Converted from an art gallery along the once sleazy tight pub row of Asian hosted one-hole pubs, the stretch of conservation shophouses at Kampong Bahru is now a new sort of swank as the young and hip have ousted the dated haunts of disrepute. Old Boys Gallery sits along this stretch just opposite Singapore General Hospital, and in front of famous Singaporean composer Dick Lee’s residence.
The premises maintains a bohemian vibe with its painted mural of the pont des arts and a beer bottle art installation that adorns the walls, alongside other works of creative expression. The mood is laid back and the beers are cold, and if I were sitting next to the painted Parisian landmark, I could almost conjure up visions of the cigarette smoking intelligentsia plotting to bring down the Bastille in the thick of the Siècle des Lumières.
The menu exhibits some of the creativity that’s splattered on the walls. For starters, the luncheon meat chips came thinly sliced squares. Not a fan of processed meats, I found this method of preparation made the appetiser irresistible. The texture as well as the crunch resulting from the cut made for a very satisfying bite, surpassing the previously much copied luncheon meat French fry version. Although paired with a wasabi mayo dip, it’s good enough to eat it on its own.
Old Boy’s Gallery also had its take on the ever popular fried chicken wings and sweet potato French fries, mainstays of any establishment serving beer. The former came marinated in Marmite and was satisfyingly savoury. The boys at Old Boys Gallery are suitably proud of their kitchen creativity and pointed out that this pairing of Australian salty vegetable spread and fried wings is unique in all of Singapore to this bar-room. The fries in comparison was a little less exciting but a decent endeavour.
The crab cakes were heavenly and my pick of the lot. This is without a doubt the snack to go for; it is head and shoulders above the rest. I liked it for its fleshy, succulent bite. Each crab cake was a chunky handmade piece of seafood heaven. The dollop of coleslaw rounded off the flavours with a cool creamy tangy tingle.
In case you haven’t already noticed, all of the appetisers go great with beer and if there is one thing that Old Boy’s Gallery has, it’s a veritable gallery of beers. For my love of 80s pop metal, I couldn’t say no “the trooper”, the British ale endorsed by Iron Maiden that also sports Eddie in a redcoat and carrying a Union Jack on the front label.
I was able to fit in a tasting of three popular entrées – the chicken Kiev, manster burger, and roast pork aglio olio.
Chicken Kiev, upon its invention, was set up to be a winner with its combination of melted cheese, bacon stuffed within a fillet of chicken breast, breaded and fried crispy. Like the American Turducken, it’s made of all my favourite things. Who can resist delightfully sinful bacon – the pairing that makes asparagus edible? And melted cheese? That golden goodness hits below the belt and straight at the brain’s pleasure centres. The serving here is modest but hits all the right notes.
The manster is the monster for the manly man and it includes ALL the trimmings: caramelised onions, bacon, tomatoes, handmade patty, mayonaise and an egg to make sure you don’t go hungry at midnight. This is accompanied by thick cut fries made from fresh potatoes, not frozen ones – a real bonus as it’s a rare find and tastes infinitely better than the icicle variety.
To top it all off, I had the roast pork aglio olio. The fatty, tri-layer pork belly was cooked nicely, with the skin crispy and not chewy. The meat blended with the fatty layers and melted in the mouth. To give it a zesty finish, birds eye chilli was added, completing the dish but leaving me wanting more.
You can’t go wrong with any of the three choices highlighted here but the choice was hardest for me to choose between the Kiev and pasta.
The long beer list and commendable range of one-of-a-kind dishes is enough to convince me to make multiple trips back, with friends and wife in tow.
Old Boys Gallery
67 Kampong Bahru Road
Singapore 169371
Tel: +65 9187 0756
Opening hours: 11am to 11.30pm (closed on Sundays)
