Fish head curry, then jazz in a whiskey library
- Total time
- 3–4 hours
- Budget
- S$60 and above — Dinner at The Banana Leaf Apolo (curries and mains about S$10–25; fish head priced by size, for sharing), then drinks at The Whiskey Library & Jazz Club, where bar prices aren't published.
- Works on
- Every day
- Timing
- Dinner around 6.30pm, then the bar by 8.30pm; go Thursday to Saturday for live jazz (book via SevenRooms).
- Stops
- 2 stops, in order
- Good for
- A date, A friend
Days are worked out from each stop's usual opening hours; check before you go.
Curry at a run, whisky at a crawl, and a walk between them to make room.
An evening at two speeds for a date that wants a bit of drama or a friend who knows a dram from a shot: fish head curry first, then live jazz in a whiskey library. Go Thursday to Saturday, the only nights with jazz, and book the bar. The second half will cost noticeably more than the first.
The Banana Leaf Apolo, Race Course Road. It began as a thosai stall in 1974 and borrowed its name from Apollo 11, and the curried snapper head is the order, priced by size and meant for sharing. Eat around 6.30pm while the restaurant is buzzing; it is open daily until 10.30pm, so nobody is rushing you.
The Whiskey Library & Jazz Club. Inside The Vagabond Club, a Jacques Garcia fantasy of a room with more than 1,000 whiskies on the shelves. Jazz starts at 8.30pm, Thursday to Saturday, and needs a reservation; dress smart-casual. Pick a whisky you have never heard of and ask about it; with that many bottles there is always a story.
The order is curry while you are hungry and the room is loud, whisky when you want somewhere quieter to sit and talk. The two are close enough to walk, which is just enough to make room for one more glass (and a short taxi between Race Course Road and Syed Alwi Road if it pours).
The plan
6.30pm · Dinner: The Banana Leaf Apolo
Order the curried snapper head; open daily until 10.30pm.
Hours: Daily 10.30am–10.30pm
8.30pm · Whisky and jazz: The Whiskey Library & Jazz Club
Inside The Vagabond Club. Jazz is Thursday to Saturday from 8.30pm and needs a reservation; smart-casual dress.
Hours: Bar Sun–Wed 4pm–11pm, Thu–Sat 4pm–midnight; lunch daily 12pm–3pm; dinner daily 5pm–11pm
If it rains
Both stops are indoors; take a short taxi between Race Course Road and Syed Alwi Road if it pours.
Researched from the sources listed, not a first-hand review. Prices, hours and access can change — check the official site before you go.
