Drinking at mid-day is quite unheard of in sunny Singapore, but The Straits is all set to start a new trend at Far East Square. With renowned Brewmaster of Archipelago Brewery, Mr. Fal Allen, The Straits is snagging the hearts of many beer lovers with his unique Archipelago craft beers. The restaurant offers a comprehensive menu that is painstakingly put together to complement their craft beers. Beer appreciation has never been as convenient, especially for executives working around Chinatown area.

• The Vibe
  Patrons have a choice between proper dining seats or casual lounge seats at The Straits. For people who simply want a quick beer, the modest bar counter is ideal. The proper dining arena is dimly lit with low orange lights to induce a cozy ambience for diners whereas the lounge and bar area receives plenty of sunlight by day. With plenty of images depicting the bygone era of the Straits immigrants' adorning its walls, The Straits oozes a distinct Archipelago mood in the woody furniture.
• The Food
  Well known for their craft beers ($9 per glass from 11am to 8pm; $12 per glass after 8pm), The Straits endeavours to heighten beer appreciation by dishing out delectable Asian and European fare that will bring out the best in each beer creation. To start off on something light, their selection of Chinese dimsum is delightful. Unlike conventional restaurants that only offer dimsum in the morning, The Straits ensures you can have your fill of little Chinese finger food all day long, yes – even after night falls!

  Be a dimsum deviant and skip the usual siew mai and har gow; instead, go for the Scallop Dumplings ($8) and Mango Prawn Rolls ($8). The former is a pretty, pearly white dumpling with a generous filling consisting of a whole prawn and minced scallop. However, I found the dumpling skin too thick and an impediment to a thorough enjoyment of the prawn and scallop filling. Thankfully, the Mango Prawn Rolls revived my palate. Each spring roll is delightfully crispy on the outside and hides a springy prawn smothered with mango puree on the inside. The mango's sweetness blends very well, indeed, with the savoury prawn. Heighten your gastronomic experience with a glass of Archipelago Traveller's Wheat, the ever-popular beer flavoured with lemongrass, Chinese orange peel, tamarind and ginger. I finally understood perfectly why the Traveller's Wheat is so well-liked when I tasted the full-bodied aroma of lemongrass in this uniquely Asian craft beer, paired with the Mango Prawn Rolls. Despite being one of the lightest beers at Archipelago, Traveller's Wheat carries a distinctive flavour that is unlike any other brew. After all, a blissful marriage between Belgian craft brew and Asian spices is bold and almost unimaginable.

  If you want something more than finger food, select one of The Strait's All-Time Favourites to fill your tummy. Their Shepherd's Pie ($12) is a creamy, hearty dish full of flavoursome potatoes and minced meat. I have been to restaurants, which served their Shepherd's Pies with hard and chunky potatoes, but at The Straits, I was treated to a smooth mash of potato goodness, which slides down your throat comfortably. Don't gobble up the pie without a glass of Archipelago Trader's Brown Ale, though. Featuring an unexpected ingredient of Gula Melaka (palm sugar, essentially), the Trader's Brown Ale is a creamy, smooth brew that brings out the taste of the meat with its slight hint of sweetness.

  For the famished at noon, The Straits offers a very affordable set lunch ($16) that comes with a soup or salad, a main course of your choice from their set lunch menu, and a coffee or tea. A steaming bowl of Cream of Mushroom or a refreshing Greek Salad is great for a midday meal entrée. The salad was extremely lovely with an abundance of fresh crunchy greens, black olives, cherry tomatoes and Feta cheese cubes. For main course, try their Chicken Tikka Masala with White Rice for a spicy twist to your meal. Served with crispy papadum, the chicken is tender while the masala is not as fragrant as what you'd expect from an authentic Indian restaurant, but nonetheless, still every bit as spicy. Wash down all the hot stuff with a glass of extremely light Archipelago Straits Pale, which is brewed with American hops and well-suited for curried dishes, for a refreshingly tangy ending.

  Of course, there are beer-drinkers who love their dark brews. The Straits offers the Archipelago Pilsner Gold and Archipelago Java, two craft beers that are brewed from pilsner malt and imported German Sazz. The light, crisp, golden taste of Pilsner Gold goes well with seafood while Java's black, creamy and somewhat bitter taste, with overtones of roasted coffee and chocolate, complements roasted meat perfectly.

• The Service
  Patrons are treated like old friends at The Straits. The staff is warm, friendly and certainly very helpful, especially when recommending pairings of beer and food. If you even think your food is not as hot as you'd like it to be, you can request for them to warm it up for you – The Straits is always happy to make you, their diner, happy.

SD Food Advisor's Take on The Straits
Although their menu is nothing to shout about, The Straits outshines other restaurants with their selection of beer that truly brings out the best in their dishes when paired correctly. For instance, their Mango Prawn Rolls may not be the most authentic dimsum around, nor the most delectable, but pairing it with Traveller's Wheat makes a fantastic and ultra addictive snack. Now, not every beer is able to convince me that mid-day drinking is not so bad after all but The Straits did just that with their Traveller's Wheat. Personally, I think everyone should swing by The Straits to try their Traveller's Wheat at least once to know the magic of lemongrass in beer. Two words: it's great!