
The Secret Mermaid is a hidden sanctuary in the financial district
Bubbly bartender Kelly D’Cruz is smoking something good. And by that we mean her signature Negroni cocktail, called Balancing Act. It has Koval gin infused with chrysanthemum, Campari, Carpano Antica sweet vermouth, and it’s smoked with applewood and topped off with a bittersweet citrusy Campari foam. It certainly leaves an impression, as does Kelly with her dreadlocks, laid- back attitude and intricate tattoos.
Guests may even have a chance to inspire her next drink.
“One guest ordered one of the simpler drinks on the cocktail menu. A few months later, he said that the reason it was so special wasn’t just because he liked the taste, but that the flavour brought back a memory. That story really inspired me, so my next cocktail menu for one of our upcoming projects is developed around the idea of memories and taste,” says Kelly.
The Secret Mermaid is tucked away in the underground passage beneath the Ocean Financial Centre (and hidden behind a Japanese restaurant) – a cosy place for after-work drinks and bar food. If you can’t decide what to drink, the bar also functions as a sampling room, with tasting flights of gin, vodka, whisky, rum and agave. Another feature we like is the glorious American craft spirits selection, displayed next to the bar rather than behind it – and available for retail.
P.S. Ask her what her Hogwarts house is.
Go for: American Spirits
Location: #B1-08, 10 Collyer Quay, Ocean Financial Centre
https://www.herworld.com/life/food/singapores-female-bartenders-kelly-dcruz-secret-mermaid/
Get served by women bartenders
Drink with me: Marie Nakazawa, 25, The Other Roof
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Fancy a spot of tea with a twist? That’s what Marie Nakazawa has concocted with her flirty Whole Lotta Love cocktail. It’s raw tea, lavender syrup, lemon juice, peach liqueur and aromatised wine on top of a vodka base, served in a dainty teacup.
Drink with me: Jayden Ong, 25, Diageo World Class Lounge
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As Diageo is one of the world’s largest producers of spirits, it makes sense to situate its state-of- the-art bar smack bang inside its own office, where Jayden is head bartender. She is also brand ambassador for Johnnie Walker (one of Diageo’s brands).
Drink with me: Sasha Wijidesa , 23 , Operation Dagger
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You’ll feel a bit like Alice falling down the rabbit hole at Operation Dagger’s nondescript entrance, as it does nothing to prepare you for the beautiful cloud of lightbulbs inside, floating overhead. And you’ll enter with preconceived notions about wine but leave a convert, thanks to Sasha, a pharmaceutical science graduate – and the brain behind the oxidised wine menu – who gets visibly excited when the convo turns to fermentation or yeast.
Drink with me: Kino Soh, 31, Highball
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Singapore’s first and only bar with all- women bartenders is an intimate gem in Kampong Bahru. Highballs (spirit plus non-alcoholic mixer) are their speciality (natch), but exuberant founder and head bartender Kino Soh says the tight-knit four- member team has no problem whipping up other bespoke cocktails on request.
Drink with me: Pan Ying Lee, 23, Nutmeg & Clove
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The bartenders here focus on Singapore flavours and ingredients, and the drinks are divided into four categories: herbs, fruits, spices and flora. Pan’s signature drink, Leo’s Flip, inspired by the festive pineapple tart, was awarded the title of Singapore’s Next Top Cocktail in 2017 at the Singapore Cocktail Festival.
Drink with me: Kelly D'Cruz, 26, The Secret Mermaid
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Bubbly bartender Kelly D’Cruz is smoking something good. And by that we mean her signature Negroni cocktail, called Balancing Act. It has Koval gin infused with chrysanthemum, Campari, Carpano Antica sweet vermouth, and it’s smoked with applewood and topped off with a bittersweet citrusy Campari foam. It certainly leaves an impression, as does Kelly with her dreadlocks, laid- back attitude and intricate tattoos.
Drink with me: Christyne Lee, 30, Tess Bar & Kitchen
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True to her love of travel, Christyne’s signature drink The French Kiss was inspired by her first trip to Europe, when she visited Paris after winning a regional bartending competition. Floral, fruity and flirty, it combines all things French, with G’Vine Floraison gin, Giffard Creme de Cassis, Giffard Rose Syrup, fresh grapefruit juice and sauvignon blanc.
Drink with me: June Baek, 28, Court Martial Bar
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While in Seoul preparing for a working holiday abroad – a stint at a cosy lounge bar–June had a revelation as she had drinks with her pals. “I was having fun conversations and passing around delicious cocktails. It felt perfect and I fell in love [with the bar concept]. I decided to put my working holiday on hold and instead started a full-time job at that bar!” says June.
ALSO READ: SHAKE IT UP WITH SINGAPORE’S FEMALE BARTENDERS: JUNE BAEK, COURT MARTIAL BAR
This article first appeared in the December issue.