Italian Coffee Lab (Rochester Mall)

Have previously been to Italian Coffee Lab at their Pasir Panjang location and was really excited when we first heard about their announcement of their new space that had opened recently at Rochester Mall — whilst their location at Pasir Panjang isn’t the most accessible of the lot situated within a light industrial building, their new location at Rochester Mall seems to be much more accessible being located right across from The Star Vista just a short walk away from Buona Vista MRT Station. Italian Coffee Lab is situated within a rather prominent space within Rochester Mall; the shop space that it occupies is the one that was once occupied by an outlet of the defunct Pies & Coffee at the drop-off / pick-up point of Rochester Mall. The signage does seem to suggest that the space is being split between Picotin Brewhaus and Italian Coffee Lab however; the logos of both establishments co-existing side by side. The interior of Italian Coffee Lab can be described as modern but cosy; the space is well-lit considering how glass windows surround three sides of the space, while the decor features a mix of terracotta elements that is being matched against greys, blacks and whites along with furniture of wooden accents — modern and chic with a slight Japandi / Balinese influence. Tables at Italian Coffee Lab are arranged in a format that works best for patrons visiting in pairs or up to groups of four (4) pax, though some do cater for slightly larger groups than four pax as well. The food menu at Italian Coffee Lab at its Rochester Mall location is split into sections such as Pastry & Tea Cakes, Snacks, Breakfast, Pasta, Pinsa and Dessert, while the beverages menu is further split into sections such as Coffee, Non-Coffee, Soft Drinks, and Signature.

Italian Coffee Lab’s lineup of Pastas are rather simple and conventional with the most interesting option being made available here being the Penne Alla Rose. That being said, we did find ourselves going for something more on the safer side — the Prawn Aglio Olio. It is interesting to note that Italian Coffee Lab also does serve up another version of the dish sans the prawns — this would be the item that is simply named Aglio Olio. It is also noted that patrons also do get an option to add Onsen Egg to both the Aglio Olio and the Prawn Aglio Olio, though this was an option that we skipped out on. Both the Aglio Olio and the Prawn Aglio Olio are described on the menu to consist of elements such as spaghetti, garlic, chili, parsley and parmesan. Though an item that offers no surprises, the Prawn Aglio Olio does deliver — being quite an item that actually impresses from the way that it is executed. The spaghetti is being done al-dente here with the pasta delivering a good bite; all tossed in sufficient olive oil that helped to add flavour whilst allowing all of the elements to flavour up the pasta — there’s plenty of chopped up garlic that makes the Prawn Aglio Olio garlicky enough, while the addition of chili flakes does add a slight hint of spiciness that runs through at the back of the tongue without being especially spicy for those whom are less tolerable to spiciness in general — the inclusion of Parmesan is also particularly evident with a very obvious hint of cheesiness that adds another dimension of saltishness to the dish. The prawns added to the Prawn Aglio Olio does give an extra bite; comes with the natural sweetness of prawns while being sufficiently fresh as well.

The variety of Pinsas available at Italian Coffee Lab does make up quite a big part of the menu here at their Rochester Mall outlet; for those whom need an introduction on what exactly is a Pinsa, it is being described as a Roman flatbread dish that has an identity that somewhat sits in between a Pizza and a Flatbread. We opted for the Modena, which Italian Coffee Lab describes to come with elements such as Mozzarella, Pancetta, Parmesan and Chilli Oil. Coming in a small size that divides into four (4) pieces, the Pinsa is a dish that is sized just about right for a single pax to enjoy. Considering how the dough sits in between a Pizza and a Flatbread, this also means that the base itself is actually not too heavy on its own — it delivers a lighter crunch closer towards flatbread especially along the sides, though is still soft, fluffy and with a bit of a chewy tension within. Topped with mozzarella and pancetta, this would be a classic combination featuring savoury cheese matched against saltish cured meat that adds yet another dimension of savouriness for the Pinsa that does not go wrong. To further enhance the flavours of the Modena Pinsa, sprinkle the Pinsa with some chili flakes which the folks at Italian Coffee Lab has generously provided us on the side; this will give a slight kick of spiciness that cuts through the savouriness, carbs and meat.

The Tiramisu is served in a glass bowl here — a version that is made family-friendly without the use of any alcohol, Italian Coffee Lab describes its Tiramisu to come with elements such as Mascarpone, cocoa and espresso-soaked ladyfingers. Digging into the Tiramisu, we did note that the mascarpone here does seemed to be whipped to a consistency that is lighter than most Tiramisus that we had come across in recent times; this does lead to the Tiramisu feeling lighter and also slightly easy to have, while the ladyfingers were soaked in espresso to achieve that moist, cake-like texture with a caffeinated kick that really went well with the mascarpone. The layer of cocoa dusted above the mascarpone on the top was pretty generous as well; gives the Tiramisu a chocolate-y note sans the sweetness that also adds another layer of flavour to the Tiramisu. We have also given the Lavender Coffee (Hot) a go during our visit to Italian Coffee Lab; this differs from the Lavender Latte that is being mentioned on the menu where the Lavender Latte does not contain coffee. We were pretty impressed with Lavender Latte that Italian Coffee Lab serves up; a cuppa that came with a medium body that is nutty and earthy — all that with a strong hint of floral aroma from the inclusion of the lavender elements, though we did note that the Lavender Coffee also does come sweetened by default to better allow the floral notes to pull through.

Italian Coffee Lab has managed to wow us during our visit to their Pasir Panjang location when we first heard about them some years back — am glad that these folks had finally made the move to open a second outlet at a location that is more accessible and conveniently located as compared to their first. The location still brings a sort of calmness and charm despite its relatively different setup as compared to the Pasir Panjang location, though there is still a vibe that someone can bridge with its quaint surroundings and overall quietness at Rochester Mall against the more buzzy The Star Vista located right across the road. The menu at Italian Coffee Lab’s Rochester Mall outlet is somewhat smaller than that of their Pasir Panjang location, though we understand that these folks are still in soft launch stage and are slowly making available more items in the menu as the ease into their official launch — we are glad that these folks are still able to keep the quality of their fare consistent as with what we had experienced during our previous visit years ago at Pasir Panjang. During our visit, the prices of the Pasta and Pinsa items are priced within the range of $14 to $20; the lowest-priced and highest-priced items are both from the Pasta section of the menu being the Aglio Olio and the Prawn Aglio Olio respectively. For those whom have wanted to give Italian Coffee Lab a try but hadn’t done so, or those looking for quiet and quaint surrounding to enjoy a simple plate of pasta or a Pinsa paired along with a cuppa on the side, Italian Coffee Lab’s location at Rochester Mall is most definitely a spot to check out!