Nestled amongst good hipster bars and hideaways in Bukit Pasoh is the Gibson. The Gibson team has taken six months to curate and launch their new cocktail menu. According to Gregory Camilo, Gibson’s Principal Bartender, the menu starts with various ideas and taste combinations, seeing which ones worked and which needed further lab testing. What they ended up with is the Chimera, and it is fantastic!
The signature cocktail takes its name from the venue, The Gibson. A blend of Roku gin and homemade sake-vermouth, similar to a classic martini. The Gibson’s twist with sake-vermouth served with a trio of condiments - pickled daikon, cocktail onion, smoked quail egg. There’s a sequence to follow - eat the daikon, take a sip, eat the onion, take a sip, eat the quail egg, take a sip. It was like scoring three different drinks from one martini glass, a ‘must-try’ cocktail.
You’ll also be tempted to try the Sugarcane Spritz. Start with Yaguara Cachaça, a small batch of artisanal Brazilian cachaça. The most intriguing ingredient is sugarcane wine, made in Singapore by a local food biotech startup, Starter Culture. Imagine a sugarcane spirit and a sugarcane wine to create this uniquely tasting cocktail. A new cocktail for me, nevertheless, and so delicious.
If a bubbly cocktail is what you yearn for, then the Amazake Bellini should be on your drink order. Amazake is a traditional Japanese drink made of fermented rice, with this one made locally in Singapore from basmati rice. A splash of prosecco and pandan essence almost felt like drinking an alcoholic local dessert. Yes, this one was quickly added to my yummy list.
An old favourite, seen by some as a morning-after pick-me-up, is none other than a Bloody Mary. Here at the Gibson, Bloody Mary goes green! Mixing into the green tomato is a trio of wasabi, horse radish, Worcestershire distillates, and a touch of miso puree. Different indeed, but nothing resembling a Bloody Mary. Thoroughly drinkable, though. Perhaps another name?
Finally, my cocktail of the day - Back To The Roots. My style of cocktail; not sweet, not fruity, not sour. Mouth-filling flavours are reminiscent of a Manhattan. The unique addition of Chinese liquorice to Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Rye (is that allowed?), crème de cacao and vermouth. One sip and ‘robust’ come to mind. Maybe I could have had more of this because I am an ardent bourbon fan.
Hang out at the Gibson for more than cocktails, as they also serve food. Sampling from the limited tasting menu, there’s a strong bias towards seafood. Highlights would be the Summer Stone, Hama Hama and Disco Hama oysters, all from Washington, USA. Oh, so creamy and briny. A perfect pairing to the Gibson martini.
The Octopus taco with burnt eggplant and spiced honey glaze uses a soft potato taco, and all flavours complemented well for this unusual taco.
Something I’ve not seen is the 5 Cheese Croquette, a melty, gooey breaded croquette with a cep mushroom and truffle sauce. Super moreish. I could have had another one of these.
Increasingly on menus these days is cauliflower. The one at the Gibson comes as a whole roasted head of cauliflower with sesame miso, brown butter and furikake. Still slightly crunchy to the bite and quite a meal.
The Mussel Spaghetti with saffron, anchovy gremolata, and breadcrumb is a new take on a vongole dish coined with mussels instead of clams. The anchovy gremolata had a similar taste and texture to a more familiar mentaiko.
All in all, The Gibson was indeed a splendid way to spend the evening. A sort of hideaway but easy to find. A very cosy atmosphere, an eclectic mix of clientele, and informative servers like Brian, who is only too keen to explain every ingredient of your cocktail.
I could see how this place could quickly become your favourite go-to for cocktails.
All signature cocktails are priced at S$25++.
a. 20 Bukit Pasoh Rd, #2nd Floor, Singapore 089834
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