Welcome to Time Out Singapore's 52 Weeks of #ExcitingSG – our commitment to showing you the best of what's going on in the city this week. Every Monday, a guest writer who's "in" with the scene shares a recommendation on what to see, eat, do or buy in the city. This week, we chat with Frank Hu from Manhattan Bar about what gets him excited about Singapore and his creation for this year's Negroni Week.
What gets you excited about Singapore?
Singapore is a place where individuals are presented with countless opportunities to gain knowledge from other great talents from across the world. The diversity of the people here and the kind of regional and international exposure we get is very exciting. It may be just a small red dot on the map but there's just so much happening here and it’s an amazing time to be in the thick of the action!
Aside from your own, where are your favourite bars in Singapore?
Tippling Club and Operation Dagger constantly inspire me with their experimental and innovative approach to cocktails.
What are your thoughts on the current cocktail scene in Singapore?
The local cocktail scene is flourishing and Singapore has been the leading cocktail destination in Asia for a while now. At the rate it is developing with sophisticated and innovative bars popping up within the scene, Singapore has great potential to catch up with other perennial cocktail capitals such as New York and London.
What cocktail trends do you see taking off here?
Cocktail making is going to become more scientific as bartenders move towards incorporating methods like molecular gastronomy, experimenting with new and exciting ways to introduce flavour and textures in a drink. Another trend the Singapore’s cocktail scene will gravitate towards is incorporating local flavours and ingredients, celebrating the heritage unique to the little red dot.
What are you most looking forward to this week?
FH: Looking forward to being part of a really meaningful project, Negroni Week, and sharing that little bit of love together. The festival celebrates the iconic drink and rallies the bar community across the world to come together to raise funds for a good cause. Across the week, participating bars across the world pledge at least $1 to a charity of their choice for every negroni cocktail or negroni-inspired creation sold. At the end of the day, we're all doing our part to make our living communities (and beyond our shores) better and better.
Tell us more about negronis
The Negroni cocktail is one of the best aperitif and at same time digestif from a classic creation, and Negroni Week is a time where all bartenders get creative to showcase their own negroni variations. We are truly happy to be part of this global project and supporting the cause, which we feel is our small way of contributing back to society while celebrating one of the most enjoyed cocktails around the world!
For more upcoming cool happenings, check out Time Out Singapore's 52 Weeks of #ExcitingSG challenge. Don't forget to show us how you're living your best Singapore life via the hashtag #ExcitingSG – we might just throw some free passes and VIP tickets to exciting festivals, gigs and events your way!