Starker Fresh Beer

For a beer joint, it’s actually a pretty good place to take kids. Food and service are acceptable, not great. But the kids thought the food was great, and sometimes that’s all that counts. It’s sort of like a Chili’s or TGIFridays with a bit nicer ambience and less chain restaurant feel. Worth a try for a casual dinner out.

As someone who usually drinks IPAs and who is a believer that higher the ABV, the better, Starker is not usually my style of beer, but it has a few things going for it which help bump up the ratings a bit. Starker recently expanded their beer line up from 3 to 5 beers, which in SG is considered a good selection :). The beers are German in style and they serve only «fresh» beer, so after 7 days, it is no longer served. The beer does indeed fresh, but in general, it’s a bit light for my taste. of the 5 styles, I like the Dunkel the best. The lager is perfectly ok, but again, it’s a bit light for my tastes. As for the food, its an interesting range from sub par bar food to some really nice entrees. The pizza and wings are weak. However, they serve an awesome duck dish, as well as good pasta (the aglio olio was quite good, and while the carbonarra was also very good, it was a bit on the salty side) and a huge pork knuckle. A final positive is that Starker is in stumbling distance of home, but regardless, it’s a decent place to drink a few beers (love the service — they bring you new frosty iced glasses half way through each glass), have some good entrees, and watch the day do by at Zhong Shan Park.

I was first introduced to the Starker brand from their outlet in Holland Village. I would say this Novena outlet is a lot tamer than the HV one, since it’s not surrounded by other bars that attract crazies who think it’s okay to play drinking games years out of uni.*
Located in Zhongshan Park next to the Days Hotel, Starker is housed in a modern 2-​story building with outdoor seating. From what I understand, the beer they serve is German-​style, brewed in Singers, and has a shelf life of 7 days (hence the «fresh» factor.)
The menu has typical pub grub and pastas. After ordering a cheeseburger, I asked our server to recommend a beer to go with it. He admitted that he doesn’t drink beer and couldn’t comment. For a second, I was stunned, but before I could even react, he said, «Let me give you a sample of what we have and you can decide from there.» Great save!
He proceeded to give us samples of the 3 beers they have on tap. I thought the beers tasted fruity and at times, a little flat, but overall they’re light and perfect for day drinking or al fresco drinking. I ended up choosing the Dunkel, which is the darkest of the 3.
Though the cheeseburger was pricey at around $ 18 – 24, it was filling and I loved how they used a sesame bun. It also came with fries and a small salad, which I think is worth noting as nowadays there are a lot of chi chi places in Singapore that are charging $ 15+ for burgers WITHOUT any fries.**
Though I find the food and beer a-​ok, I really like the space and it’s ideal for relaxing and hanging out. +1 star for being close to my apartment. Who wants to order a keg with me?!
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*Ahem… RIcky S… Debbie T… Michelle M…
**Ahem… Omakase Burger… Potato Head Folk…

Bit of a strange place to find a scrumptious Aglio Olio pasta on the island, but that’s what you get with this super refined German beer establishment. Save for the Aglio Olio pasta (the burger was nothing to scream about), everything else I thought was good, but not great.
I’m all up for German drinking establishments /​beer gardens, but am I wrong to say that I want something a little more run down with a little more culture… This place has the ambience of a top notch restaurant overlooking a well manicured Zhongshan Park. However, It just seems to me the cuisine and food offerings just don’t match the ambience. Overall, a good restaurant with solid beers and a fantastic Aglio olio pasta, but I wouldn’t make the trek if you are reliant on the MRT to get around. Nevertheless, a Good neighborhood eatery if you live in the Novena area.