Well-hidden with hipster vibes, BRICKS Gastrobar lies just opposite Great World City.

This bar has everything you could possibly want, from retro tiles on the walls to colourful neon lights, serving up comfort food and playful cocktails.

I couldn’t wait to dive right into the food, starting with their BRICKS Fish & Chips (S$18). It may look like another ordinary plate of fish and chips, but my first bite proved otherwise.

The airy batter on the outside was deep-fried till golden-brown, with a distinct prawn flavour like har cheong gai batter. On the inside, the pearl white fish broke apart nicely in glistening juicy flakes.

Unfortunately, the fish was bland even with the mouth-watering prawn paste batter on the outside. I would recommend dipping it into the sauce before taking a bite. The sauce, like the batter, tasted distinctly like prawn paste with a hint of spiciness.

Squeezing the lemon over the fish also helped to bring out the freshness of the fish while the acidity cut through the greasiness. I mostly enjoyed this dish, especially the Asian spin on conventional fish and chips.

We also tried the Confit Of Duck (S$24) which came with a duck jus. The well-seasoned and crispy skin on the outside was highly addictive, however, the duck meat inside was stringy and dry.

The jus has a strong gamey taste which enhances the duck but didn’t prevent the meat from drying out. I felt that the dish tasted very one-dimensional as the gaminess overpowered any other flavours in the dish.

I couldn’t even taste the mashed potatoes, and I would give this dish a miss if I return to BRICKS Gastrobar.

The Grilled Texas Chicken (S$18) wasn’t the prettiest dish; it looked like a mashed up pizza served on a plate.

While it might not look as appetising, the chicken has been marinated in a wide range of different herbs including black pepper and rosemary.

The rosemary bringing out the juiciness of the tender chicken. A layer of mushrooms and cheese blanketed the chicken, and they torch the cheese before serving it.

I really enjoyed the grilled cheese on top which had a satisfying cheese pull as I cut into the chicken.

This dish tasted like comfort food, with all my favourite ingredients available in one plate. However, I felt that for S$18, the dish could be served with more finesse and better plating.

Since we were at a bar, we had to try some of their signature cocktails, like Golden Opportunity (S$14). They used house-infused pisco (a type of brandy) with goji berries which gave a slight tartness to the drink.

This was then mixed with a house-made chrysanthemum liquor and topped with an egg white foam. The drink tasted like an alcoholic chrysanthemum tea with strong floral notes and a smooth texture from the foam.

I especially enjoyed this drink because of the airy texture and sweet floral notes which rounded off the meal nicely.

The next drink was F–K Cancer (S$18). Despite the coarse and vulgar nature of its name, one dollar goes to the Singapore Cancer Society with every purchase of this drink. The drink is made with a house-made sour plum vodka with lavender water and some simple syrup.

While the more prominent flavour that I could taste was the sour plum, the drink left a lingering flowery finish with every sip.

I would recommend pairing this drink with the BRICKS Fish & Chips, to refresh your palate with some sourness after every bite of the fish and chips.

BRICKS Gastrobar may look aesthetically pleasing, but I feel that much more can be done to improve the quality of the food.

I felt that the drinks at Bricks Gastrobar were professionally crafted and if I were to go back, it would be for the drinks.

Of course, if you’d like to update your Instagram with some neon-lit photos, head over to BRICKS Gastrobar for a drink or two.

Expected Damage: S$20 – S$50 per pax