Having found a permanent post, Drunken Farmer can now share their know-how of fermentation seven days a week through pizzas and natural wines.
This nomadic natural wine bar has come a long way from its migratory habits since popping up at various F&B brands under the same Spa Esprit Group. Calling Stanley Street (or Common Man Stan by day) home, Drunken Farmer takes over with vintage movie posters and hip-hop music to debut a fully fleshed out menu in a celebration of fermentation.
Chef de cuisine Paul Albert, the brains and hands behind that sourdough pizza pop-up Le Vin, Levain at Tiong Bahru Bakery, resumes his role here. Ever conscious of ways to reduce waste, he uses his 159-year-old starter for pizzas and its by-product to ferment vegetables and batter. (Albert is also of the opinion that sharing the starter will only make it grow better so if you’re an aspiring sourdough maven yourself, ask for a little to bring home.) The Sourdough Karaage is a fine example of his ingenuity; the crispy batter and kimchi mayonnaise both borrow from the sourdough’s starter and have that familiar acidity.
Chewy, tangy, 30-hour fermented pizza dough still remains the backbone of the menu and, on its own, offers a unique blank slate. The assortment of toppings includes imported produce, herbs grown in the Open Farm Community garden, house-made temple Stracciatella from a local Hindu dairy farm and goat cheese from Hay Dairies. There’s the fool-proof Margherita but get the Anchovy & Pesto, slathered with basil-pistachio pesto and balsamic vinegar, for something punchier.
That fermentation funk is welcomed too in the sizeable natural wine selection curated by Eduardo Bayo. Hailing from Montreal, the ebullient aficionado has got all bases covered; from light- to medium-bodied reds indistinguishable from the regular such as the È Rosso! Poderi Cellario to the sweet effervescent Le Scarabée Qui Bulle 2014 Domaine Christian Binner that epitomises the great qualities of natural wines. Delicious and dangerously easy to drink, a few bottles are offered in large format should you wish to indulge.
In between bites and sips, casual conversation seems to flow effortlessly here and in such trying times, we all could do with a night of great company.
Drunken Farmer is located at 11 Stanley Street, Singapore 068730. Delivery/pick-up hours for food or natural wines are from 12pm to 8.30pm. Call 97390196 to place an order for food or visit their website for more information.
