The sound of hip-hop tunes play in the background, but much of it is drowned out by the excited chatter and buzz of the Friday night crowd. With the promise of mezcal cocktails, smoked meats, and a whole weekend ahead of everyone, there’s a palpable sense of merriment bouncing off the walls inside the cavernous bar that is Singapore’s hottest new drinking spot, Underdog Inn.

My friends and I have just settled into our table and are waiting for our cocktails. Here at Underdog Inn, the cocktails are available on tap, embodying the no-fuss, no-frills vibes that seem to ooze out of this modern New York-style tavern. You can choose from the cocktails, many of which feature agave spirits like tequila and mezcal, and have it as is or highball style. 

While we wait, there’s plenty to keep us occupied. The menu here is almost part-comic book, with pages of comic strips charting the rise of hip hop in New York interspacing a list of Underdog Inn’s impressively agave spirit selection – possibly one of the more extensive I’ve seen offered in a bar in Singapore. Around us as well, artworks and photos of artists line the walls, and we take turns trying to name them. From artworks from Keith Haring to Jean-Michel Basquit, it’s clear that this bar was designed to be a celebration of counterculture. 

Our cocktails arrive and I take a sip of my Untitled (Modern Times) cocktail ($25), made into a highball. This cocktail features a plum-based spirit from Empirical Spirits, Genevere, peche citrus and dulche de leche. Taking a whiff, the aroma of this cocktail stirs up notes of salted caramel. This caramel quality quickly shifts to flavors of salted plum and fresh grapefruit once I take a sip. It’s a really refreshing, fruity tipple that’s whets up one’s appetite. 

My friend orders a Mezcal Daisy ($25), Underdog’s own take on the classic margarita that incorporates the savoury elements of kiwi and nori. The result is a sweet-briney minerality that adds flavorful contrast to the smokiness of the Mezcal Espadin in the drink. 

Another cocktail highlight is the God vs Law ($25), a spin on the classic Midnight Marauder cocktail. This was a bittersweet concoction of Mezcal, agave, amero Averna, crème de banana, Campari, apple tea and passionfruit. The resultant flavors are both light and fruity, while earthy and smokey – a light citrus zest that keeps it extra bright.

Hanging over the wall behind us is a portrait of Queen Latifah, who looks over us as we peruse the food menu. Cocktails aside, Underdog’s kitchen is worth checking out on its own. An open window into the kitchen offers a view of two smokers hard at work in front of an open-fire grill, whipping a selection of “nose-to-tail” dishes.

We kick off with a melt-in-your mouth house smoked bacon with onion ketchup ($16) and a creamy, tender lamb tartare ($24) balanced by the textural contrast of bread crackers. Lather on some of the bone marrow mash ($16) with gravy, and you got yourself some winning starters.

The mains didn’t disappoint either. The smoked beef neck with kimchi ($36) was tender and rich, with a slight chewiness that balanced well with the tangy, umami flavors of kimchi. Another favorite was the brown butter squid with smoked almonds ($28), featuring a buttery, umami sauce that complemented the sweetness of the squid.

As the night goes on, the background music picks up in tempo and the crowd buzzes with even more energy. Much like its sister-bar Sago House, also co-founded by Jay Gray, the Underdog Inn carries a whole lot of soul. There’s a similar understated charm to this modern tavern that gets guests to loosen up and relax into their seats. If you’re making plans to come here for some draft cocktail and tasty bar grub, don’t be surprised to find yourself staying for the vibes.

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Underdog is a celebration of counterculture & the successes of those who have raised the bar socially & artistically. Born of struggle and forged out of belief, hope and a unique viewing platform of the world as it passes by, Underdog evokes the feeling of a New York Tavern enveloped by its surroundings and the relentless concrete jungle.

115 Amoy Street, #01-03

Reservations here: www.underdoginn.com

Wednesdays - Sundays, 5pm to 12am

IG: @underdog.inn

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@lotusroot518