Should the past and the future be severed from each other? That was the question in mind when I was speaking to one of the professional manager at Jack’s Place. This western steakhouse at Bras Bash was special because it moved in when the Bras Basah Complex was built in 1980s. Yet, the ambience feels modern, with forward looking concepts in terms of open layout and hanging LED lights. Even the operations like the serve area is more open. This continuous reconstruction reminded me of my university lecture on resilience, where businesses develop strategies to respond to secular trends by rebounding back to original form.

Jack’s Place’s focus on bringing people together can still be seen from its traditional Hainanese Oxtail Stew, where old and young still gather every Wednesday to reminisce memories, be it couples or families – savoring the same flavor in a homely setting yet with a modern twist.