Singlish

When you walk into Chard, a hawker center-inspired takeout spot near Union Square from the Laut team, you’ll see a large unmarked black door that seems entirely out of place and is too ornate to lead to a storage closet for cleaning supplies. Head up the stairs behind the door, and you’ll find this Singaporean cocktail bar with dark wood, chandeliers, and metal lanterns similar to ones you’d find in Morocco. The text-heavy and illustrated menu reminds us of ones we’ve seen at The Dead Rabbit, with a mix of fruity drinks (a Singapore Sling, for example) and liquor-forward cocktails like a savory martini made with salted egg and chili oil. At $20-$45, the cocktails are pricey, even for NYC—but they’re unique and expertly-made with a variety of Southeast Asian ingredients. If you want some snacks, you can get small plates that you won’t find at any other bars such as ginger scallion-braised duck tongues and soy-seasoned jellyfish. Singlish is a great laid-back spot to catch up with some friends after dinner, but it only has room for about 20 people, so it’s a good idea to make a reservation if you don’t handle rejection well.