15-05-2025
When Sago House Singapore's creative minds took over a Hyderabad bar
How do Ronan Keilthy and Norman Tan Yong Lin of Sago House, Singapore, spend their layovers during bar takeovers?
Ronan, the creative director of Sago House, says he struggles to switch off from work, even when travelling. 'You've seen those memes of people with 50 tabs open on their laptops? That's me. I've got just as many thought blurbs in my head too.'
Norman adds, 'I enjoy exploring food and drinks and observing people's choices — it's always fascinating.'
The duo were recently in Hyderabad for a bar takeover at The Library Bar, The Leela Hyderabad. Sago House is ranked 15th on Asia's 50 Best Bars list. Their menu always features six classic cocktail styles, but the actual drinks change weekly, depending on what is available locally. 'That's what we aim for at a takeover, creating drinks true to the Sago House philosophy using the best local ingredients,' Ronan explains. This visit marks his fourth trip to India.
Hence the 50 tabs — real and metaphorical. The team logs all experiences from their travels, drawing on them for future experimentation.
So, how do these flavours travel? Ronan says, 'It's not just about ingredients; it's about context. If I want to explore Hyderabadi cuisine, I can look up its key components and get ingredients shipped, if needed. But using cardamom in a drink doesn't make it Indian. Its use needs cultural relevance and proper pairing.'
Ronan leans towards savoury drinks — a preference he says is gaining global traction. He began working in bars around the same time he started drinking, gradually discovering the world of spirits and cocktails.
Norman's approach differs. While Ronan analyses spice profiles, Norman draws inspiration from food. 'There was a shortbread and milk trend in Singapore, so I created a strawberry-shortbread-style drink — cream, strawberry, milk protein, fat-washed. It was clean and simple. I did the same with dark chocolate and chocolate liqueur. My thought process starts with imagining a dish, then turning it into a drink.'
So does Norman love dessert? 'Kind of,' he laughs. On his first trip to India, he is simply soaking in the food. 'I'm the guy who's trying this and that.' Exposure to Indian spices has expanded his flavour vocabulary — he had just got used to green cardamom when Ronan introduced him to black cardamom. 'Mind-blowing,' he admits.
Norman, who has worked in the F&B industry for 12 years, started in bars thanks to an interest in whisky. Interacting with guests over the years helped him refine his creative approach to cocktails.
With a diverse team at Sago House, is it a mix of global flavours? 'Definitely,' says Ronan. 'Having people from different cultures helps create a well-rounded, flavour-forward bar.'
Any tips on creating savoury cocktails? 'There are many ways,' Ronan says. 'Use pickles, ferments, naturally umami-rich ingredients like mushrooms or seaweed. Tomatoes are great—they're high in natural MSG. Or you could use meat directly. I've had cocktails with squid, prawns, chicken, pork, salmon, beef—even rabbit. A bar in Japan serves one with bear. But these aren't alcoholic soups—technique matters.'
Could rice wine, neera (palm sap toddy), or soju make it to cocktail menus? 'Absolutely. Bars everywhere are incorporating these into drink programmes. It's a genuine way to honour local ingredients and bring craft to the glass,' Ronan concludes.
