Sitting right in the heart of the Outram area in Singapore, Lin Rooftop Bar is a lovely Chinese-style bar that, instead of going for the typical sleek Western-influenced decor, pays homage to our Chinese roots. With special custom-made furniture, the place felt like a whole other country as it broke the monotony of typical western designs, incorporating a bamboo forest within.
The bar offers not only standard tapas fair like popcorn chicken and truffle fries, but also their own range of Asian tapas, among which the bestseller is the Yin Yang (S$11.80). The otah and the bread topped with sautéed prawns was the perfect combination to end a long day at work with some cocktails. Even the presentation of the dish itself was a wonder and is fitting for an Instagram moment.
Yin Yang
The spam fries – while not something new – are also worth a try, with pieces of spam deep fried to crispness. Matched with a sauce and containing a hint of cheese, it’s not surprising to see this as one of the more popular tapas.
Rustic Sky cocktail and Spam Fries
And of course, a trip to a rooftop bar wouldn’t be complete without a cocktail. There is something for whatever mood you might be in that night. Lin Rooftop Bar has all your normal cocktails, but where is the fun in getting a normal one, right? Get the bartender to make you a cocktail based on your tastes, and be prepared to be surprised. My favourite was the Rustic Sky (S$18), which did not look impressive when it arrived, but was refreshingly good. I love sourplum drinks, and this was the best sourplum cocktail I’ve tasted thus far, and I couldn’t really taste the bitterness of alcohol.
Terracotta Cooler
Other cocktails like the Terracotta Cooler (S$18) is Lin Rooftop Bar’s own spin to the traditional mojito. There is even a drink that comes topped with a little piece of bacon, because who says cocktails can’t be savoury?
While most people usually head to the bar for drinks, some of us need to fill our stomach. Fret not – there is a huge range of dishes to satisfy all tastebuds. We had Babe (S$17.80), which is pork belly cooked siew-yok style. The skin is much harder than the normal siew-yok, but other that that, the fatty piece of meat is pretty trickling in goodness guaranteed to fill up your tummy for the night. But do get there early, as there are only limited portions of this pork available each night. Once it’s out for the night, you’ve just gotta come back another day for your roast pork fix.
Babe
Lin Rooftop Bar is affordable, yet trendy enough to make you feel like you are getting your money’s worth. It certainly lives up to its name – which is short for “Shu Lin” or ‘forest’ in Mandarin – as a hideaway from the hustle and bustle.
Lin Rooftop Bar
50 Tiong Bahru Road (Rooftop of Link Hotel)
Singapore 168733
Tel: +65 9487 4290
