Dual-concept nightlife venue Barbary Coast in Boat Quay relaunches its lower floor as Deadfall Cantina, a cocktail concept centred around agave spirits.
Deadfall is now Deadfall Cantina.
While fancy party central Ballroom upstairs remains the classier elder sister, what used to be her rough-and-tumble younger brother of a San Francisco Barbary Coast-inspired dive bar has been totally transformed. Tastefully outfitted with memorabilia and artefacts of a Mexican nature, the revamped space looks positively polished and urbane. The back bar, once lined with American bourbons and whiskeys, now holds rows of unfamiliar, exotic bottles of Mexican spirits.
It’s as though kid brother went to Cancun for spring break and came back all inspired and grown up. And loving his agave-based spirits.
The food and drinks programme has been totally overhauled as well. The cocktail list, in particular. Many of the previous Deadfall cocktails were fun and easy-drinking, served on draft. That’s pretty much gone now. Instead of you have a slew of tequila- and mezcal-based creations.
Like any Mexican-inspired watering hole, there are Margaritas. The ones here at Deadfall Cantina, though, move away from the usual fruit-based sugar bombs. Sure, there’s Frozen Watermelon, but even this watermelon, lime, and lemon combination is sublime, allowing the base tequila – Código, if you must know – to shine.
Likewise the Mezcal Tommy’s, a Tommy’s Margarita that’s laced on the side with tajin, the lime, chilli and salt mixture adding incredible complexity to the funky, smoky mezcal. There’s also Horchata-rita, a fun, adult play on the classic Mexican milk-based beverage.
Moving on to the signature cocktails you have the Pasilla Mole Negroni, its chocolate and chilli combination one for Negroni fans who love them earthy and spicy. Oaxaca Wine sounds like witches’ brew, but the only magic here is making something that tastes like an aromatic aged Riesling out of tequila and mezcal.
My favourite though has to be the Buttered Paloma. Without going into the science of it, essentially the tequila here has been infused with the nutty, creamy flavours of beurre noisette, which helps round the usually sharp citrus-based classic Paloma and rendering it even more smashable.
The food menu too has changed. It’s moved away from frat boy bar grub to what it calls Mexi-porean eats. Think Mexican tacos, burritos and quesadillas but with your choice of Singapore-inspired fillings like Singapore Chilli Prawn, Butter Chicken, or Beef Rendang.
There are also various specials such as the Hainanese Chix Rice Burrito and Torta, both which deserve special mention for being absolutely scrumptious.
And if you’re feeling up to it, there are tequila and mezcal shots. The bottles in the back bar have all been painstakingly hand-carried back from Mexico by the Barbary Coast team – founding powerhouse duo Celia Schoonraad and Michael Callahan, as well as partner Roman Foltán – so they are worth checking out. If you want to learn more in depth about them, Callahan, in particular, can and will wax lyrical over the differences between espadin and blue agave, swoon over additive-free biancos, and discuss the virtues of the ancestral and artisanal methods of producing these spirits.
Deadfall Cantina leans into what is a growing worldwide trend in agave-based spirits, and I must say I really like it.
Deadfall is dead, long live Deadfall (Cantina).
DeadFall Cantina
Address 16 North Canal Road, #01-01, Singapore 048828 (Google Maps link)
Opening Hours 9am to 4pm on Monday; 9am to 4pm and 6pm to 12am on Tuesdays; 9am to 4pm and 6pm to 1am on Wednesdays; 9am to 4pm and 6pm to 2am on Thursdays; 9am to 4pm and 6pm to 3am on Fridays; 7pm to 3am on Saturdays; closed on Sundays
Tel (65) 8869 4798
Web www.barbarycoastsg.com/deadfall
Facebook barbarycoastsg
Instagram @dfcantina
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