Fura At Amoy creatively reinterprets food and drink with devotion to sustainability and futurism
The future is now. And Fura, a vibrant new bar concept found along Amoy Street, is what’s leading the vanguard. As far as cocktail bars go, it’s been a scant collection of new names in recent years that can be said to genuinely brush against the boundaries with a kind of mad-scientist irreverence.
As fulfilling as a well-conceived classic riff, or as endearingly comforting as simple Asian homages can be, moments exist where the thirst for avant-garde inflexions grows intense.
In essence, Fura is a future-forward experiment by Sasha Wijidessa and Christina Rasmussen. It runs on an ethos that sees them reinterpreting drinks and dishes with sustainable ingredients, some grown by the team, others carefully picked on the merit of dastardly invasiveness.
At least in my eyes, Fura might be the most intriguing mixological concept since Analogue Initiative. And it’s only all too fitting it’s found across Native Bar, Analogue’s sibling that’s coincidentally run by co-founder Sasha’s former colleague, Vijay.
Ensuing from the homegrown produce is another charm of the second-storey outfit — it’s appended with an idyllic outdoor area residing in the shadow of Ann Siang Hill Park’s verdant expanse.
Relaxed concrete greys and colonies of weedy crops inform the vibes, whereas a small orange window gives you insight into Fura’s lab, equipped with esoteric apparatus and ferment jars.
In contrast, the interior is anchored by a flourish of vivid oranges and electric blues at the main bar, while minimalist monochrome and sharp orange accents populate the remainder of the space. Simple but with vibrant pops of colour to give it a lively, modern edge.
Flavours in Flux
One thing to look out for is the owners’ resumes. In regards to mixology, there’s no doubt Sasha has more than sufficient pedigree to run a tight ship slated to venture into an esoteric ocean of flavours.
Not only did she helm the original run of the legendary but now-defunct Operation Dagger alongside Luke Whearty, but she also took on a stint as Asia brand manager of the maverick spirit maker, Empirical.
All that mixology nous and inculcated sense for experimentation mean Fura’s flavour profiles and ideas tend towards more bodacious and future-forward interpretations — something stylishly embodied by the Jellyfish Martini ($25).
Radically deviating from the ubiquitous reliance on the umami factor of dirty Martinis, Sasha uses funky Jellyfish to bring to life a different kind of balance to the classic that frequently teeters on the edge of being dauntingly spirit-forward.
In this concoction, the moderate briney twang rounds off the profile with depth which, together with a splash of earthy funk, allows it to finish with more complexity in a balmy mix of dryness and light umami.
However, a more riveting representation of Fura’s zany flavour profiles came as the Caviar Papi ($25), built on a herbaceous and lemongrass-esque base. This is one all about the gorgeous progression in flavours, as the ingot of kombu ice cream slowly melts and bleeds in.
The ice cream’s mellow savoury zing slowly amps up in contrast as a velvety creaminess slowly introduces itself too. Eventually, everything muddles together into a wonderfully piquant tipple reminiscent of a yogurt drink — it’s a profile evolution that shows plenty of ingenuity on the part of the team.
The Great Plant Slant
Moving into the gastronomical sensibilities of the bar, guests will realise that Fura’s menu is monopolised by plant-based sharing plates, naturally in line with the establishment’s sustainable ethos.
For that, Christina definitely can boast of plenty of domain expertise — she was once Head Forager at the legendary Copenhagen outfit Noma, after all. The sharing plates may look unassuming but there’s some stealthy finesse in dishes such as the Kurly Kale ($20), despite its austerity.
It’s commendable every step of the way, from the base kale arriving fresh, juicy, crunchy, and without any unwelcome bitterness to the moreish seed compound butter that adds a robust richness to the greens.
Similarly, the “meatless” spin on the humble hotdog takes on a guileful ensemble of pickles and carrots bookended by a sesame brioche.
Admittedly though, I think the This Hotdog Doesn’t Need to Explain Itself ($22) was a notch away from perfect slow-cooked carrot texture with intermittent fibrosity but most of it was splendidly tender.
On top of that, the condiments also imparted a rich vibrancy that tasted a lot more wholesome than a regular hotdog. Undoubtedly, food appears slightly on the pricier side but that’s the unfortunate reality facing us with a lack of demand-side and institutional support for sustainable grub.
But does that mean it’s overpriced? Not precisely, I think it’s reasonable given market context — plus, there are items such as What What Would Mirko Do ($24) which are more than reasonably priced given the fact that feature artisan pasta made by the lauded Fico chef-owner.
Innovation is meant to be supported and while Fura might not be aggressively bashing through boundaries like Operation Dagger did, the vision and heart are on display for all to see.
To me, it’s simply a foregone conclusion that the ambitious owner duo will grow it into something even more holistic —maybe even one of the absolute best bars in Singapore— and I can only anticipate future developments.
Make your reservations here.
Fura
- Address: 74A Amoy St, Singapore 069893
- Hours: (Tues–Sat) 5pm–12am