Bee Hoe Coffee

“Hidden spots” rarely end up being hidden for long in Singapore — this is especially the case for establishments like Bee Hoe 美和 which had recently opened its doors at the Joo Chiat Place neighbourhood. An establishment that is operated by Autocutt Barbershop, Bee Hoe is an establishment that is only accessible from the back alley or the shophouse which Autocutt Barbershop is located at — think something similar to the likes Sloth and Messenger X Brawn and Brains Coffee that is situated in Geylang. Considering so, Bee Hoe is more of a takeaway kiosk than an actual dine-in cafe; there is a small area located right around the counter where one can find one dining table for two (2) pax set up in the corner, but there are quite a number of seating spaces being set up around the back alley which patrons can use should the weather be all bright and sunny. The vibes of the space allocated for the operations of Bee Hoe can be described as quaint and and a little secretive; there is also usage of greenery that help to give the space a bit of life and a touch that is close-to-nature. Given how Bee Hoe is pretty much of a simple set-up that is supplementary to the barbershop, the only food items on the menu are listed in the “Pastry” section — the items available being the Bakwa Roti and Omelette Muffin being light bites to munch on. The list of beverages available at Bee Hoe would be its selection of Hot and Cold Drinks that mainly comprises of espresso-based specialty coffee, Matcha and drinking chocolate, while the Specialty section showcases their selection of Vietnamese Coffee with hot and cold variants to choose from.

Bee Hoe actually describes their Pastry items to be dishes with “Penang roots, homemade with heart”. The Bakwa Roti is an item that one may not necessarily find in the menu of food courts, coffeeshops and hawker centres in Singapore, but is one item that could be found Malaysia. The Bakwa Roti here is made fresh upon order like how one would expect it to be when ordering the dish in Malaysia; the bread is being warmed up in the oven, before pork floss is being lined across the bread and slice of BBQ pork jerky is being placed above. It seems that they have intended for the bread to come soft and fluffy rather than with a crisp, toasted and crusty texture — we like how pillowy soft the bread was without being particularly dense nor heavy. The combination of pork jerky and pork floss here is a classic that is difficult not to love — a medley of sweet, savoury and umami flavours whilst coming with a good chew and a little bit of bite. Definitely a pretty flavoursome and comforting item to have especially as a light breakfast to be accompanied with a cup of coffee on the side.

During our visit to Bee Hoe, we had also went for the Honey Egg Coffee which is only available hot — this comes in a small takeaway cup similar to that of how an espresso shot is being served up. Using Vietnamese coffee for the Honey Egg Coffee, the coffee does deliver the strong caffeinated kick that they had promised; the coffee comes topped with an egg foam that is presumably infused with honey for a slight sweetness with a floral note that goes well with the custard-like, eggy flavours of the foam. Joo Chiat / East Coast is an area in Singapore where there really isn’t any shortage of cafes operating at; all of which catering to avid cafehoppers and residents in the area alike with various forms of dining experiences. While Bee Hoe does seem to hop on the ongoing trends of cafes “hidden” in the back alleys of shophouses, it does seem to add on to the vibrant coffee culture within the Joo Chiat neighbourhood whilst being supplementary to their main business as a barbershop. We are also equally impressed with the Bakwa Roti which is simple and hearty as a light bite. A spot likely to become known enough not to be “hidden” in the long run, Bee Hoe would be a name which we expect to see more often around social media in the days to come.