Bartender Spotlight: Sasha Wijidessa on Fura's sustainable cocktails and the case for corn
At their cosy Amoy Street hideout, the pair guides diners through a range of planet-friendly ingredients, from insect proteins and cell-cultured milk to invasive species like jellyfish that are found in abundance. Their practices are well-rooted in science and research, but nothing bores. The best part? The weird stays wonderfully subtle – and not to mention delicious – with cocktails and bar bites crafted so carefully, you'll barely notice the mealworms or crickets in them.
Ahead of the launch of our Time Out Singapore 2025 Bar Guide, we get the chance to visit Fura and speak to its head bartender, Sasha, to find out more about the bar's must-tries and underrated cocktails. Read on for our five quick-fire questions – and don't forget to check out more of Singapore's best bars in our 2025 Bar Guide, out now and available for free here.
If Fura had a theme song, what would it be?
There are too many to pick from. We have several playlists for Fura created by me and compiled from both Christina's and I's music tastes. A lot of the names of the drinks come from lyrics, tracks or record titles, so you can often catch those playing throughout service.
What is a must-try cocktail at Fura?
New New Yuck. The original on the Volume One menu was named New Yuck City, an album by Dirty Sanchez. I wanted to refine the drink further for Volume Two, so with the new alterations, a slightly updated name was given. It's a gin-based drink with infusions of guava, roasted kelp and shio kombu, giving it a clean yet savoury-sour profile. To finish, we have a warm white chocolate lime leaf foam on top, so you've got a great contrast between sweet and sour, hot and cold.
What is an underrated cocktail on your menu?
3 Crop Corn. I think people put corn in two categories – sweet and creamy, or popcorn – and it either excites or deters them. We steer clear of both and use masa to give the drink a toasty, nutty, dry and crisp profile. The cocktail highlights the benefits of crop diversification for low carbon emissions and supporting regenerative landscapes. Its name refers to a three-crop system, with a small grain (represented by Sorghum grain in the Empirical Soka); summer legume (showcased in the corn silk vermouth) and cover crop (a garnish of mustard frills from GreenLoopFarms).
Which cocktail trends do you want to see more and less of?
More fermentation. Fewer throw-away garnishes.
What's another bar in the neighbourhood you'd recommend?
Hup San Social Club. June is the sweetest, most precious person. She is so passionate – her and her team's hospitality is unmatched. The cold soup cocktail is a must.
Discover more of Singapore's best bars in the Time Out Singapore 2025 Bar Guide, out now and available for free here.
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2 days ago
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Time Out
4 days ago
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Daily Record
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