Cover Husband-and-wife duo of Bannie Kang and Tryson Quek
Husband-and-wife duo of Bannie Kang and Tryson Quek
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The former home-based speakeasy finds a new home away from home after a successful run at the couple’s residence
From a humble four-seater private diner to a cosy 40-seater cocktail bar and restaurant, the husband-and-wife duo of Tryson Quek and Bannie Kang debuts Side Door in the bustle of Neil Road. The namesake takes a pun at the literal where guests are to enter from a side door instead of a front entrance. Its aesthetically pleasing concrete-clad space, augmented by Kang’s bevy of carefully cultivated fronds and Quek’s wide collection of mini figurines, is clear with intention: to instantly welcome and arrest diners’ attention.
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Main dining room
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It comes as no surprise that the dynamic duo have done this before. Both individuals possess contrasting backgrounds—Kang operates behind the bar while Quek helms the stoves—but their skills converge in perfect matrimony when it comes to running a restaurant together. From 2019 to 2021, they have even moved to Taiwan to open Mu, their first joint venture of a modern dining concept abroad. Before that, Kang was the head bartender at Fairmont’s Anti:dote while Quek cut his teeth as chef de cuisine in the same premise.
Easy Peasy
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At Side Door, Kang’s riff on classic cocktails can be described as deceptively simple yet complex. Take the Easy Peasy, for instance, where London Dry Gin is layered with lime leaves, dry vermouth and Taiwanese mountain peppers. It drinks rich and redolent of citrus and lemongrass. Another hit is the Holy Moly Mary, an ode to the Bloody Mary and Moscow Mule classics, which taps into a funky tomato-infused vodka topped with sparkling ginger beer. It even sports a lively plum powder rim.
The South Korean bartender, who clinched the title of Bartenders’ Bartender at Asia's 50 Best Bars 2021, also teases a throwback of her competition-winning tipples which she adapts into her varying concoctions. Other boozy options—served by the glass or the bottle—include a modest lineup of wine, champagne and local craft beers.
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Above Dumpling
Dumpling
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On the other end, Quek shows off his culinary chops with elevated bar fare, drawing influence from European and Asian flavours and techniques. Tuck into fingerlings of burnt shishito accompanied by smoked mayonnaise, heaps of Angus beef tartare cleverly contrasted with paprika rice puffs and yuzu sorbet, and hearty baked escargots flavoured with a garlicky spinach burnt butter. Don’t sleep on the double-fried fries where the tempura-coated spuds amp up the crunch factor or even the punchy homemade XO-laced dumplings.
For an encompassing experience, Side Door offers The Living Room, an eight-course dinner tasting menu with drink pairings, inside a private dining room tucked away within the restaurant. It follows an omakase format but Quek has since teased a few dishes up his sleeves: expect imaginative creations such as oyster tartare with watermelon salsa, foie grass and sherry leek and Korean-style Wagyu short ribs. Don't be hesitant though as bookings for the hot table have been filled until the end of February at the time of writing.
Side Door
Address: 3 Neil Road, #01-01, S(088805)
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Credits
Images: Side Door
