EarlyAfter

Had heard about the opening of earlyAFTER whilst scrolling around social media — these folks are a new addition to the Fort Canning neighbourhood being situated at 33 Mohammed Sultan Road, being situated right beside Goku Japanese Restaurant occupying the the corner-most shop unit within the row of shophouses. earlyAFTER should be relatively easy to spot from across the road considering the large signage that hangs from the top of the shop that faces out towards the main road. Stepping into the establishment, earlyAFTER exudes a really homely vibe with its modern design theme that features earthy colour tones; there is definitely a use of geometrical elements with the use of dark green, terracotta, concrete, metallic and wooden elements that just comes together being really a soothing look with the yellowish lighting that is especially easy to the eyes. Dining furniture within the establishment is configured in a way that would suit patrons whom are visiting the dining establishment in pairs or in groups of four (4) pax. Being a dining establishment that is being positioned to serve up breakfast, brunch and specialty coffee in the day, the establishment shakes things up by turning into a a cocktail bar that serves up small plates with an “uptown vibe” come nighttime. Beverages served up by earlyAFTER in the day time will include items such as specialty coffee, signature creations, matcha, teas and infusions, sparkling fruit-pressed, apple coolers and more.

Skimming through the menu and looking through the various food items that they have to offer, we found ourselves gravitating towards the Grandma’s Spicy Shrimp Pasta that is listed under the Pasta & Mains section of the menu. The menu at earlyAFTER describes their Grandma’s Spicy Shrimp Pasta to come with elements such as fiery shrimp paste, juicy prawns and Tobiko. The way that the Grandma’s Spicy Shrimp Pasta is being served does suggest that there is some thought process that is being placed in the way that it is being presented so as to allow the patrons to enjoy the dish in the way it is intended to be — the pasta already comes twirled with the fiery shrimp paste coating the noodles while the pasta does come al-dente. As one goes through the entire plate of pasta, one can definitely feel the underlying savouriness of the fiery shrimp paste that also came with a spicy kick that would tickle the tastebuds for those whom are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness; there is also an underlying umami m-ness that comes from the use of dried shrimps and also a note of crustacean oil that somehow perfumes throughout the entire portion — adds on to the flavoural aspects of the dish. These folks had also added Tobiko (i.e. flying fish roe) that provides a further umami-ness and popping sensation as one chews into it. The folks at earlyAFTER were also pretty generous with the shrimps; these come pretty plump and carried a good bite — came with the natural sweetness of what one would typically expect out of crustaceans. Despite being a rather simple fusion pasta dish, this was one that felt well-designed and thoughtfully prepared by the folks of earlyAFTER.

We also found ourselves treating ourselves to the Bruleed Sticky Rice for dessert. This is an item that is listed under the Sweets section of the menu — patrons are also allowed to opt for their order of the Bruleed Sticky Rice to come with a scoop of gelato; earlyAFTER offers gelato in flavours such as Vanilla, Chocolate and Mango, of which we went with the Mango. Whilst earlyAFTER does not describe the elements that comes with the Bruleed Sticky Rice, it is noted from our order that the item does come with sticky rice that features a sugary crust that has been flame-torched; all that whilst coming with a layer of diced mangoes beneath. Again, this was yet another thoughtful creation by the folks of earlyAFTER; the glutinous rice here does come with that sticky, clumpy consistency that one would typically expect — that being said, there is that added hint of sweetness from the brulee-d sugar layer over the top that gives a crispness to the dessert as well. Considering how it hides a surprise of mangoes beneath, the sweetness from the brulee-d sugar layer does help to further enhance the sweetness of the mangoes — particularly helpful since the flavours of the produce isn’t what earlyAFTER can necessarily control. The addition of Mango gelato re-enforces the sweetness of the dessert even further, whilst also attempts to further replicate the notes of what one would expect in a dessert inspired by the Thai-style mango sticky rice.

Noting how earlyAFTER is an establishment that operates as a cocktail bar in the evenings and how they do offer a line-up of Signature Creations under the Specialty Coffee section of the menu, we found our attention being drawn towards the Sparkling Honey Lemon Ame which is being described in the menu to come with elements such as double espresso, sparkling water, lemon and honey. Thought this turned out rather similar to our usual Espresso Tonic which we typically find ourselves gravitating towards these days whenever we see one that is being offered in the menu — though one that is overall more milder in flavour with the slight floral note of honey that lingers at the back of the tastebuds. We also note that the Sparkling Honey Lemon Ame does come aptly carbonated without going overly fizzy. Having skimmed through the menu at earlyAFTER, we were initially having not much of an expectation for the offerings of the establishment — after all, the offerings that are offered on their day menu are mostly rather mainstream items that one would be likely to find at other establishments. That being said, we did find the limited number of items that we have had during our visit to be pretty thoughtful — there is definitely attention placed into the details of each dish here, and one could certainly feel the effort placed behind the plating, presentation and execution of the various dishes that is a result of the pride that they have for what they serve up to their patrons; something that is worth commending. We also felt that these folks were definitely earnest yet readily available to take in feedback on their offerings — making their patrons feel welcomed whilst also understanding what worked out well and what had not. An establishment that has quite a fair bit of potential, earlyAFTER is probably a name that one would be hearing more often in the days to come — also one that should be placed into the to-visit list of avid cafehoppers whom like checking out something new around town!