Only good vibes and clean fun at 4 Jiak Chuan Road please folks. I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited for a bar or restaurant concept given my undying love for anything Maneki-neko (or Fortune Cat) related.
Phat Cat Laundry is the latest bar to join the prominent nightlife district and the decor itself is a sight to behold.
Though inspired by asian laundromats, I feel the need to clarify that you can’t actually come here and wash any clothing. Phat Cat Laundry is all about serving up Asian-inspired drinks and food, in a fun setting that is reminiscent of stereotypical American-Chinese takeout bars.
A well-stocked bar spins out teahouse cocktails and cocktails from around Asia. I’ll delve into some of the quirky ones they have but Phat Cat Laundry definitely means business.
The extensive liquor list ranges from sakes to umeshu, 10 styles of independent label Scottish single malts, and of course the usual suspects like wines and beers.
An elegant infusion cocktail, the Aromatised Oolong ($22) is what I call a silent killer. A wicked combination of osmanthus peach vodka, a hint of demerara, citrus and prosecco makes this yummy concoction a breeze to drink — probably deadly after four glasses.
I think I’ll take my chances.
Now this was fun to drink. The Foam Party ($26) is a tropical celebration of lemongrass rum and orange curaçao, topped with coconut cream, burnt lime and dehydrated pineapple.
It’s perfect as a pick-me-up after a long day at the office.
While primarily a bar, Phat Cat Laundry’s carefully curated menu is bound to be a hit with you hungry party animals. I’d recommend starting with the signature Truffled Prawn Egg Rolls ($14).
Try getting each roll in your mouth whole for the optimal combination of juicy prawns, black truffle paste, lemongrass aioli and fish roe.
I’d definitely accord the Steamed Mussels ($15) ideal drinking food status (you know the kind you happily wash down with an ice cold beer). Fresh mussels are steamed in a lime-coconut broth, bursting with Thai flavours, served with a toasted baguette for mopping up all the remaining soupy goodness.
Fried rice and I are basically one so I couldn’t resist trying the Mushroom and Bone Marrow Fried Rice ($16). Wild mushrooms and rice are stir-fried to perfection with ginger and soy and the bone marrow actually comes served with the bone intact.
Mix it together with the rice and yolky goodness from the sunny side up and it becomes everything I would want on a Friday night.
This monster of a dish is aptly called the Brontosaurus Char Siu Beef Rib ($25) and as much as it goes against my food principles, I’d say this is one to share. A massive beef rib is slow cooked in a char siu glaze which works surprisingly well flavour wise.
I’ll definitely be back for this one.
I was properly stuffed after the beef rib but Pineapple Brulee ($10) sounded too good to pass up. Juicy chunks of brulee-ed pineapple are served with a dollop of tea-infused honey yogurt (umm, YUM) and candied walnuts.
Order this with the Foam Party cocktail and you’ll be all smiles.
Remember the quirky cocktails I mentioned? I thought I’d have one for the road before calling it a night. The mandopop-inspired Forget-Love Water ($26) came in the perfect size. I’m not that big a fan of gin (calm down guys) but with ‘Magic’ listed as one of the ingredients, I couldn’t say no.
Ugni blanc gin, sea salt, butterfly pea flowers and magic are bottled to encompass the old school mandopop karaoke song about heartbreak. I was more than willing to wash my sorrows away with this blue number.
The Phat Cat Laundry mascot and concept already had me won over but the yummy drink and food offerings have officially cemented it as my new favourite hangout. Don’t just take my word for it, let the Phat Cat Divination decide for you.
Who knew laundry could be so much fun.
Expected Damage: $10 – $50 per pax
