There's nothing like a controversial food to split marriages and divide nations. Cast your vote for dishes you can't stomach.
5 Singapore rooftop bars
Air-conditioning is overrated -- at least at night. Embrace the great outdoors at these classy rooftop bars
You may have trouble paying attention to your date at Orgo on the Esplanade rooftop, where the view takes in Marina Bay and the business district.
The Bar: Breeze by name, breezy by nature. On this relaxing terrace you can make like Cleopatra, lounging on a plush daybed and drinking diva-friendly cosmolitos delivered by prompt, well-dressed attendants.
Located atop the Scarlet Hotel, Breeze attracts a professional crowd that comes for the good range of beer, cocktails and Mediterranean-style tapas.
The View: The location in the heart of Chinatown provides a mesmerizing view of Central Business District skyscrapers and a maze of terra cotta tile-topped shop houses that stretch into the near distance.
The Scarlet Hotel, 33 Erskine Road, tel +65 6511 3326
The Bar: Atop the Killiney Road Post Office along Orchard Road, KPO cafe and bar has a sweet blend of teak flooring, glass walls and Zen water features -- calming for those special moments when all you want is a nice cold mug of French Kronenbourg 1664 Premium Lager, Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc (served on tap) or anything in the way of a Chivas whisky cocktail.
DJs spin electro tunes Wednesday through Saturday. Happy hours -- 40 percent off draft beers and house pours -- run from morning openings until 8pm.
The View: Orchard Road at its most frenetic, from the working offices of Winsland House to the consumer chaos of Plaza Singapura.
1 Killiney Road, tel +65 6733 3648
The Bar: Why 'Loof'? No, nothing to do with loofahs. It's an amusing play on 'roof' with an inverted 'r.' So, why not just roof? Because there isn't one at this bar on top of the Odeon Towers.
Meant to create a "playful space that would capture the essence of the rooftop in a light-hearted dollop" (huh?), the eccentric, mismatched seating does at least convey a distinctly unpretentious vibe.
The View: The charms of CHIJMES from above, framed by Raffles City and Suntec City in the distance.
Odeon Towers (rooftop), 331 North Bridge Road, tel +65 6338 8035
The Bar: The draw at this small retreat on the roof terrace of the Esplanade is impeccable Japanese mixologist Tomoyuki Kitazoe, who blends the bar's signature soursop calamansi martini and other exotic drinks. The space is especially nice when the weather is cool and windy, but little air-conditioned 'glass houses' have been erected for hot nights. And wimps.
The View: A straight shot across Marina Bay, with a nice angle of the Merlion. Orgo is on the fourth floor, so there's little chance of vertigo.
Esplanade-Theatres on the Bay, 1 Esplanade Drive, tel +65 9733 6911
The Bar: Named after the English Punch and Judy puppet show, this bar connected to a toy museum bursts with a rainbow-hued display of paraphernalia. Mr. Punch's nostalgic bric-a-brac includes everything from tin plates and enamel posters -- Van Houten’s Gold Label Cocoa, anyone? -- to electric fans dating to the 1890s.
Even better are the promotional one-for-one and three-for-two beers, mixers and margaritas on offer each month.
The View: From the small outdoor area you get a grand view of the Raffles Hotel in all its colonial glory. Across its roof are Raffles City and the financial district beyond.
Mint Museum of Toys, 26 Seah Street, Level 6, tel +65 6334 5155
Read more on the CNNGo app for iPhone / Android / Nokia now!
Get the latest travel and lifestyle news and views from across Asia. Discover more about your city with the best in local coverage and perspectives. Find out where to shop, play, drink, eat and escape - www.cnngo.com/mobile
