In collaboration with celebrities Pierre Png and Andrea De Cruz, multi-concept group Tipsy Collective has just opened its doors to their latest addition- Tipsy Flamingo at Raffles City recently. From the neon lights to staff decked in flamingo printed T-shirts, it is no wonder that business is brisk on a weeknight. You can expect to find wild flamingos grooving to the beat of the music and enjoying a variety of colourful dishes, which are lovingly prepared by the chefs.

Tiki Tapas are going at 2 for $18. To start off, we had the Szechuan Mala Karaage, which is juicy bite-sized chicken karaage tossed in a mala blend. At the beginning, we enjoyed the spicy taste of the mala sauce, but it soon became more numbing than spicy. Nevertheless, for those fans of mala hotpot, this dish is not to be missed. I had also tried it at Tipsy Penguin (another outlet over at Paya Lebar), and the standards are consistent.

Crispy Calamari (2 for $18)

This Semolina deep-fried squid served with a dipping side of truffle mayonnaise, the squid was slightly overcooked and it was alright for a snack.

While your usual hawker centre fare of carrot cake is between $3-5, this XO Carrot Cake ($12) is an upgraded version. The XO sauce puts an additional oomph to the dish, topped with garlic crumbs and sakura ebi, making it look like a fusion dish. I liked the carrot cake while my friends felt that the only redemption point was the sambal chilli. The homemade chilli sauce stole the limelight and was a good pairing with the carrot cake.

Tipsy’s Ebi Katsu Spicy Mentaiko Sando ($18)

Breaded king prawn in perfect, spicy mentaiko, mixed with cabbage and tobiko, served in a toasted brioche. The deep fried prawns were cold by the time they were served, so it was not crispy. The sauce was mediocre without a spicy tinge that we were looking forward to.

Wagyu Beef Cubes ($18)

A Tipsy signature dish popular for its juicy, bite-sized Wagyu Beef Cubes, served with a dipping side of truffle marmite veal jus. Delectably prepared and scorched to perfection, curated for you and your drink. The wagyu beef cubes were between rare and medium, with a tinge of red when bitten but it was soft and not too chewy. We enjoyed dipping it in the sauce or just dabbling it with some salt to give it an enhanced taste.

Lastly, we had the Dry Laksa with Prawn ($23). We had originally wanted to order the Abalone Paste with Kawa Ebi ($32) but unfortunately it was sold out. Nevertheless, the dry laksa hit the right notes. Flavourful and familiar, this Singapore classic dish will satiate every seafood lover’s palate and renew the love for laksa. Thankfully, the laksa leaves were sprinkled in a sparing manner such that it did not affect the taste of the dish. I do not like my laksa gravy to be overwhelmed by the smell of the laksa leaves. It was an interesting dish and we like the huge, fresh prawns that accompanied the noodles.

If you are up for some drinks, there are shots and bombs. Looking at this multi coloured Ferris wheel, it is meant for shot glasses. If you order 6 or more shots from the drinks menu, it would be served in this cool prototype, making it a colourful delight and a good photo opportunity.

Overall, we enjoyed the vibes over at Tipsy Flamingo, with its colourful interior and unique take on local dishes. While some of the dishes were a miss or overpriced compared to eating at the hawker centre, the majority of dishes served here would be able to satisfy your taste buds. Next time, we would return here again to try the shots and have a wild night. For this evening, we shared a bottle of white wine, Veramonte Organic Chardonnay ($68) which tasted light and crisp. The wine is from Chile and paired well with the dishes as most of them contained seafood. I also had a pint of Frosty Lager ($11) which was easy to drink and refreshing.