Hidden in plain sight, The Secret Mermaid is the alter ego of Shinkansen, a design-your-own salad bar in the CBD. The shared space, outfitted with black grilles and brass piping, morphs into a hole-in-the-wall cocktail bar after five in the evening. Bottles of gin, rum, tequila, vodka and whisky occupy every nook and cranny in this miniscule hideout, and the bar also has one of the largest collections of American craft spirits.
Customers can opt for tasting flights or get one of Kelly D’Cruz’s creations at the eight-seater counter. Thorough in her research, D’Cruz learns each spirit’s distillery, ageing process and mash bill to find out how she can best bring out its flavours – no easy feat considering there are more than 80 varieties on offer here.