Self-professed cocktail advocate Jay Gray has been making waves in the Singapore bar scene for close to a decade now. He was behind the openings of crowd favourites such as Sago House and Low Tide, the latter of which has since shuttered. The British bar veteran is now focusing his efforts on Idle Hands, an intimate space that opened in May.
For anyone who’s seen the inside of Sago House, the look of Idle Hands shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. Everything has been tinkered with, upcycled or repurposed in some way, for a place that’s equal parts aesthetic and functional. After beckoning us towards a seat at the bar, Gray shares how he’s been playing around with everything over the past couple of months so it’s all just right.
Idle Hands is a bit of a misnomer, we think, as we watch him deftly whizz around the bar, going from one end to mix drinks, to the other where he whips up a small menu of bar bites — just below our eyeline is a miniature kitchen, out of which he pulls up a tray of smoked peppers for an infusion.
The vibe is rustic, relaxed and homey; we quickly find ourselves at ease, ready to dive into our first drink: a Disco Revival ($21++), a concoction of dry gin, Lillet Blanc, oloroso sherry, absinthe and grapefruit. The latter two make an interesting pair in this sweet and sour drink, which somewhat calls to mind a Jabberwock, just with a heavier citrus note.
We move on to the Juicy ($21++), where apples are used in their entirety alongside bourbon, calvados and white port. Gray isn’t about to slap a “no waste” label on Idle Hands, he tells us, but he’s continually looking at how he can reduce the amount of stuff that goes in the garbage. Juicy is expectedly apple-forward, with a mild vanilla note and coconutty finish that comes from the foam atop the drink.
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Then it’s time for something stronger, starting with the Wizzbang ($23++). It’s surprisingly refreshing, thanks to the strong flavour of spiced watermelon liqueur; it’s even topped with a piece of pickled watermelon rind. White rum, aperol and absinthe complete the mix.
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Closing off the evening, we go to the Oaxaca Hanky Panky ($23++), a mix of mezcal and sweet vermouth. This twist on a mezcal Manhattan is notably spicy from Creole bitters and fernet branca; it quickly becomes our favourite of the night, and we savour it to the end.
The deceptively simple descriptions might lead one to believe that the menu at Idle Hands is a bunch of standard, DIY-able mixes, but Gray’s prowess and subtle flourishes quickly prove that notion wrong. Each drink comes out exciting and ever-so-slightly different from the norm, while remaining grounded in solid foundations.
Evening well spent, we hand our empty glasses back to Gray and prepare to head off. He gives us a loud, chesty “thank you”, then smoothly slips back into conversation with another group still nursing their drinks. Making our way back down the stairs, we wonder if a second-floor space was the best choice for a bar where one or two doesn’t quite feel enough.
Idle Hands
3 Ann Siang Hill Singapore 069785
Email: [email protected]
Opening Hours: Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 6pm – 12am
