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Hearts broke when White Shades announced plans to downsize its four-storey cocktail playground in Telok Ayer last year. The Boon Tat Street shophouse previously housed a highball-focused concept on Level 1, a classy speakeasy-style bar on Level 2, a private event space on Level 3 and a rooftop bar on Level 4. Now, White Shades occupies just two floors of the building – Lumina, a breezy alfresco hideout on the rooftop, and the newly opened Shards, which takes over the third floor.
Stepping into Shards feels very much like walking into a friend's home. The space is stripped back, with living room decor, a colour-changing skylight to set the mood and a simple white bar counter where conversations flow all evening. Founder Bai Jiawei tells us the bar is loosely inspired by kintsugi, a Japanese art form of repairing broken ceramics with gold lacquer – a hopeful metaphor for both the business and the industry at large. Some of the glasses at Shards are repurposed from the former Kaku highball bar on Level 1 – melted, reshaped and given a new lease of life, while cocktail menus are hand-burnt at the edges for a DIY touch.
The 10 signature cocktails, priced at $23 each, are a pleasant surprise by CBD standards, where a drink usually averages at $26 to $28. Pop by even earlier at 5pm and you'll also get to enjoy $10 happy hour pours. There's even an option to have the bar customise a cocktail for you based on your preferences for $25. Bright Rupture is our clear winner. This cherry wood-smoked, tequila-based cocktail balances smoky and savoury profiles with the light, refreshing flavours of tomato water, hibiscus, lime and rhubarb for a hint of sweetness.
Crystallised Honey, meanwhile, is a twist on the classic Penicillin, featuring aromatic ingredients like galangal (blue ginger), eucalyptus honey and even apple cider vinegar. At first, it is almost too medicinal and pungent for our liking, but over time, the lapsang souchong-infused vodka releases nice smoky and astringent notes that keep us going back for another sip. You will spot other tea-adjacent creations on the menu like Honest(tea), which incorporates oolong, and Fracture Rosé, which is topped with a house-made matcha foam.
Sour Prism comes with an interesting garnish – carbonated white grape – and ingredients like sparkling wine, 24-month-aged umeshu and soursop for a bright and easy first drink. But for something seriously boozy, order the Bottomless Bubbles, which might be the best-value cocktail on the menu. Made with 60ml of frozen Japanese, blended and Irish whisky, it is basically two highballs in one – fizzy and highly dangerous.
The food menu is pared back, but there are still over 10 items, ranging from $5 to $15, that the kitchen can quickly whip up. Some of the more interesting picks are the cheesy Lao Gan Ma sourdough ($12) and the elotes ($12), topped with corn, sour cream, mayo, feta cheese, chilli flakes, lime and cilantro. If you're after something more substantial, there are also hearty bowls of curry noodles and chicken noodles ($15), which should fill you up.
The private room has also been updated. Previously styled as a luxurious leather-clad lair, the space has been transformed into a more relaxed, casual karaoke lounge, perfect for birthday parties and the like. With a $1000 minimum spend, guests can sing their hearts out and order cocktails directly from Shards.
Time Out's rating: 4/5
Sometimes simple and understated is the way to go. Shards combines decent value with well-crafted drinks and a comfortable setting, minus the fancy furnishings, pricey food and complicated mixology techniques that don't always translate into taste anyway. While there is nothing groundbreaking or especially standout about the menu or space, we see this easily becoming a go-to for post-work hangouts or the last stop after a hectic night out.
Shards is open from Tuesday to Friday, 3pm to midnight, and Saturday, 6pm to midnight at 25 Boon Tat Street, Level 3, Singapore 069622.
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