At The Proper Concepts Collective’s latest opening, be prepared to have more than your taste buds stimulated.
Newly opened retro modern gastrobar Mish Mash is a feast for the eyes and ears as much as it is for your palate and nose. You’ll immediately be drawn to the dark yet neon-lit space (even the fridges are aglow), with bottles featuring whimsical labels decorating the headspace of the banquette seats. Groovy upbeat music fills the eardrums as you settle in for what is to come.
The brand’s identity is on full display the moment you lay eyes on the venue. Mish Mash’s vivid ‘M’ logo is bold and curvy, curiously looking like butts, boobs, or a person’s pelvic area. It doesn’t directly state this (it doesn’t want to), rather preferring to subtly and casually throw reference to such tongue-in-cheek allusions.
Even with visual and aural stimuli aside, it’s easy to be filled with expectation for Mish Mash, given how Proper Concepts’ other venues – the likes of The Feather Blade and Rappu – have all hit a resonant chord with today’s diners and drinkers.
Being positioned as a wine cocktail concept, I dived straight for the drinks menu to have a look. Peeking into it I found a cocktail menu categorised by the type of wine used in its make. Wine is a term used inclusively here, with your usual reds, whites, and rosés listed, as well as bubbly, sake, and sherry.
The Lusty Lemony (S$28) is great to start with. A refreshing and fruity mix of champagne, lychee, and yuzu, a round of these is sure to get the night going. Or get the Adam & Eve (S$24) for a sinful sake cocktail that showcases the duality of grassy and umami tones.
[Read more: Quaich Bar Wanderlust is a cocktail haven for whisky lovers]
With Diageo World Class champion Boo Jing Heng at the helm of the beverage programme, we knew we were in good hands when it came to cocktails. Suffice to say, you won’t be seeing a typical sangria on the menu here.
But feel free to just order from Mish Mash’s sizable wine list (which includes bubbly, sake, and non-alcoholic choices) as well. Glasses of house pours range from S$16 to S$22, while full bottles run the gamut of affordable S$76 selections to those pricing in the hundreds.
What’s interesting is how the bottles are categorised. Giving them a personality of sorts, the wine list is sorted under fun titles like ‘Young & Reckless’ and ‘Supple & Smashable’. The former features the Momento Mori Fistful of Flowers, for instance, an easy drinking unfiltered natural orange wine that is delicate yet powerful.
[Read more: The Grocer Bar at newly opened The Woodleigh Mall is the best one yet]
On the culinary side of things, a substantial selection of small, medium, and large plates cater to different levels of appetites. The Moffles & Dip (S$16) is a satisfying bar snack of mochi waffles, ikura, and smoked onion dip, while the Miso Foie Gras Steak Tartare (S$34) is the embodiment of a dish that is both pleasing to the eye and palate.
Even the mains hit home. The Kurobuta Pork Chop (S$58) is simple sounding, but packs flavour upon flavour with satisfying sides of caramelised king trumpet mushrooms, charred pineapples, and dirty delicious rice. True to Proper Concepts Collective’s pedigree, both the food and drink are equally of high standard.
Mish Mash is exactly how I imagined a wine bar catered to the next generation of drinkers will be like. It’s a vibe. It’s also the first cocktail bar in town that is completely dedicated to using various wines in their mix. And for that, we think it’s one heck of a concept we are happy to see enter the scene.
Mish Mash is located at 198 South Bridge Road, Singapore 058747.
[Read more: With Singapore outpost, Juliet Victor showcases diversity of Tokaj in Asia]
About the Author
Dannon Har is the Managing Editor of Spill. Discovering his innate gift for drinking only at a ripe age, he spares no time trying to find more delicious drops to imbibe during his time on Earth. When he’s not minding every detail at Spill, he spends his time concocting luscious libations and sharing them with folks that visit his home bar.