An old favourite moves away from the Fez Quay and goes Fluid downtown...

The mind's eye sees world weary expats and the natives, all equal under one roof... you half expect your pocket to be picked by a little monkey, mockingly wearing a fez himself.

Well, the days of Somerset Maugham have passed, and like another great passing, the Fez Bar has vacated it's quaint quayside home for new digs in the playground known as China Square.

Taking over the old Carnegies, whose days had not so sadly passed, they've managed to do with the space in just a couple weeks what the old tenants never successfully did.

Gone now is the worn out dancing bar where attention seeking hotties competed for eyeballs, and in its place is a more refined type of pleasure... warmer... cosier... more intimate.

The downstairs area has been smartly redecorated, in lush warm tones and comfortable seating, with the main bar now opposite of its old position.

Another twist is that downstairs is now a dining area, a bar cum restaurant smoothly named Fluid, open to the public from 11am for lunch until the late hour munchie sessions many a bar patron finds themselves surrendering to. And surrender they will.

Besides an innovative and creative regular menu, they have an extensive selection of tapas, from the euro-friendly Tomato and Bacon Bruschetta (delicious!) to the exotic Asian fusion influenced Thai Beef Strips in a fish sauce, brine fried 'til perfectly crisp and served with prik nam pla... spicy!

These are tapas in the purely metaphorical sense, so freely have they been reinterpreted, but all with good results. Try the Mussels Kilpatrick, on the half shell with Worcestershire sauce, chopped onions and topped with bacon rashers... you call that a tapa? I call it divine!

Tucked in a corner is the deejay booth, where until the end of July you can catch the wonderful musical stylings of the French duo Brahms and Cö (pg 33 for more on them) and you just know this place is gonna get out of hand once the kinks are worked out.

Already I've seen promoters and artistes in dark corners plotting their designs for the place... some whispers carry, so all I can say is stay tuned for an indierock party with a drum & bass leaning on August 27th called Stills.

Upstairs, the Fez lives on, this time as a member's only club (don't be shy, ask about joining) with more darkened corners and the infamously frustrating Fez pool table... where only Matt Bennett has mastered the drunken curves... and speaking of curves, both upstairs and down, sexy bar maidens expertly mix the cocktails and serve them up cheerfully.

In our never-ending search for something bigger, brighter, better or maybe, just a unique place to sit back and unwind over the lure of an alcoholic beverage with friends as the week's troubles ease away, I dare predict the new Fez will be a bright star in Singapore's nightlife skyline as a fresh, edgy, and hip hangout for anyone hoping for a change in scenery.