10 hours ago
Bartender Spotlight: Bannie Kang from Side Door wants you to ST*U and drink her cocktails
Tucked behind a nondescript door along Neil Road, Side Door is the kind of place that doesn't shout for attention – but once you're in, it doesn't let go. Founded by a talented bartender-and-chef duo, this cosy cocktail den (No. 53 on Asia's 50 Best Bars' 51-100 list) is where personal storytelling and technical finesse collide. It's not your typical bar. And Bannie Kang isn't your typical bartender.
Our first sip of anything Bannie made was in 2018 during her Anti:Dote days – a time when cocktail-making was more about spectacle. Back then, she was slinging everything from drinks served in fabric-sack lookalike cups hiding baby carrots, to whimsical sharing cocktails spinning on miniature ferris wheels.
Bannie's cocktails aren't anything like that now. These days, the 36-year-old has settled into a signature style that's unmistakably her own – clarified, minimalistic, yet layered and complex. She's also racked up an impressive list of accolades, including World Class Bartender of the Year in 2019 and the Bartender's Bartender Award in 2021. And most recently, she's also gained a worthy disciple (and contender) – her husband, Tryson Quek, who was just named World Class Singapore 2025 champion.
Seven years later, we had the chance to chat with Bannie to find out about her favourite creations at Side Door, the bar's unofficial anthem (it's a cheeky one) and her thoughts on the latest cocktail trends. Scroll on to see what she's got to say – and don't forget to check out more of Singapore's best bars in the Time Out Singapore 2025 Bar Guide, out now and available for free here.
If Side Door had a theme song, what would it be?
ST*U by Sophie Powers, from the latest season of American Idol. We chose this song because sometimes we really just don't care. We don't want to bother about others' opinions, we just want to focus on what we do.
What is a must-try cocktail at Side Door?
Seaside. It's inspired by a classic cocktail – the paloma – but flavour-wise, it's very different. We add fresh watermelon, Amaro, some citrus, and then fat-wash it with curry leaves, coconut oil, and tequila. It's a little savoury, very refreshing, and one of our top sellers. If it's someone's first time at Side Door, we always recommend they try Seaside.
What is an underrated cocktail on your menu?
There are two. One of them is Shallow Mellow, inspired by a drink I used to love when I was living in Taiwan, called 烏梅汁 (wu mei zhi). It's great for digestion. Our version still has hibiscus and Taiwanese smoked plum, but we also use tequila, peach syrup, and we carbonate the drink. It's very refreshing, but not everybody loves the smokiness of ume.
The other is Same Same Salad, a martini-style cocktail with cucumber, basil and olive oil. It's a bright, refreshing style of the martini, but people are scared to order it because they think it's going to be strong.
Which cocktail trend do you want to see more of?
I want to see more simple, classic, back-to-basics cocktails. Nowadays, lots of people are using fancy equipment and complicated techniques. Back then, when I just started bartending, we didn't have all of that. Just as the fashion industry goes in rounds, and something popular 10 years ago can come back into trend, the bar scene is like that too. That's the reason Bar Leone in Hong Kong is doing very well, because they do really simple cocktails.
What's another bar in the neighbourhood you'd recommend?
I've always recommended Night Hawk because of the team, the vibes, and the drinks – there's a really great harmony among everything. I love the energy of the bar.
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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