Keong Saik’s The Guild is a convivial wedding for craft beers and fusion bites
A billion nights spent at Keong Saik have taught me one thing: Things will come and go but The Guild? The Guild is forever.
I remember trips to The Guild early in the evening, sipping on mighty affordable happy-hour pints of craft beer. I remember nights there indulging in its more-than-decadent mac and cheese.
Even with sleeker, more eye-catching new restaurants or irresistibly picturesque cafes, the bar’s charm remains.
There’s no mistaking it. It’s withstood the test of time, accompanying Keong Saik’s carousing faithful for beyond half a decade, even as other favourites mapped out their migration plans or entirely ceased to exist.
It’s cosy, supremely cosy — as unpretentious as it comes, offers tastefully creative fusion grub, and is blessed with a wonderful range of craft beers from its parent company, Young Master Brewery from Hong Kong.
And that’s just The Guild of the yesteryears since the Keong Saik bar has just welcomed a menu refresh that will make those tipple-fuelled date nights all the more dazzling.
Half Asian, all Satisfying
Maybe it’s down to the roots of Young Master, but the Guild has never been an establishment that shied away from whimsical, newfangled Asian twists. And that’s what why we love our meals here and what we love about the Chye Poh Hummus ($13).
Not much to digest here. It’s smooth hummus served with crunchy homemade sourdough. The proverbial icing on top is an avalanche of chye poh — riotously umami and fragrant to imbue the most satisfying shiok factor to hummus.
Another creation that also brings plenty of localised nostalgia is the Black Pepper Glazed Pork Sando ($16), with a pork belly caked in panko and finished with a black pepper glaze that adds a suspiciously kong-ba-bao-esque inflexion.
Again, The Guild abstains from being overtly complicated: Just nice and luscious in the centre while oozing a comforting richness and accented by trails of pepper sizzle and earthy depth to round it off.
But at the same time, complexity is something that The Guild endeavours for, though sparingly. At least for me, the Wild Mushroom Rice ($28) is impossibly entrancing, being the unique amalgamation of risotto and claypot porridge.
Little whispers of smoke set the mood while the lush earthy nuances of the fungi medley charm the palate and the creamy, velvety short-grain rice coat the tongue. Oof.
Understandably, Asian-fusion bites do not endear to everyone as craft beer accoutrements. For that, The Guild has safe and oh-so-satisfying classics on the menu such as its signature Mac N’ Cheese ($19) and Fish N’ Chips ($27).
Beer battered to bestow the seabass with the most glorious airy crackle then elevated by an addictively tangy and herbaceous tartar sauce, there are no doubts this rendition matches up to Singapire’s best fish and chips.
The Craft Beer never fails
While the food menu is in my spotlight for this new menu refresh, one can never forget to pair everything with a pint of Young Master’s craft beer while at The Guild.
There are many strong selections but if there’s one to go for, it’s their all-time classic Cha Chaan Teng Gose ($18/450ml) — slightly funky but mostly tart and refreshing, made even more enjoyable with a satisfying dose of salinity.
More importantly, The Guild’s happy hour puts it at just S$13 for 450ml instead. Oh, plus the happy hour runs all day from Sunday to Wednesday and from opening until 7pm on other days.
There’s also a pretty decent cocktail menu with interesting creations such as the strong and fruity Red Date Redemption ($25) — not quite one of the top cocktail bars in Singapore yet, but pretty solid.
Ultimately though, a pint of craft beer and a feast with all those heavy-hitting and quirky flavours? Looks like The Guild has still got it, all these years later.
Make a reservation online before visiting The Guild.
The Guild
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- Address: 55 Keong Saik Road, #01-01, Singapore 089158
- Hours: (Mon) 4pm to 10:30pm, (Tues–Fri) 4pm to 11:30pm, (Sat) 3pm to 11.30pm, (Sat–Sun) 3pm to 10.30pm
*This was an invited tasting