Hidden away (literally) in the depths of King George’s Avenue lies an establishment run by the good folks behind The Refinery, and only accessible by a small and obscure secret stairwell that leads you up their second floor. This adventurous eatery known as the Little Bastard kitchen and bar marries Thai and Cantonese influences for some pretty interesting experimental flavors.
This 38-seater space, which was once an extension of The Refinery, shares a similar atmosphere as its sister outlet just downstairs, though it really does look like an upscaled version of a dingy mahjong den: wooden tables and chairs, unfinished ceilings, painted oil drums… that kind of stuff.
Food wise, they’re serving up a number of sharing plates and signature dishes that feature a little bit of both influences, such as the One Night in Tom Yum ($20), a cold dish of Japanese Inaniwa udon with tom yum consomme and crab meat; Duck Confit Penytet ($20), a smashed version of the crispy duck confit served with homemade sambal and kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy); and Swee Kueh ($12), which is made up of tofu medallions, puffed rice, salted bean soy and crispy chili oil. Their drinks menu is a familiar mix of our favorite childhood drinks with a boozy twist like Simply Yeo’s ($18), a unique conccoction of sous vide gin with lemon peel, barley, barley and pandan leaves, bird’s nest and fresh lemon juice; Cheng Tng Gao ($18), which is the Little Bastard’s take on the classic Cheng Tng, spiked with a splash of Brandy; as well as classics like their version of the Smoky Bastard ($24), where they use bourbon sous vide with preserved plum, peated whisky, grapefruit bitters and a pinch of sugar.
