mousse and rolled with various berries ($7 for three pieces); the Pucker ($5), a lime cake-tart with white chocolate; and the Badger ($7), a stout and cocoa cake with cream cheese frosting. 

Strictly Pastry also stocks locally-made products like jams by GSH Conserves (from $4). Plus, events like baking workshops are in the pipeline so watch this space for more info.

EAST

• East of Avalon Wines
• Ponti Wine Cellars
• Vivavino
• Wine Directions

NORTH

• Barworks Wine & Spirits Pte Ltd
• Yeo’s Liquor

WEST

• Golden Hung Ho Holdings Pte Ltd
• J&D Burleigh Pte Ltd

Chilli Crab Cocktail

This Chinatown pop-up takes inspiration from one of our national dishes with this mix of gin, Malibu, kaffir lime, lemongrass and chilli
crab paste.
$22 from Mars Bar

Dashi & Umami

Trust the Bar Stories folks to come
up with alcoholic miso soup—a tequila-spiked mix of dashi stock and shiro miso. Available through March 9.
$24 from Bar Stories

Jolly Green Giant

Pretty sure this sweet, gin-spiked pea puree counts towards our daily veggie intake. We’ll take five, please.
$18 from Tippling Club

Modena Stout

A fairly tame, typical framboise and cognac mix turns all Tiger Mom-crazy with Chinese black vinegar stock.
$20 from Ding Dong

Anti:dote
This swanky new watering hole at Fairmont Singapore is one classy bar. We love the ambience—the decor is sleek, with unexpected Peranakan touches like batik motifs. There's also a 26,000-piece crystal chandelier, which adds a touch of glamour to the room. The handcrafted cocktails ($23 each) are the stars of the show though—they're made with herbs from the bar’s own garden, and combine classic recipes with contemporary finesse. Try The Blood of Dillinger, a fusion of beet, rosemary, honey, lemon and tequila. As for nibbles, the menu features tapas such as yellow fin tuna with green apple, kaffir lime, Jalapeno ponzu and Kaluga caviar ($16). A great antidote to your office blues.

One-Ninety Bar
This newly opened bar is the first Asian outpost of world-famous cocktail master Javier de las Muelas. It’s a capacious and elegant space, infused with warm lighting. There’s also an outdoor Terraza, where you can enjoy your drinks amid lush greenery.  Muelas is a dry martini specialist, so expect many variations of the tipple here, such as the Bamboo ($22), comprising martini extra dry, dry sherry and a lemon twist. The food is also noteworthy, with gourmet plates such as Wagyu mini sliders with onion marmalade and horseradish mayo ($28). The Spanish master likens his craft to a ritual, and compares bars to churches; “I hope that One-Ninety will one day become a Vatican of sorts,” he says. Make your pilgrimage now.

Cook & Brew
Located on level 33 of The Westin, this spacious new gastrobar boasts panoramic views of the city and South coast. The bar’s interior is luxe, and the drinks menu extensive—choose from a range of signature cocktails, or go for classic whiskeys like Macallan (from $195/bottle). There's also a list of international beers, like Hitachino White ($14/bottle), plus a high-tech Enomatic system for wine. The bar bites here are decent—expect comfort grub like corn chips with tomato salsa and chunky guacamole ($9). But if you’re hankering for something more substantial, order from the a la carte menu instead, with plates like chilli crab ($29). In short, it’s a great spot for Marina Bay office types to chill over post-work drinks.