It’s common knowledge that finding a cheap drink on Duxton Hill can be a near impossible task. So when a new dig opens up with promises of a good night on a budget, we’re all ears.
Enter The Brightside, a family-run bar with all of the above that soft-launched last November. Located in a shophouse within the Duxton Hill enclave, it looks set to be the perfect place for two-in-one dinner-and-drinks after work. Heading the culinary team is Soh Wei Da from now-defunct Phat Cat Laundry, who introduces tasty bar bites like handmade Thai fishcakes ($8-$15), spam fries ($7-$12), Sticky Chicken Wings ($8-$15) and Asian tacos in four flavors ($8 for one, $18 for three). The mains too are affordably priced, with the house burger and fries going for $15, ribeye steak at $30 and beef pho at $20.
But of course, we’re all here for the booze. The Brightside’s biggest draw is its $8 before 8pm happy hour—that’s draft beers (Asahi Super Dry and Connor’s Stout Porter), house pours, house red and white wines, prosecco, and even Pimms Lemonade cocktails. After 8pm, the prices go up to $12; a steal regardless.
Even after happy hour, the deals are hard to beat. A bucket of five bottled beers goes from $30 for Carlsberg to $48 for Asahi Premium Jukusen. Even better: the extensive list of cocktails is only $15 nett, all-day. General Manager Rahmat Choo, previously of the Kilo Group, heads up the cocktail list, and deals with bold flavors like the restaurant’s bestseller Porn Star Martini—vanilla vodka, lime juice, fresh passionfruit, and a shot of prosecco.
Designed as a casual joint, the space itself is a brightly decorated, cozy hideaway; the restaurant’s namesake was inspired by the classic Monty Python hit “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life”. With deals like that, it’s really not hard to do.
The Brightside is located at 37 Duxton Hill, and is open 4pm-11:45pm (Mon-Sat). More information here.
