At a time when bars across the city are increasingly embracing the use of high-tech equipment and experimental techniques in their cocktail making, zerø inn at ASHTA District 8—tucked semi-hidden behind OD by Oyster Dealer—goes the other direction to bring the craft back to the basics.
“We have no high-tech interventions at all. The techniques are all very classic; stirring, shaking, and no fancy lab equipment like [the distilling tool] rotovap,” remarked Asa Kusumah, head of marketing at A3000 Cultural Collective, the holding company that oversees the running of the bar. “Bartenders have always been able to make good cocktails with these very simple techniques, and we believe that’s still true today. Sometimes, this allows us to be more explorative with what we make.”
Rotating bimonthly alongside its classic cocktail selections, zerø inn’s in-house cocktails boldly gravitate towards the savoury, taking on an ingredient-forward approach that introduces flavours more commonly found in food.
The bar’s current menu, Room 003, includes highlights such as the crowd-pleasing Wasabi, a long drink-style gin cocktail that packs a hint of freshly-grated wasabi’s vegetal sweetness—minus the heat—and fruity notes from muscat grapes and pineapple juice. There’s also Mushroom with a strong umami impression that is brought forward by the shiitake-infused gin and cordial, complemented by crispy nori garnish to round out the flavour.
As for the season’s special, the Bartender’s Pick, head bartender Jonathan Kevin Julian emulates Haidilao’s hotpot broth with Malatini, mixing mezcal with Sichuan chilli oil, magic jalapeño and pineapple shrubs to create a mind-bogglingly spicy yet smooth concoction that keeps inviting you in for another sip. But if that’s still not adventurous enough, patrons can always tap into their own imagination and request a bespoke glass of cocktail from the bar—bartenders here are very open to the challenge.
With a floor-to-ceiling vista of neighbouring buildings—which the team jokingly refers to as “our own little Manhattan”—the hideaway bar has the kind of ambience that invites an unhurried cocktail or two while enjoying the metropole’s changing scenes at sunset, accompanied by gentle tunes from the turntable and bar bites such as the lemongrass-marinated Crispy Chicken Satay with house-made pickles and green curry sauce.
Through its distinct cocktails and friendly, welcoming atmosphere, zerø inn shows that a bar can tick all the right boxes just by bringing it back to the basics. It may even be somewhat of a novelty, at a time when it’s becoming harder to keep up with the ever-evolving nature of the city’s nightlife. And sometimes, all one needs is a quiet glass of cocktail to top off the evening, and a bartender’s listening ears to vent the day’s worries.