Narelle Kheng Aims To Make Dining A True Social Experience At Middle Child Wine Bar
At just under six months old, Middle Child Wine Bar has made socialising a key part of its menu.
Seven years ago, when she was on the rise as a musician, and fashion and lifestyle personality, she and some friends started the quirky, now‐defunct rooftop dive bar 21 Moonstone primarily to – in her own words – “hang out”, with anyone welcome to join in.
These days, F&B is her main gig. Her latest baby? The five‐month‐old Middle Child Wine Bar on Middle Road that’s far less grungy, but runs on the same philosophy of how a bar or restaurant should also be a safe and thoroughly fun space to connect with art and new people. Here, she tells us about how she’s navigating the scene and using food to redefine the phrase “see and be seen”.
“MIDDLE CHILD WINE BAR” IS A CUTE NAME. WHAT’S THE STORY BEHIND IT?
“We learnt that (the all‐day breakfast cafe) Wild Honey was going to open beside us and my co‐founder Jeremy (Lim, who takes care of business development) was like, ‘Hey, let’s call ourselves Wild Child!’ Someone then pointed out that we’re on Middle Road, and we put both together and ended up with ‘Middle Child’ – and everyone agreed it’s a great name. It feels appropriate because we’ve always liked to create spaces that support those who might feel overlooked or forgotten, which middle children are said to feel. Most of us in the team like to say we’re the black sheep in our families. Here, though, we’re all wanted.”
Meanwhile, its menu is a simple yet hearty affair with the likes of slow‐cooked beef cheek over a bed of carrot puree; baked meatballs with a house marinara sauce; a sandwich brimming with artisanal meats; and charred broccolini.
DESCRIBE THE VIBES THAT YOU’RE GOING FOR HERE.
“It’s supposed to feel a bit like that scene in Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks painting because we have these huge street‐facing windows along our facade. The mural we have outside – created by Singapore artist Lauren Cheung, aka Dirty Doodies, who’s absolutely fantastic – is in fact an homage to that artwork. I also want to say we’ve got golden retriever energy. I want the place to feel open and inviting, and guests can observe the world go by as if they were in a cute little Parisian cafe – we’re situated at an insane junction (where Middle Road meets Bencoolen Street) where there’s so much going on. Overall, the feel is meant to be eclectic, playful, cheeky and totally pop, with the interior a little slapdash. We have a funky wall hanging by artist Polina Korobova and there’s a lot more stuff coming.
The retro‐style light box signboard helps to create that diner vibe, and we’ve been playing around with the messages we put up on it and recently asked our community on Instagram for suggestions ... I really want Middle Child to be community‐based. I feel that it’s the responsibility of F&B business owners to raise the social experience. That was why we started 21 Moonstone seven years ago: so that we had a place where we could hang out. With all of our businesses since, we’ve always wanted to create a third place (the concept of spaces that are separate from the home and workplace, and help to foster interaction and community‐building), continuing what we did at the original Moonstone. I guess that’s what we want to do here at Middle Child too – just in a more convenient setting and with a different look.”
Craft, creativity and community can be said to be the main tenets at Middle Child Wine Bar. For example, local artist Lauren Cheung, aka Dirty Doodies, was commissioned to work on a large mural outside that was inspired by Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks painting.
ONE COMMUNITY THAT THE MOONSTONE BRAND HAS ALWAYS SUPPORTED IS THE ART COMMUNITY. TELL US MORE ABOUT HOW YOU’RE DOING SO AT MIDDLE CHILD WINE BAR.
“There’s BDSM – Business Development Sunday Market – an ad hoc event where we set up four booths on the counter along our facade, and people can come to showcase and sell their works. For example, my mother‐in‐law had a ceramics pop‐up at the first edition where people could make their own pinch pots – she brought them home to glaze and fire, then brought them back to be picked up. These days, people want things that are handmade and customised. They want the experience of touching, and putting their time and heart into something, which I think is sorely lacking because we can buy just about any item online now.
Of course, participants can offer other types of products. If you want to take part, just write in. We don’t charge and we don’t take a cut from your sales because you’re giving us your time and helping to create a fun vibe here ... There’s also a wall space we’re using to promote local works as well as encourage community‐building. Already, we have the original 21 Moonstone signage up on display – I hope to create a little shrine to the very space that started our whole journey – and the wares of local textile studio Tanchen.
I’d like to introduce a free library, a little games section and perhaps even a little craft box, as we’d love to do more craft‐related events here. People can come, sip wine, and do things such as painting, candle‐making and junk journalling – I feel it’s very important to get people to think creatively and to use their hands. And perhaps we’ll meet people who love the space and want to collaborate. I think that’s nicer than us curating everything: to let the space have pieces of those who have come through it. Anyone who is interested to have their works be on the wall can reach out. That would be cool.”
To encourage people to connect with others and build their own communities, Middle Child Wine Bar has teamed up with the arts and events platform The Glass Hut to host Meet Me In The Middle, which one can sign up for to meet people as well as share about their friends to the crowd. Its tag line is “Pitch your single friend”, but the main goal is to encourage people to break out of their shells. Says Kheng: “If it turns romantic, great. If it doesn’t, you would still have had a good time.”
ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING PROGRAMMES YOU’VE INTRODUCED AT MIDDLE CHILD WINE BAR IS MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE, WHICH IS POSITIONED AS AN EVENT WHERE ONE CAN “PITCH YOUR SINGLE FRIEND”. TELL US MORE ABOUT THIS.
“It’s a ticketed event done in collaboration with The Glass Hut (the independent platform co‐founded by Dione Keh that aims to support local creatives). A session starts off with a round of bingo, where people are supposed to find others who will help them check off what’s written in the squares on their bingo cards to encourage them to talk to one another. After about half an hour later, we go into the pitches, where five individuals present why a friend is awesome, complete with slides. At every edition, two rounds of this take place and to take part, you have to sign up in advance. We came up with this because we thought it’d be a great way to introduce the community aspect that I want for Middle Child.
I personally find it difficult to talk to people because there are so many social walls to get through. With an event such as this – where you’re assured that it’s safe and okay to speak with strangers (only those who’ve signed up to attend are allowed in and – as with any bar establishment – the organisers will bounce anyone who behaves badly, though that has not happened so far) – we remove a few of those walls. The energy has been really good at all four editions that we’ve held so far and many people come simply to network. The end goal is to meet people. If that turns romantic, great. If it doesn’t, you would still have had a good time.”
Inside, more works by Singapore creatives are on display, including those of textile studio Tanchen (bottom left corner). Anyone interested to be featured can reach out, says Kheng, who oversees the business’s marketing and creative direction.
WHAT’VE YOU LEARNT ABOUT PEOPLE FROM ORGANISING MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE?
“That people really love their friends – it has been so sweet to be able to know more about someone through the eyes of their best friend or loved one who really sees them wholeheartedly. That, and that people are actually keen to chat and know more about others.”
IT SOUNDS LIKE THE F&B INDUSTRY IS YOUR HAPPY PLACE.
“I feel that one doesn’t join the F&B industry unless he or she really loves it because it’s hard work and doesn’t pay well. One has to have a lot of heart to be in it. Because of that, I find the people in F&B very genuine. The community is really tight, with people across businesses very supportive of one another. For example, my co‐founders and I have made a lot of good friends in the bar scene here – the likes of the folks behind In Bad Company and The Coup. We hang out together all the time. This camaraderie has made me want to be a part of the industry in a deeper way for quite a while now ... F&B spaces really make the perfect third spaces. More businesses should have fun with theirs.”
THIS INTERVIEW HAS BEEN EDITED FOR BREVITY AND CLARITY.
This article first appeared in the December 2024 Food Edition of FEMALE