Top five shots at Chupitos Bar

Everyone's done their share of ill-advised Curvero shots, milky B-52s, cough syrupy Sambucas and head-rattling Jager bombs.

After a while, though, throwing down the same tired concoctions gets old.

That's the thinking behind Chupitos (Spanish for little drinks), a dedicated shot bar with a menu of 200 or so shots, many inspired by local flavors and drinking games.

The brainchild of Cherilyn Tan and Jamie Koh, the bar's novelty factor won the pair the Martell VSOP Ultimate Start-Up Space 2010 contest.

Great idea, but there's only one way to find out if the shots are up to snuff. We took a number of Chupitos' best shots and still had enough brain cells left to compile this admittedly starter list of good shots.

Milo Godzilla

What: Shot glasses drenched in Milo powder and filled with Baileys, vodka and Milo.
How to drink it: Throw it back with gusto and don't forget to lick the Milo-encrusted glass.
Verdict: The adult version of the primary school recess drink will keep you going -- milky nostalgia packed with a punch.
Price: S$5

Kiss of Death

What: Grand Marnier and Triple Sec mixed in a large whiskey glass.
How to drink it: Soak two fingers in the mixture, suck in the alcohol fumes, then down the shot.
Verdict: Sweet wallop. Inhaled fumes intoxicate the sense before the alcohol hits the tongue. Best drunk with friends hellbent on a hangover.
Price: S$5

Absinthe Bohemian

What: Green absinthe served in whiskey glass with a sugar cube.
How to drink it: Whip out a lighter and heat the cube till the sugary fire drips into the absinthe.
Verdict: Sickly-sweet with licorice tones. Best for aspiring artists who like to imagine green fairies flitting about behind the counter.
Price: S$8

Molecular B-52

What: A deconstructed B-52 (Kahlúa, Baileys Irish Cream and orange Cognac) remade into a pile of bite-size pearls.
How to drink it: With a soup spoon full of aforementioned pearls.
Verdict: Flavorful, even if the chewy texture is akin to rubber and the B-52 potency feels lost while undergoing its molecularization process.
Price: S$8

Pandan Cake

What: Liquefied pandan cake in a shot glass containing Midori, Absolut Vanilla, whipped cream, pandan extract and matcha dust.
How to drink it: Time inhalations so as not to choke on the matcha dust.
Verdict: Think of a creamy pandan cake by Bengawan Solo and you've got it. A tad cloying, but a surefire hit with the Nonya set.
Price: S$9

I am a computer dude and ex-academic (although I won’t say it too loudly) who took time off to tour Asia and write about it. And I’ve not stopped writing since.

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