Despite the name, FiftyFive Coffee Bar is not your typical cafe with predictable menu items. The 46-seater, located in a two-storey heritage shophouse, goes beyond coffee to offer ocean-inspired cocktails and creative collaborations with chefs, baristas and mixologists. In the works are events, performances and poetry readings.
Art, it seems, permeates throughout the cafe, be it the menu or the decor. An oil painting welcomes you to start your voyage. “Boats” is a never-before-seen artwork that is dear to owner Nick Liu. Painted by his great-grandfather, the late renowned Singaporean artist Liu Kang (1911–-2004), it takes centre stage among projection mappings of seascapes and props depicting oceanic elements (on display till Jun 5).
Up for cocktails?
The newly launched menu, created with an artisanal cocktail consultant, takes its cue from the seven seas and uses ingredients not usually found in alcoholic recipes. At $22 each, they include Caribbean, a herbaceous order with rum, cedarwood and vetiver. In Atlantic, sparkling sake is paired with lavender and merlot grape juice, while Arctic is a mix of yuzu sake, horseradish vodka and elderflower tonic.
The light bites complement these cocktails. Yuzu Tori ($16) and Super Hiro (Hiroshima oysters with ponzu shoyu and ikura; $18) are excellent options.
Coffee culture
Another main attraction is the coffee which includes espresso, filtered and cold brews. Kenyan Kirinyaga Kabingara AB ($8.50) boasts notes of berries, blackcurrants, and stone fruit. Ethiopian Guji Uraga Layo Terega ($8.50) exhibits sweet notes of peaches, bergamot, and black tea; and Colombian Narino Aponte ($10) displays honey-like yellow fruit notes.
A unique espresso-based creation is the Strawberry Pipagao Latte ($7.50) that combines strawberry jam with the popular herbal cough syrup.
Seafood inspirations
Currently, a limited-time menu of four Japanese-inspired seafood-based bowls such as Ooomahmee (cold truffle oil cappellini, Hokkaido hotate and ikura, $30) is offered by chef-owner Ben Lai of @ooomahmee as part of its Chef Artist-In-Residence programme.
We are guessing you’ll be back for more after just one visit.
FiftyFive Coffee Bar is at 55A Neil Road, Singapore 088892. For information, visit fiftyfive.sg.
