The aroma of roasted spices, the rich fish curry and the unmistakable, chaotic bustle of Samy’s Curry have long made the historic restaurant a multi-generational favourite among Singaporeans. But what if you could drink that exact experience?
That familiar, deeply comforting memory has metamorphosed into a curry-inspired cocktail at The Elephant Room, named “Mr Samy’s Curry”.
While a cocktail inspired by fish curry might sound unusual at first, it made perfect sense to Mr Yugnes Susela, 38, co-founder of The Elephant Room.
“Many years ago, when my friend took me to Samy’s Curry for the first time, I thought, what could be so good about fish curry?” he quipped.
It was not until he took his very first sip of the gravy that he realised he would be hooked, patronising the establishment for years to come.
For locals, a trip to Samy’s Curry is nothing short of a culinary rite of passage, said Mr Yugnes.
“I wanted to encapsulate that feeling of sitting down and tucking into a plate of fish curry in a cocktail glass,” he explained.
The resulting concoction channels the fiery kick and tangy punch of the original dish and comes boldly garnished with a crispy shard of fish skin, a twist designed to appeal to adventurous, non-Indian palates.
“There is a market for savoury cocktails at present,” Mr Yugnes noted, tracking the global shift towards more complex, umami-forward flavour profiles.
Ultimately, the drink also serves as a “liquid ambassador” to tourists and uninitiated locals alike. “I want people to taste it, and immediately want to go and eat there,” he added.
Having debuted last November, Mr Samy’s Curry has been a quirky addition to The Elephant Room’s menu for the past seven months.
Sharing the spotlight is another vibrant creation named “Rajini”, an ode to the legendary South Indian superstar Rajinikanth, who happens to be Mr Yugnes’s all-time favourite actor. In fact, long before this cocktail was conceived, photographs of the iconic actor already dominated the bar’s walls.
The Rajini cocktail marries whisky with sweet jackfruit and a sharp bite of black pepper, a combination chosen with deliberate intent.
“Jackfruit is part of the revered trio of fruits in Indian culture and is also considered the ‘king’ of them all – just like Rajinikanth himself,” Mr Yugnes shared.
Meanwhile, black pepper, native to India and historically prized as both a spice and a medicine, provides that essential fiery kick. He explained that it serves as the perfect metaphor for the superstar’s unmistakable style that has captivated generations, while simultaneously reflecting his famous real-life simplicity.
Mr Yugnes is already experimenting on a brand-new menu of different bespoke cocktails to drop sometime next month.
