I had a real internal struggle as to whether or not I was going to write about this new drinking den. Partly, and selfishly, I wasn’t going to because I didn’t like the idea of it becoming too mainstream…but then on the other hand, every bar needs customers or it will close.

So, let me tell you about the Horse’s Mouth.

Initially there is something you are not going to like: it’s in Forum. Well, it’s actually a tenant on the very edge of the mall, on the Orchard road side, so you can access it without having to walk through or have anything to do with any of the child-friendly shops.

It’s also another ‘secret’ bar, much like The Library on Keong Saik Street. I’m not sure I’m not a bit bored of this concept.

Anyway – get over all that and push on through Iggy’s ramen bar, head straight downstairs and you will find it. I am not a fan of his ‘Uma Uma’ restaurant so I don’t particularly recommend a stomach-lining-scoff here en route, but you need to eat something first because the cocktails in this joint are so good that you are probably going to have a few. Five each in our case when we went last Friday.

The guys mixing drinks are really talented. These are not over priced, knock-’em-out-fast cocktails of the all talk, no substance variety (or as someone I love dearly says, “fur coat, no knickers”). They are seriously well thought out.

The menu (below) looks like something you’d find in a restaurant, except it offers liquid sustenance and adventure rather than a full tummy.

We knocked back several of the incredible Makizushi and I recommend them a hundred times over (not all on one night perhaps). Made from gin, sake, lemon, homemade rice syrup and japanese cucumber, they were unworldly.

Lots of classics can be whipped up on demand if the menu is too avant garde for you. Apple Pie was also rather nourishing but Thai Mango Salad I found too sharp; it was, however, much loved by the person drinking it. In fact, here she is, with what appears to be the absinthe fairy on her shoulder (be warned, I think she may live in a cupboard under the stairs here – the fairy rather than my friend!).

I also had two ‘puddings’ followed by some other things I can’t quite remember.

There is a very good back door straight in to the bar that makes for a much better entrance than through the ramen joint.  On Orchard Road, to the left of the proper entrance to Forum, take the outside staircase down to B1 and push on through the blacked out, no name door almost straight in front of you (but slightly to your right). Ta-da.

The Horse’s Mouth 
Mon – Thu: 6:00 pm – 12:00 am
Fri – Sat: 6:00 pm – 1:00 am
T: (+65) 235 1088