Classy yet casual Italian-inspired watering hole Bar Somma at New Bahru combines elegantly-wrought cocktails with some of the best bar bites you’ll find in town.
There are many good reasons to visit the dynamic new dining hub that is New Bahru, but here’s one for those who love their cocktails: Bar Somma.
A casual offshoot of fine-dining Italian restaurant Somma by celebrated chef Mirko Febbrile, this latest addition to Singapore’s increasingly sophisticated bar scene is already rewriting the rules of what a modern Italian aperitivo experience can look and feel like. Tucked away in the uppermost floors of the compound in what used to be the library of the old Nan Chiau High School, intimately-appointed Bar Somma — think minimalistic whitewashed walls, stone and leather accents, and a sprawling Italian travertine marble counter that stretches the length of the bar — makes for the perfect soiree or quiet meet-up.
Then there’s its cocktails. Helmed by seasoned bartender Mel Chavez — the cocktail hounds among us may remember him from his time at Smoke & Mirrors — this is your classic Italian aperitivo hour updated for the more discerning, contemporary drinker.
Start off, for example, with Campari!, where the iconic Italian apéritif comes as a refreshing spritz. Here it is served up from a special seltzer machine — said to be the first of its kind in Southeast Asia — that helps aerate and softens the bitterness of Campari while building a frothy mouthfeel.
A fan of the Negroni? The Sherry Negroni is a must. Here the addition of oloroso sherry to the Italian aperitivo cocktail offers a deliciously silky nuttiness to the classic gin, Campari and vermouth build. Prefer a Martini instead? Mirko’s Martini, named for Chef Mirko, is a dry Martini that’s slightly dirtied up with a splash of olive brine for a punch of savouriness.
For something less Italian, there’s Margarita for Mel. This is not your usual Margarita, because bartender Mel is offbeat that way. This sees tequila that’s been infused with coconut combined with crème de cacao and lime cordial, resulting in a more sophisticated, nuanced version that’s pure tropical indulgence with a savoury wink.
But where he truly shows off his mixology chops? Bartender Mel somehow manages to recreate the flavours of the time-honoured Last Word while eschewing the use of gin or the hard-to-find green Chartreuse, instead leaning on mezcal, sochu, and ume.
You’ll definitely want to avail yourself to the barroom bites; Chef Mirko makes sure that the food at Bar Somma isn’t an afterthought. Any of the small plates here — from the hearty Beef Tripe Panino sandwich to the crispy Fried Oyster Mushrooms with Piquillo Ketchup — are downright tasty.
Make space for the pasta too; pasta, after all, is Chef Mirko’s signature culinary calling card. The Radiatori with River Crab and Capocollo is a deeply delicious umami delight, while the vegetarian Bucatini alla Nerano can go toe-to-toe with any of its seafood- or meat-laden options in terms of flavour.
Whether you’re seated at the curve of the bar or tucked into a lounge chair with a cocktail in hand and something soulful on the playlist, it’s clear Bar Somma is a space designed for you to linger. Perhaps it shouldn’t surprise us to find a bar of this pedigree in this part of town. What’s truly heartening though is how this New Bahru gem is taking and making the cherished Italian social aperitivo ritual its own.
[Photo credits: Bar Somma | Lisa Cohen Photography]
Bar Somma
Address 46 Kim Yam Rd, #04-02A New Bahru, Singapore 239351 (Google Maps link)
Opening Hours 6pm to 7pm Tuesdays and Wednesdays; 6pm to 12am Thursdays to Saturdays; closed on Sundays and Mondays
Web www.somma.world/bar
Instagram @barsomma
Reservations book here
Follow us on Telegram to get updated on events and other spirited announcements!
