Mod Japanese cocktail bar MOGĀ (Japanese slang for ‘modern girls’) is inspired by the Prohibition Era of the 1920s, home to craft cocktails with Japanese ingredients and complemented by contemporary bar bites. MOGĀ also features a curated selection of Japanese whiskies, spirits and sakes from well-known producers to small batch distilleries.
Hidden behind an unassuming door at the new Pullman Singapore Hill Street, the speakeasy’s interiors sprawl over three lavish seating zones with lush mahogany leathers set against modern, dazzling LED graphics and larger-than-life artwork.
The cocktails here make liberal use of Japanese ingredients – think shiso leaf, kinako, sesame, and even wasabi. For something classic, try the Geisha’s Garden ($24) that comes in a cute Japanese tea cup. The smooth tipple features familiar ingredients like Roku gin, jasmine tea, vanilla, citrus and matcha, making it ideal for a first drink. But if you’re feeling adventurous, go straight for the Wasabi Smash ($24) – it’s a punchier cocktail with stronger notes of Asian herbs, featuring gin with wasabi, green shiso, basil, lemongrass, and citrus.
On the food side, sashimi and nigiri await, as do creations such as salmon belly tartare in spicy yuzu with truffle shimichi, caviar and puffed rice pops. Other popular favourites include a loaded spicy tuna roll with diced fatty tuna belly and crispy potato; chicken karaage with karashi mayo and spicy tonkatsu sauce; and the Moga Samurai Roll for prawn tempura with fresh yellowtail.
More still, the robatayaki section brings wild-caught miso grilled Japanese black cod; chicken meatballs with runny sous vide egg and spicy teriyaki sauce; as well as Hokkaido scallops on yuzu soy and truffle butter sauce. For larger sharing plates, order the luxe uni donburi with Hokkaido sea urchin and caviar; crispy kakuni pork belly; and Tokyo Broil, for grilled A3 Wagyu striploin and ribye in yakiniku sauce.