LULU’S LOUNGE
Pan Pacific Hotel, 7 Raffles Boulevard 9829 1922 | lulus.sg
First impressions: Featuring chic black-and-red décor offset by wood furnishings, reminiscent of a 1960s New York backstreet club, Lulu’s Lounge is an up-and-coming hotspot with a classy yet laidback vibe – and a touch of burlesque to boot. Look forward to live jazz music, dance performances and retro DJ acts when the lounge opens its doors on Wednesdays from 7pm to 4am, and Fridays and Saturdays from 9pm to 6am.
The Chosen One: The menu is full of signature cocktails, from fruity to creamy to classics with a twist. Made with Cyrus Noble Bourbon, St George Spiced Pear, green chartreuse, rosemary and lemon, the cheekily named Grow a Pear ($26) was strong and punchy, yet fragrant. We also thoroughly enjoyed the Double Cappuccino Martini ($28), a unique concoction of in-house Vietnamese slow-drip coffee, two shots of vodka, coffee mocha syrup and cream. Smooth, creamy and almost dessert-like, this drink is the amped-up cousin of an iced mocha. If you like your tipple on the sweeter end, go for the Lulu and Louie Forever ($26), a simple mixture of Hendrick’s gin, cucumber water, mint and lemon juice. I’m a sucker for mint and lemon, so this was love at first sip.
Apart from cocktails, there’s an extensive selection of spirits – tequila, vodka, gin, rum, whiskey, cognac – alongside reds, whites and bubbles by the glass or bottle. Suffer from hangovers? Opt for an organic label like the Carrick 2015 Sauvignon Blanc from Central Otago, New Zealand ($135 a bottle).
The Cheapskate: While cocktails start from $24, there are some slightly cheaper alternatives available – a pint of Heineken goes for $15 and a glass of pinot noir is $17. There’s no minimum spend for table reservations, so you won’t have to fork out more than you intended.
Bite on this: Lulu’s Lounge is more of a post-dinner hangout spot, so you won’t find a myriad of food options. Still, there’s a small selection of nibbles for the peckish; we enjoyed the crispy and perfectly seasoned truffle parmesan fries ($10), and the mozzarella sticks ($10), which were served piping hot with marinara sauce. Those with bigger appetites can order a farm cheese platter ($24) or a charcuterie platter ($30). The complimentary house-made seaweed popcorn, which was consistently refilled by the staff, was absolutely addictive, too!