Switch

The buzz: Switch, this latest venture by the Timbre guys, is one of the few joints in town which offer both English and Mandarin live music performances.

The décor: Industrial, with concrete flooring and hand-painted graffiti works by local artist Trase-1. The space is big, with lots of wooden tables and chairs around the bar and dining areas which fit up to 300 people.

The food: Lots to choose from. Think soups, salads and tapas like two-of-a-kind kimchi soup, salted egg prawns and Asian beef salad; to yummy mains like five spiced duck breast and signature thin-crust pizzas.

The drinks: House pours, spirits, beer, wine—nothing unexpected, and not necessarily the highlight since you’re here for the music (and the food, actually).

The music: Handpicked by proprietor Danny Loong, 16 bilingual performances (mostly in groups of two to six) take the stage for alternative sets of Mandarin and English pop hits.

The crowd: Mainly PMEBs who want to enjoy live music after a hard day’s work, although you’d be surprised by the number of expats who come here.

Why you’ll be back: Its accessible location is a plus, and an equally accessible live music set ensures return visits.