Old Boys Gallery
While there are no shortages of drinking holes in Singapore, the (quite) newly opened Old Boys Gallery is one to check out (especially so if you are in the vicinity!). Located along Kampong Bahru Road and just minutes away from the ever-so-popular Stranger's Reunion, Old Boys Gallery focuses on craft beers (from all over the world) and good food at a pretty great price.
Old Boys Gallery
Transforming from a previous art gallery, Old Boys Gallery still retains some of the art pieces (that you are free to purchase) while functioning as a place to chill out over good food and beer. While I'm not generally a beer person, I took the opportunity to try out the Yona Yona Ale which is brewed in Nagano-ken Kitasaga-gun, Japan by the Yo-Ho Brewing Company. There is truly quite a huge range of beers that you can choose from - some looks a lot more frightening than others - and if you do not know where to start, be sure to check with the friendly staff for recommendations.
Potato Head (S$7.90 Nett) - sweet potato fries with curry mustard dip
Old Boys Gallery
The first dish that I managed to try is the Potato Head (S$7.90 Nett) - sweet potato fries with curry mustard dip. I was initially a little skeptical about the fries but they were amazingly light and that curry mustard dip goes so well with the naturally sweet potatoes. If you are here for beer, definitely give this dish a try!
Vongole Aglio Olio (S$14.90 Nett) - seafood goodness of venus clams sautéed in white wine
Old Boys Gallery
The next dish I sampled at Old Boys Gallery is the Vongole Aglio Olio (S$14.90 Nett) - seafood goodness of venus clams sautéed in white wine. Do note that the photo does not represent the actual size as I have specifically told the kitchen to make a smaller tasting portion (so I can try more food!). Depending on your personal preference, you can tell the chef to vary the level of spiciness in this dish. My personal recommendation? Extra spicy. The pasta was cooked to quite a good doneness and albeit it was not made fresh (and I was not expecting it to be), this dish was still quite good. If you do not like venus clams, the Roast Pork Carbonara (S$14.90 Nett) I heard is a real crowd-pleaser.
Trio of Bar Bites (from S$9 Nett)
Old Boys Gallery
Finally, I sampled three different items from the Bar Bites menu - if you are not up for the full size, there's also a triplet sampling menu that the kitchen can arrange for you. Similarly, do note that the photo does not show the full size of the bar bites but simply a tasting portion. The first bar bite I sampled was the Crispy Baby Squid (S$11 Nett) - fried bites with tangy sauce to go with curry leaves. I am generally a seafood lover (especially squid!) so I did enjoy this dish quite a bit. That being said, I do think it is rather ordinary (but still in a good way) and a lot less adventurous as compared to the other dishes on the menu. The OBG Crab Cake (S$11 nett) - sassy flavours of special crab cake with mango relish - is one of the better ones I have tasted in Singapore. While it does not rival the Grand Hyatt Singapore's Crab Cakes (which are my favourite) obviously, I was pleasantly surprised to taste the crab in this dish. The mango relish also provides a refreshing burst of flavour to the palate which helps to elevate this dish further. Finally, the signature OBG Wings (S$10.90 Nett for 3 | S$18 Nett for 6) - full wing marinated in chef's legendary marmite sauce. Sure, 'legendary' sounds a little overboard here but these wings are amazing companions to the beer selection here. If you are keen on using your fingers only, trust me, things will get messy.
Old Boys Gallery
67 Kampong Bahru Road