3 private dining places for drinks, snacks and fine dining

#1 Club 39: By invite-only membership

Despite the slightly misleading ‘club’ in Club 39’s name, this is not a place of the “unbearably loud dance music and overpriced drinks” variety. Instead, it’s a modern take on the old-school country club concept, where members get to enjoy a private space that they can call their own – levels two through four of this four-storey building, which includes private dining spaces, a gym, a conference room, a library and a lounge, are open to invited members only, while the cocktail and tapas bar on level one are open to the public. You won’t find the ostentatious decor or stuffy vibes that are de rigueur for country clubs here, though – Club 39 is adamant about keeping the place as homely and welcoming as possible.

The gym on the third level caters to only two members at any point, which means you can sweat away in peace.

The lounge area on the fourth level, for example, is decked out like someone’s particularly cosy living room, complete with plush couches and big-screen televisions with game consoles. Regular monthly events – ranging from karaoke nights to magic shows and whisky tastings – keep members entertained. Even the application process for membership steers clear of the standard moneyed route. “We look for creative personalities who can click with one another” is the official statement, and though it’s an ambiguous criterion, it’s certainly a refreshing change from one that admits just about anyone who can cough up the membership fee.

39 Duxton Hill, tel: 6221-4235, www.facebook.com/club39tapasbar

#2 Sum Yi Tai: Reservations-only drinking

While many bars in the CBD play it safe with appropriately cool interiors and cocktails that are more flash than function, Sum Yi Tai’s private rooftop bar eschews all of that. In its place: a cosy alfresco space that is reminiscent of the triad haunts in Hong Kong in the ’80s (its Tapas Bar and Dining Club on the floors below have the same theme), complete with the dulcet tones of Sandy Lam and Sammi Cheng blasting in the background, and authentic Cantonese grub – think salted egg fish skin and roast pork – and impressive Asian-inspired tipples.

It’s unabashedly unpretentious in all of its cheena glory, but the main draw is its private access concept – you have to book a table to get in. There is no minimum charge or membership restriction, though – it’s merely a way of ensuring that the space never gets too crowded. Just make a reservation via e-mail and, if there’s a table, you’re in. Regulars even get their own cards that give them access to the rooftop bar any time of the day.

25 Boon Tat Street, tel: 6221-3665, www.sumyitai.com

#3 Scotts 27: All-private dining

“A dining experience that is so personal, you may think you’re dining in our home.” That’s what lauded restaurateur duo chef Julien Bompard and Edith Lai-Bompard promise you’ll have here. And it is with the “all-private room” concept – housed within the hushed interiors of a colonial-style building – complete with personal butler service, that the managing consultants of Scotts 27 fulfil this promise. There is no minimum spend required, but reservations are necessary. Diners can choose between an a la carte, four-course ($168) and five-course ($198) menu, all of which showcase chef Julien’s signature traditional French cuisine, and experience the classic French gueridon service, whereby the chef cooks and plates the food table-side for an added visual experience. But obvious factors aside, it’s the little touches that elevate the dining experience to the next level – some of the decorative pieces in the rooms are owned by the couple, and the menus are handwritten by them.

27 Scotts Road, tel: 6737-0895, www.scotts27.com

Photography: Winston Chuang, Art direction: Shan

This story was first published in Her World Magazine September 2015,

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