Singapore’s buzziest wine bar is shaking up the midweek scene. Big Wine Freaks, the 80-seat hotspot tucked into a vividly renovated shophouse on Bukit Pasoh Road, launched a new Thursday omakase series two years after its debut. The $188-per-person, 10-course seafood experience runs weekly alongside the venue’s rotating roster of DJ sets, bar snacks, and monthly Wine Not? Club dinners.
A Culinary Partnership Forged in Fine Dining
Head Chef Lim Wei Kiat, a veteran of Michelin-starred Art di Daniele Sperindio, teams up with Japanese chef Kenyoshi Ryohei—who commands the raw bar and seafood program—to craft a menu that fuses Europe’s top wine bar sensibilities, Japan’s omakase tradition, and the lively spirit of San Sebastian’s pintxos culture. The result: ingredient-driven plates that arrive in a space where magenta upholstery, vintage accents, and an open kitchen create the feeling of a 21st-century Dionysian temple.
The Vibe: Loud Colors, Quiet Beats
The dining room pulses with personality. Cinematic overhead lights frame each dish as eight lucky seats at the chef’s counter offer front-row views of the action. Plates arrive on dinnerware from Italian luxury house Ginori 1735, while communal tables hum with conversation over low-groove DJ sets that stay at a volume where you can still hear your companion. It’s a deliberate departure from the hushed, meditative omakase counters found elsewhere in Singapore.
The Food: Seafood-Forward, With a Few Surprises
Thursday’s menu skips meat entirely, focusing on Japanese seafood executed with European techniques. Highlights include clean Cocollos oysters paired with pickled yam, ikura, and caviar—a natural match for a glass of Laherte Frères Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature Champagne. The charred horse mackerel with grilled eggplant delivers smoky notes, but the Hokkaido white corn flan steals the show: a delicate teacup dessert topped with uni and cacao, where the cocoa’s bitterness perfectly counters the corn’s sweetness.
Wild bluefin akami sashimi arrives with caviar and a fibrous pickled Yanaka ginger stick, followed by a silky chawanmushi loaded with Hokkaido king crab and ikura. Warm brioche with kombu butter satisfies, while amadai—crispy scales up—impresses despite being slightly oversalted. A hama-fuedai nigiri arrives with homemade ginger and minimal wasabi or shoyu, though its subtlety gets lost nine courses into the meal. The char-grilled Kumamoto shima aji with celery sauce redeems, especially if you score the tender belly cut. Dessert closes strong: Japanese peaches paired with Earl Grey mousse and jelly, offering a fresh, watery palate cleanser.
The Drink: 500 Labels, Award-Winning Service
Head Sommelier Goh Kher Meng—whose resume includes Michelin three-starred Odette, Poise, Le Bon Funk, and former natural wine bar RVLT—curates a collection of over 500 bottles. The focus leans heavily on new-generation Champagnes and Burgundies, with strong representation from Piedmont, Tuscany, Sicily, and Australia’s Adelaide Hills, Margaret River, and Victoria. The by-the-glass list rotates 40 labels, served in Zalto, Sydonios, and Kimura stemware.
Time Out Tip: BYO Without the Fee
Not ready for the full 10-course marathon? The à la carte menu offers raw seafood, starters, mains, and desserts. Chef’s Choice menus start at $98 per person and feature must-try plates. Best perk: diners who opt for the Chef’s Choice experience can bring up to two bottles corkage-free—a rare deal for a wine bar this well-stocked.
Rating: 4/5
Big Wine Freaks’ Thursday omakase is a modern, ambitious take on the Japanese tradition. A few seasoning slips keep it from perfection, but genuine surprises like the sweet corn flan and competent dishes like the bread and chawanmushi make it worth booking. Swap the zen counter for something buzzier, with personality—and one of Singapore’s most interesting wine lists.
Big Wine Freaks, 44 Bukit Pasoh Road. Open Monday to Saturday, 5:30pm till late.
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