Deadfall, the sister venue of Barbary Coast, has been relaunched as a Mexican-inspired concept featuring what it says is the largest collection of agave-based spirits in Singapore.
The new Deadfall Cantina features a street-facing bar and a cosier inside area, where the poppy interiors are matched with groovy tunes, thanks to a music programme by co-owner Michael Callahan. Walking into such cool vibes, we’re immediately in the mood for a margarita, so we start with the Mezcal Tommy’s ($23++), a classic made fresh thanks to a tajín rim, which really gets our taste buds primed and raring to go.
Though drinks are the name of the game at Deadfall Cantina, the ground-floor watering hole also features a substantial range of Singaporean-Mexican fusion food dishes. It’s not just a smattering of chicken nuggets or french fries, either; it’s a surprisingly fleshed-out menu that even allows you to “build your own Mexi-porean”, with locally inspired proteins presented as tacos, burritos or quesadillas.
Our favourite on the food menu is the Hainanese chicken rice burrito ($18++), a wonderfully executed homage to the original, featuring moist, tender chicken mixed in with fragrant rice. It’s a generous portion — we think one order is perhaps enough to feed two, with just enough room for a side and dessert — but a tangy chilli sauce keeps us going back for more.
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We also like the carne asada tampiqueña ($28++), where tender marinated steak drizzled with chimichurri is served alongside yellow rice, refried beans, guacamole and pico de gallo. The refried beans are seasoned beautifully, adding a savoury, slightly smoky flavour that grounds the fresh and light elements on the plate.
By now, our first drink is beyond empty, so we move on to another margarita, this time of the non-alcoholic variety: the Lyre’s Classic ($16++), made with non-alcoholic agave spirit and orange sec, is an almost perfect recreation of the boozy original. Sweet, sour and bright, we hardly miss the presence of alcohol.
Among the non-margarita offerings on Deadfall Cantina’s menu, we have the Pasilla Mole Negroni ($25++). A fat wash with the traditional Mexican sauce imbues the drink with smoky, spicy and chocolatey notes, making this spin on the traditional negroni one to remember, particularly if you love your drinks on the savoury side.
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To wrap things up, we opt for the Buttered Paloma ($24++), a rich interpretation of the classic paloma that sees browned butter added to the grapefruit-tequila concoction. The buttery, caramelised flavour rounds out the grapefruit’s citrus punch, leaving us with a smooth drink that’s easily finished off.
As we think of how to describe Deadfall Cantina, it seems “rebirth” is most apt. Here, we have a refreshed concept, offering remixed classics in a tight menu that brings together the best of two worlds. “Mexi-porean” may sound like an unnerving — perhaps terrifying — proposition, but it works, and very well at that.
Deadfall Cantina
16 North Canal Road
Singapore 048828
Tel: +65 8869 4798
Opening hours: Mondays, 9am – 4pm; Tuesdays, 9am – 4pm, 6pm – 12am; Wednesdays, 9am – 4pm, 6pm – 1am; Thursdays, 9am – 4pm, 6pm – 2am; Fridays, 9am – 4pm, 6pm – 3am; Saturdays, 7pm – 3am
