MO BAR at the Mandarin Oriental Singapore unveils its Volume Six menu, The Echoes of Singapore.
Crafted through careful innovation and experimentation by the team at MO BAR, the new menu uncovers the rich stories that shaped Singapore while celebrating the collaborative ‘kampung spirit’ of the local cocktail industry through shared ingredients and knowledge, making the bar the ideal destination for corporate entertaining.
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Touches of the Past
The five-chapter Echoes of Singapore menu opens with Past Echoes, featuring three cocktails influenced by the yesteryears. The refreshing Banana Dollar (below) is distinguished by a banana dollar note made of rice paper resting atop a silky foam of guava and banana, which softens the effervescent body of Okinawan baijiu and banana liqueur.
Miss Samsui memorialises the Samsui women, Chinese immigrant labourers who played a vital role in building Singapore, recognisable by their iconic red headdresses. The drink features Lapsang tea blend and maraschino cherries, infused for months in red wine, embodying their resilience, while shochu lends a gentle balance, reflecting the quiet fortitude of these remarkable women.
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Gao Lak, the Teochew term for roasted chestnuts, pays tribute to the disappearing Singapore hawker trade. Served in black-line glassware, the presentation echoes the wok and charcoal used to cook chestnuts. The drink blends mezcal with roasted chestnut and black bean vinegar for added complexity. A non-alcoholic version of Gao Lak is also available.
Modern Interpretations
As the name suggests, Modern Interpretations showcases cocktails through the team’s unique perspective on Singapore’s iconic culture, from the gentrification of heritage neighbourhoods to the rise of the wellness movement. The Haji Lane cocktail captures the vibrant energy of the street with a blend of herbaceous Husk Agricole Rum, minty Branca Menta, refreshing sugarcane, and a splash of Tiger Beer, garnished with a colourful rice paper.
Sarapan, the Malay term for breakfast, pays homage to the timeless kaya toast and coffee, combines bourbon-oak-infused Campari, Kopi-infused vermouth, and Nyonya Kaya-distilled gin, finished with a housemade Kaya cookie.
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Addressing Singapore’s shift towards a wellness-focused society, RE:TOX (above) offers a boozy twist on three variations of detox juices, blending fresh cucumber, celery,lime, green apple, spices, and the hotel’s seasonal fruit of the day, before elevating it with tequila.
An Innovative Future
Under the Innovative Future chapter, MO BAR Singapore turns its sights forward with three progressive cocktails. Hop ‘n’ Rol presents an innovative take on beer, where the lager is cold-distilled to elevate its ABV, before being blended with fresh, housemade passionfruit cordial and Seara vodka for a subtle grainy finish. A prawn cracker dusted with masala chai powder completes the experience.
Inspired by Singapore’s 30 by 30 vision to produce 30% of its nutritional needs locally by 2030, the Plant-ish (above) is served in a clay pot planter sourced from Singapore’s Little India and crowned with a sprinkle of Oreo crumbs to resemble a potted plant. The strong, dessert-like drink combines the richness of Hennessy VSOP with white miso vanilla.
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A refined take on its predecessor, Reclaimed Sling 2.0 offers a crystal-clear twist on the classic gin-based cocktail. This version enhances the process by adding Cointreau and gin post-distillation, creating a smoother, more flavourful sip. It’s finished with a red housemade lollipop crafted from the drink’s key ingredients.
An Industry Community
This chapter pays tribute to local communities, with each cocktail created in collaboration with like-minded businesses. In collaboration with Prefer, a start-up known for its bean-free coffee, the Espresso Martini (above) reimagines the classic cocktail with a dark rum base, elegantly rounded with coconut and Guinness notes. Instead of coffee beans, it’s topped with three Jolly Pong barley crisps—symbolising Prefer’s blend of bread, soya bean pulp, and spent barley grains.
T.Y.F, short for Thank You Fura, is an appreciation letter to sustainability-driven bar Fura, which gifted MO BAR their SCOBY, enabling them to craft a robust oolong kombucha in-house. This forms the base of a spirit-forward cocktail expertly blended with bourbon, applewood, and lemongrass.
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Closing the chapter, RECAP features a lychee martini served in repurposed London Essence bottles, recapped and rebranded with a bespoke MO BAR sleeve. Guests receive a chilled glass alongside a lychee jelly disc garnish.
Exceptionally Mandarin Oriental
An experience at MO BAR, Singapore is framed by breathtaking panoramic city views, best enjoyed with the signature Exceptionally Mandarin Oriental cocktails. This final chapter showcases bold, refined creations designed for regulars who appreciate familiar favourites. The Mandarin Martini reinvigorates the classic gin Dry Martini with Old Tom Gin, Noilly Prat Dry, and a touch of mandarin bitters.
The MO Whiskey Sour (above) infuses Mandarin Oriental, Singapore’s signature Exceptionally Singapore tea with bourbon, offering a smooth sip with bright citrus and delicate floral notes that pair perfectly with the velvety meringue froth.
For an elevated experience, the Oriental Heritage is unveiled from a treasure chest, revealing a smoky blend of The Macallan 12-Year-Old Double Cask, Hennessy XO, Osmanthus, devil wood, and pimento dram.
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The Volume Six menu comes in a sleek box revealing a dark blue menu adorned with undulating waves—a nod to the bar’s Pacific Ocean inspirations—and the bar’s unique viewfinder with a tinted reel disc. Business travellers can load the reel, peer into the lens, and explore the cocktail selection. For those who prefer a traditional menu, the physical version remains a staple, offering a tactile way to uncover their next drink with a flick of the wrist.
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