Winner of the Tatler 2010 Best Restaurant Bar Award, this is our new favourite pre-concert hangout.

7atenine
8 Raffles Avenue
#01-10 Esplanade Mall
+65 63380789
www.sevenatenine.com


The Crowd: Everyone and anyone.

The Tunes: It depends which band happens to be playing down by the water at the time.  These free concerts are on most of the time, and during our three-hour visit we heard a good mix of talent, marred only by one pitchy performance.

Our Tipple: We went for the Hoegaarden and Stella (because it was $7 per pint during happy hour) and the chilli zing signature cocktail ($12.70) – vodka, chilli, lime and lemongrass – because it almost knocked our socks off.

What We Like: The décor is modern and chic, and the glassed railings along the promenade allow for excellent people-watching. The bar snacks are a cut above the average; the Belgian fries ($7.70) – thick hunks of potato (like traditional English chips) sprinkled with chilli powder – went down well, but there are also more substantial meals if you want dinner.

Best Time to Go: It opens at 5pm, so get there early and grab yourself one of the comfy sofas. Happy hour is 5pm to 8pm. If you like jazz, then check out the new series of world-class indoor jazz concerts held at the restaurant’s 100-seater space. These are ticketed events, so check the website for performance details.