In October this year, Vintry Wine Bar & Restaurant became the newest kid on the block when it joined Clarke Quay in its vibrant F&B scene. Although barely 2 months old, the same cannot be said for Vintry’s three sister outlets in Malaysia. This marks the first opening in Singapore for Malaysian Wine Bar & Restaurant Group, Vintry Cellars Sdn Bhd. With over 1000 different labels of wine by the bottle, this wine bar and restaurant offers the largest and most diverse selection of wines in our country.

The interior of Vintry Singapore mirrors its three outlets in Malaysia – Vintry Damansara, Vintry Jaya 33 and Ribs by Vintry. Rustic, red brick walls complement the contemporary Royal Selangor handmade metalesce tiles. Together with soft, warm lighting, it gives the place a cozy and laid-back ambience. There are secluded booths and intimate low tables for diners who want privacy, with high barrel tables and a long bar for more casual dining.

Apart from being invited to try its selection of Asian-influenced Western cuisine, YP and I were also encouraged to learn about the new wine-serving system that Vintry’s Managing Director, Mr. Wong Yin-How has brought in from Italy. Apart from that, the wines were cellared library-style which is a novel and interactive way to encourage guests to learn more about.

Vintry Singapore has installed four state-of-the-art Enomatic Wine-Serving Systems that allow 32 different types of wines to be served in perfect condition by the glass in three sizes – a tasting portion (25ml), a half (75ml) and a full (150ml) glass. A special Wine Card that is pre-loaded with value allows customers to self-dispense the wines. Now, you have the freedom to explore your wine preferences at your own pace and budget! A very clever concept, I would say! You can sample wines before buying, and also taste rare vintages at very affordable prices. You need not worry about buying home an expensive bottle, only to take a few sips and realize that it is not to your liking. Argon gas, which prevents the wine from oxidating, ensures the integrity of the wine. Given our climate, an unfinished bottle of wine can only last a couple of days in the refrigerator but it can be protected for up to 3 weeks in the system!

Wines range from the cheerful Sauvignon Blancs to the noble Barolos. Prices are as low as $2 for a tasting portion, to $50 for a full glass. To keep things interesting, Vintry will rotate its selection of wines “on tap” from the four Enomatic systems on a regular basis. It has plans to offer highlights such as First Growths, Grand Crus and rare Reserve wines, amongst others. Notably, these wines are a perfect match with Vintry’s Asian-influenced Western menu.

Vintry does not attempt to do anything pretentious in terms of its food. The emphasis here is on wholesome food and food that provides nourishment for the soul. For that night, we were given tasting portions of each dish as shown in the photo above, so note that this is not reflective of the actual serving.

Some girls, if not most, would probably be skeptical about eating roasted pork. Vintry Roast Pork ($12 for 150g) is one of the signature dishes, prepared with their traditional home-made recipe. The roasted pork was tender with just a teeny weeny bit of fat in the middle. We loved how it crackled so loudly in our mouths! Splendid! And guess what? We wiped everything clean! So much for being skeptical.

This seemingly harmless looking Caramelized Roast Pork ($14 for 150g) took us by surprise. A choice of spicy or non-spicy is available but we were all given the spicy one by default. The Vintry roast pork wok-fried in a flavorful superior soy sauce results in a texture similar to that of stewed pork. Caramelized with sugar, it was a good blend of sweet and spicy.

Topped with cold juicy bits of tomato, the Oriental Tomato Bruschetta ($10) is a healthy and light starter if you intend to save some space in your stomachs for the mains.

The Honey Fried Cheese ($15) kinda reminded me of one of my favorite childhood snacks, cheese balls! Breaded and fried, these cheese balls were drizzled with honey. I love its soft, chewy texture and the melting cheese center.

How about nasi lemak wrapped in seaweed instead of a banana leaf? Vintry’s Nasi Lemak Maki ($12) is my favorite starter. It really feels guiltless to be eating nasi lemak this way!

Prawns were coated with a thin layer of flour and fried with flakes of fine crunchy cereal. Curry leaves and chili padi were used to garnish the Cereal Prawns ($15).

Cod fish and otak-otak! The Vintry Otak-Otak ($14) is mildly spicy and has a rubbery fishcake like texture. Personally, I would prefer otak paste.

Sliced pork belly is typically braised as part of our Asian style of cooking. Here at Vintry, it is marinated with an intense bean curd sauce and fried to a crispy perfection, the Deep-fried Pork Strips ($14) were a delight to nibble on.

Lip smackingly good, the Cajun Pork Ribs ($28) is grilled and served with rosemary baked potatoes and salad.

This probably looks like an ordinary serving of tomato-based pasta. I was impressed that the Tom Yum Spaghetti ($32) was well executed. With tom yum flavors intense, it was really spicy while retaining the sweetness of a tomato-based pasta. Served with tiger prawns, mushrooms and pork croutons. Don’t miss out on this one!

Cheese lovers would be thrilled that the Vintry Cheese Platter ($30) features a selection of seasonal cheeses served with fruit jam, dukkah, dried apricots, water crackers and baguette slices. Cheeses range from the soft and creamy Camembert to the pungent blue cheese.

A local Peranakan speciality, the Pulut Hitam Panna Cotta ($9) is layered into a custard drizzled with longan-infused palm sugar. It’s a really brilliant idea to combine these two soft and creamy desserts together!

Whether one is looking for a comfortable place to kick back over a bottle of wine with the good company of friends, a chic yet affordable restaurant for an intimate date, or a playground with plenty to explore for oenophiles, Vintry Singapore has something for everyone.

I would like to thank Jannah, Anu and Juliana from Fulford Public Relations for the invitation. Special thanks to Wong Yin-How (Managing Director), Mohd Fazil Mohammad (Operations Manager & Sommelier) and Wayne Chan (Executive Chef) for making our experience as Vintry a pleasant one.

Vintry Wine Bar & Restaurant
Block 3A, River Valley Road
#01-01 Clarke Quay
Tel: 6338 2303

Opening Hours:
Sun to Thu
12pm – 1am
Fri, Sat & Eve of Public Holidays
12pm – 2am