Your friends want a glass of red, you’re craving a tropical cocktail. For nights when you can’t decide between both, Temper, a new hotspot on Duxton Hill, isn’t asking you to choose. Opened by local F&B heavyweight Ebb & Flow Group – the same people behind wildly popular concepts like Casa Vostra, Carlitos and Chin Mee Chin Confectionery – this 4000 square feet, two-level space wears many hats: part wine bar, cocktail lounge and music venue.
Temper is split between two distinct areas: a snazzy wine room upstairs fit for quieter conversations and clinking glasses, and a buzzier cocktail lounge below, complete with a stellar music line-up curated by nightlife veteran Joshia Pillai (ex-Cé La Vi and Mandala Club). The interiors are moody and cinematic with Bauhaus charm – think arched portals, raw textures and sultry lighting.
But before all that, it’s the impressive custom-built cellar at the entrance that greets you first. Over 2100 bottles and 1200 labels are housed here, with more than 30 countries represented. Forget staring blankly at a 20-page wine list, though. Temper’s wine programme caters to both connoisseurs and the curious, and you’ll find over 250 labels available by the glass – great for getting experimental without having to commit to a bottle.
The man behind Temper’s sprawling collection is Roberto Duran, former head sommelier of the private members’ wine club 67 Pall Mall. His approach leans more towards intuition than rules, so you’ll get none of those stiff pairing suggestions, but instead, tailored recommendations that feel right for the moment.
Duran is just one part of a star-studded team leading Temper. There’s also award-winning bartender June Baek, who’s held stints at MO Bar and Madame Fan, and is now behind the counter at the lively Hup San Social Club. Together with head bartender Kishan Kumar, the duo puts forth a tight list of cocktails that are mostly easy on the palate.
Those who love a refreshing number can go for the Temper’s Cup, which blends Hendrick’s Grand Cabaret, strawberry, cucumber, kiwi and sparkling wine. Yes, it’s a mix of wine and spirit, hence the bar’s signature drink. Jinrikisha is best for those who love their tipples tropical and savoury, with tequila, togarashi shrub, pineapple, sesame, lime and a spicy salt lick. Another hot favourite: a dirty martini where olive brine is swapped out for a vinegar-soaked star fruit pickle.
Other interesting creations are the T.T.K. (Tutu Kueh) Old Fashioned and Kaws. Temper’s take on the old-timey old fashioned gives it an approachable spin with peanut butter-washed whisky and a hint of coconut smoke. Meanwhile, the latter is an herbaceous, chocolatey concoction and a nod to the six-metre bronze Kaws sculpture outside the hotel.
It wouldn’t be a proper bar without a solid food menu, and Temper is punching above its weight here too. The kitchen is led by chefs Nicolas Tam (chef-owner of one-Michelin-starred Willow) and Ronald Sim (previously from Burnt Ends and Candlenut), who’ve crafted a lip-smacking seafood-forward menu to go with the drinks.
Starters include the red shrimp carpaccio, a glistening plate of Argentinean shrimp laced with an umami-rich shrimp head dressing. The crab rolls are fluffy and toasted, stuffed with succulent crab claw meat. The seafood galore continues with a dazzling seafood tower for sharing, heaving with fresh oysters, Dungeness crab and mussels. There’s also the hefty 900g turbot, or indulgent uni linguine featuring cream, egg yolks and of course, luscious, buttery sea urchin.
Not a seafood fan? The kitchen whips up hearty wagyu beef burgers as well, but what’s more interesting is the Tajima roast beef sandwich, encased in crunchy house-made baguettes and meant for dunking in beef broth. Or keep it simple with moreish deep-fried chicken drumsticks dusted with chilli-lime powder. Our pick of the evening: the Portuguese pastel de nata – warm, comforting and custardy, finished off with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Music isn’t an afterthought at Temper, and the bar is dead serious about curating soundtracks worth staying for. Think vinyl sets, jazz, soul, funk, R&B and even acoustics. Groove to everything from saxophone riffs layered over electronic beats, soulful vocals by Dita Jacob and Nick Zavior, as well as sets by DJ Keith Colaco, YA5TH and more.
Find out more about Temper here.
Temper is open from 5pm to 1am on Mondays to Wednesdays and noon to 1am from Thursdays to Saturdays at 83 Neil Rd, Mondrian Singapore Duxton, #01-07, Singapore 089813.
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