FiftyFive Coffee Bar floats our boats with art and limited-time cocktails

Snazzy shophouse cafe FiftyFive Coffee Bar unveils and celebrates iconic Liu Kang art piece ‘Boats’ with limited-time Japanese food menu and sea-themed cocktails.

Fans of Singapore’s renowned pioneer Nanyang-style oil painter the late Liu Kang may want to take note – one of his art pieces ‘Boats’ is currently being exhibited at FiftyFive Coffee Bar on Neil Road, a coffee bar owned by his great-grandson Nick Liu.

The iconic artwork features Liu’s signature style that’s influenced by Fauvism and Post-Impressionism as well as Chinese brush painting techniques, and his penchant for painting everyday scenes particularly around bodies of water. ‘Boats’ is among the over thousand pieces Liu Kang bestowed to the National Heritage Board prior to his passing in 2004.

To celebrate his great grandfather’s work, great-grandson Nick has curated a sea-themed experience for FiftyFive’s patrons. He’s worked closely with an artisanal cocktail consultant to develop a cocktail menu inspired by the seven seas of the world. Creations include Mediterranean, a Prosecco-based wine spritz with notes of apple and olives, or Indian, an earthy and spiced, yet mellow, tipple.

There’s also the Mezcal-based Gulf of Mexico, with some Gentian liqueur adding herbal bitterness to balance its smoky profile, or Caribbean, the rum-laced cocktail made herbaceous with vetiver and pine soda.

To complement the cocktails, FiftyFive Coffee Bar’s current chef in residence – the coffee bar runs a “Chef Artist-In-Residence” programme – Benjamin Lai of ooomahmee has created four Japanese-inspired bowls that will be available for a limited time. Delectable donburi options include Barachirashi, featuring a medley of cubed seafood – including trout, swordfish, and octopus – seasoned in a blend of ponzu shoyu, complete with a sprinkle of tobiko and tamagoyaki served over artisanal 3-vinegar sumeshi, or Yuzu Tori Don, with succulent grilled organic chicken thigh seasoned with a yuzu soy marinade gracing a bed of fluffy rice.

The sea-themed cocktails are available at FiftyFive Coffee Bar from 12 May 2023, 7pm onwards, Fridays to Sundays only. ‘Boats’ will be on display until 5 June 2023.