How much should you spend on a night out in Singapore? It varies from people to people but if you are just out to let your hair down, $20 is a good baseline. What can you do with $20? Plenty, I would say.
1. Light drinks
Most people think that having drinks equals to an enormous bill but from my own experience, you just need to know where to go. Here, I would like to recommend two of my favourites. These two are in the heart of Singapore’s Central Business District a.k.a. CBD, but don’t fret about the dress code. It just means they are easy to get to!
The Secret Mermaid has an alluring sound to it, no? It is so termed because it does not have a very prominent shop front. From the outside, it looks like a nondescript part of the cream-coloured wall, but look closer and there is a door that leads to a different world inside. Much like how Harry Potter located the brick for entering Diagon Alley, I’d like to think.
The nondescript exterior Source: The Secret Mermaid Facebook page
I like the cosy interior.
All its drinks!
You can choose if you want to sit at its bar area or away from it. For a pair, I would suggest the bar area as it provides a more intimate atmosphere. For a bigger group, there is more space at the back of the bar.
The bar area
The vodka I ordered
Ocean Financial Centre
10 Collyer Quay
Singapore 049315
Nearest MRT Raffles Place, Tanjong Pagar
Opening hours Mon-Fri 5-11pm.
The Spiffy Dapper serves up a mean cup of coffee in the day, but at night, it transforms into a real bar. It is on many to-go lists, mainly because they do what bars do — serve up solid drinks. It is located on the second level of a shophouse so you have to be really sharp-eyed.
I like how the bartender really knew her stuff. When we got there, she asked us individually what kind of taste we liked, and in a matter of minutes, concocted drinks that made my party of 4 very happy. Here is my drink.
My pretty drink!
I like how the tables are covered with comics (although it really is too dark for anyone to read properly) and the extra details they add to a drink. My drink had pretty rose bud shreds sprinkled on it and they have an assortment of other adornments like mint leaves at its bar area. I was too caught up with the conversations so this is the only photograph I have, but trust me, you won’t be disappointed!
Address
61 Boat Quay
Singapore, 049849
Number:
8233 9810
Opening Hours:
Monday – Friday: 5pm – midnight
whynotearlier says: Excessive drinking isn’t good for anyone, but if you like to have a post-dinner drink to ease all the tension you have been accumulating, then do go here with some pals. I like these two places for their easy access to public transport, namely the MRT stations, their pocket-friendly prices and their welcoming staff.
2. A dinner with real food
You may chuckle at my heading? What do you mean by ‘real food’? I must qualify that my dinners are usually rather hearty, so while I adore snacks and small bites, I seldom have them for dinner. The dinner items I have suggested are therefore rather substantial. You don’t have to finish everything on your own. After all, half the joy from eating is derived from sharing it with others so order and share away!
At the iconic Gardens by the Bay,
Bay South, in Marina Gardens Drive.
(next to Marina Barrage)
Iconic? Check
Supertrees against the Marina Bay Sands nightview
.Bustling and lively atmosphere? Check. Seats aplenty? Check.
The bustling atmosphere. Plenty of seats for everyone, no matter the size of your party.
Lush greenery? Check.
Inside one of the air-conditioned conservatories
Delicious and authentic local cuisine? Check.
Satay – choose from chicken, mutton, beef and pork
Hor Fun – Broad rice noddles in a thick savoury gravy, with some greens, meat and seafood. A favourite of the young and the old.
Sugar cane juice – cool and sweet drink guaranteed to quench your thirst!
The satay, hor fun and sugar cane juice all cost less than $15!
There is even post-dinner entertainment in the form of the nightly Garden Rhapsody shows at the Supertree Grove.
whynotearlier says: I enjoy variety when I am dining out so I especially like this place for the varieties of local food they offer, without the touts! No one enjoys paying for overpriced food and what you see is exactly what you get here. The Gardens by the Bay has many activities for everyone, but those will be for another post.
whynotearlier 