We used to order a coffee while working away on a laptop at their Cluny Court location - with all this working from home, it's been a good place to escape the four walls at home (or the other people within them). But for leisure, their spread at Dempsey Hill is just lush: lots of polished concrete, columns and greenery.
They're open in the evening (think eating the whole rainbow type food with an emphasis on local produce), but we like this space during the day when you can look out the window and enjoy the foliage and light. It pairs perfectly with the Melati-O-Spritz we order: fresh squeezed orange juice, tonic water, Melati, and ice. It's not as sweet and bright as an Aperol Spritz (it's not trying to be), but it doesn't have the medicinal taste of Campari. There's something fruitier with a hint of the exotic about it. Or maybe it's the refined bottle labelling working on us.
Whatever it is, we sit there sipping and feeling smug, because we're drinking something both delicious and good for us (it's packed with a host of restorative botanicals). And while we order another, and continue to skive off work, we talk about how if Melati was a video game, it would be the Minecraft to alcohol's Fortnite - wholesome but with enough edge, that you think "yeah, nah" about switching to stronger stuff. An afternoon well spent.
We also found this ripper of a recipe that SPRMRKT came up with. Their take on a Sunrise Sipper using Melati. It's not currently on their menu but we're going to try whipping it up at home.
40ml Melati
70ml Orange juice
2ml ginger juice
5ml sugar syrup
A couple drops of vanilla extract/vanilla bean
Shake all ingredients with ice, strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a dried orange slice.
Take to me more bars in Singapore serving non alcoholic cocktails!
Image courtesy of Melati