Sauce Bar

Sauce Bar - Closed
8 Raffles Avenue
#01-10 Esplanade Mall

http://www.saucebar.com.sg/


Cheap Beer & Great Bar Snacks

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 6
Ambience & Setting: 6
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 6
Value for Money: 6
Spent about SGD $30 per person.


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The sister bar of the Butter Factory, Sauce Bar has reinvented itself over the years, and is now positioning itself as a whimsical, vintage bar that specialises in meatballs. Located close to the waterfront and stage, Sauce Bar sometimes has additional ambience from bands that play nearby.

Ambience at Sauce Bar has always been its weak point. While the decor is very good, attractive and whimsical, the relatively open area does little to shelter from the elements. And at night, the interior is barely lit, the dim lighting makes photography difficult.

Service at Sauce Bar is inconsistent. With the experienced staff, I find them polite and helpful, but during peak periods, you'll normally have to wait quite a long time to be served. Attracting their attention is difficult as well. The junior staff aren't much help, apparently, they need to refer to the senior staff. I'm also slightly irked by having staff ask if you can settle the tab / bill immediately after being served.

Sauce Bar focuses mainly on bar snacks, and as such, have almost no main dishes. Portions are either appetizer size, or meant for sharing. Generally, I find food here to be tasty and creative, and the variety of meatballs with choice of sauce are especially good.


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The relatively open area here means hot or wet weather is a concern. And at night, there is very dim / low lighting, you can barely see what you're eating!

Sauce Bar Signage

Sauce Bar Umbrellas

Beer Asahi Premium (SGD $14) is available on tap here, while Beer Asahi Black (SGD $14) is only available in bottles. Value for money before 8pm when it's 1-for-1!

Beer Asahi Premium

Beer Asahi Black

The Lyonnaise Potato (SGD $5) is a French side dish that originated from Lyon, Rhône-Alpes, France. Made with thinly sliced, pan-fried potatoes and onions sauteed in butter and parsley, the dish is fragrant and savoury, with a strong caramelised onion flavour.

Lyonnaise Potato

I tried the Meatballs Classic Italian With Firehouse Arrabbiata Sauce (SGD $14). The hand made beef and pork meatballs were tightly packed, but juicy within, and the fresh, tangy tomato sauce had a slight heat from the chili. Very good!

Meatballs Classic Italian With Firehouse Arrabbiata Sauce 01

Meatballs Classic Italian With Firehouse Arrabbiata Sauce 02

Loved the unique Lunch Meat Chip Is The New Chip (SGD $8)! The thinly sliced luncheon meat / spam is fried till crisp, but well drained so it isn't oily. A heart attack in a bucket, it's recommended to share this sinful delight.

Lunch Meat Chip Is The New Chip

The French Canadian Poutine (SGD $12) was the worst dish I had here. While the brown onion gravy was savoury, it was sorely lacking the meaty, tangy flavour that is typical in these sauces. The fries were a little too thin, as normally medium-thick fries are used as they hold the gravy better. If you do order this dish, it needs to be consumed quickly, because it becomes a clumpy mess when it cools.

French Canadian Poutine

I found the Pop Rocks Bacon Ice Cream (SGD $6) to be rather interesting to eat. Popping candy is sprinkled over a bacon infused ice cream, and each mouthful is a complex combination of fizzy, savoury, sweet, and smooth. Good!

Pop Rocks Bacon Ice Cream 01

Pop Rocks Bacon Ice Cream 02

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