Pizz Please ~

Learnt about the fairly new Muney Pho Banh Mi that is located at the foot of Blk 927 Yishun Central 1 whilst scrolling around social media one day; this is exactly the same neighbourhood that is located behind Northpoint City / Yishun Bus Interchange. For those whom are familiar with Yishun, Muney Pho Banh Mi is located in a hole-in-the-wall shop space that is right across the coffeeshop that houses the original branch of 925 Yishun Hainanese Chicken Rice. Muney Pho Banh Mi takes up a shop unit that is half the size of a typical HDB shop unit; they are also related to Muney Mix Juice which is located just a shop unit away from Muney Pho Banh Mi. Muney Pho Banh Mi itself occupies the same space that used to be tenanted by the now-defunct Yu Lok Fan Hin 1 — another Vietnamese dining establishment that also specialised in serving up Vietnamese cuisine and fruit juices. Considering the tight space within the establishment, one can find only two counter seats situated within the space — otherwise, most of the dining space can be found outside of the store with nine seats spread across four tables that one can use if intending to dine-in. The items offered on the menu at Muney Pho Banh Mi includes Pho, Banh Mi, Bun (Vermicelli) and Rice dishes, while the only side dish available would be the Fresh Spring Roll Pork & Prawn.

Craving for a Banh Mi, we found ourselves opting for the Baguette Minced Grilled Pork & Skin Pork; this is a Banh Mi that comes with all the standard elements that one would typically expect in a Banh Mi — whilst Muney Pho Banh Mi does not describe on the elements that come with their various dishes that they have to offer in its menu, it can be observed from our order of the Baguette Minced Grilled Pork & Skin Pork that it does come with pickled vegetables, pate, coriander, chilies, cucumbers, pork rind and grilled pork sausage all coming in between the baguette. Sinking our teeth into the baguette, the baguette at Muney Pho Banh Mi does seem to come with a slightly softer consistency that is slightly less crisp than what one would expect from most other establishments — that being said, the baguette does retain a bit of a bite with a tension to pull apart nonetheless. We liked how the pate isn’t particularly heavy-tasting here as it does not overwhelm most of the other elements that comes with the Banh Mi; the grilled sausage coming in chunky, rectangular strips that gives a good bite with a slight sweetness — something that can be described as a in between of Taiwanese Sausage and ham. The skin pikt comes in the form of Bi Heo (i.e. shredded pork skin) that hints of a slight savouriness — an element not commonly found in Banh Mi here. The cucumbers and pickled vegetables do carry a good crunch and a slight tang, while the bird’s eye chilies do add quite a bit of kick of spiciness that tickles the tastebuds even for those whom are tolerable to high levels of spiciness.

Have came across the opening of the new VIOS by Blu Kouzina fairly recently — the establishment had used to exist Hongkong Street, though it has been a while since they were last active. A concept by the same folks behind Blu Kouzina that is best known for serving up Mediterranean cuisine, Blu Kouzina has outlets in Sentosa, Siglap and Dempsey. VIOS by Blu Kouzina takes up a previously unoccupied space at the open-air atrium of One Raffles Quay — the atrium itself having seen quite a bit of a change ever since the building had undergone some asset enhancement works that also saw the opening of establishments like Volks Coffee Co. and Vino Tinto in the lobby, as well as the overhead pedestrian access linking up One Raffles Quay with IOI Central Boulevard. The space that VIOS by Blu Kouzina occupies is a non-airconditioned area; interestingly, these folks had managed to incorporate some form of an outdoor-sy, Mediterranean and tropical vibe with the space — the use of earthy colour tones with stone, wooden and rattan elements is a refreshing look for an establishment situated in the heart of the Central Business District where all else looks incredibly urbanised. With the space comprising of outdoor dining tables and chairs, the dine-in area at VIOS by Blu Kouzina sees the dining furniture being arranged in a manner that is optimised for groups patronising the establishment in pairs to up to four (4) pax — there is a larger table featuring the use of benches that works either as a table that can seat around eight (8) pax, or as a communal table for different groups of patrons to sit around. Unlike Blu Kouzina, VIOS by Blu Kouzina is a slightly more casual concept that is meant to bring Greek / Mediterranean cuisine to the health-conscious working-class crowd; the menu at VIOS by Blu Kouzina is split into sections dedicated to BYOB (Build Your Own Bowl), Signature Bowls, Mezze, Skewers and Wraps. VIOS by Blu Kouzina also offers a variety of bakery items split into Savoury and Sweet sections — all of which being prominently displayed at the counter. Beverages available at VIOS by Blu Kouzina will include a list of Refreshers, espresso-based specialty coffees and teas.

Given the option to go for a wrap against a grain bowl-esque offering, we found ourselves going for the Chicken Gyro Wrap from the Wraps section of the menu; the menu at VIOS by Blu Kouzina mentioned the Chicken Gyro Wrap coming with elements such as Greek pita, traditional chicken gyro, Tzatziki, onion, tomato and paprika. Sinking our teeth into the Greek pita, we already liked how the pita wrap does come with a texture that one would associate with well-executed flatbread; there is this slightly airy and fluffy texture that the flatbread carries — all that whilst being slightly toasty with a good tension to pull apart. There does seem to be a good portion of chicken gyro chunks that came with the Chicken Gyro Wrap that hints of the usual mix of spices that one would associate with chicken gyro — think the likes of paprika, cumin, turmeric, black pepper and lemon zest that is slightly zippy with a bit of savouriness and smokiness from being grilled. The Tzatziki further aeee a creamy touch to the Chicken Gyro Wrap; a bit similar to that of sour cream that provides a neutral note for all of the elements to gel together, while the inclusion of raw onions add a zingy note that cuts through everything to refresh the tastebuds. Slices of tomatoes in between also further adds a bit of juicy tang to the Chicken Gyro Wrap.

During the same visit to VIOS by Blu Kouzina, we ended our meal off with the Blackout Cake; this is described to be a Charcoal Chocolate Cake that is being served with Berry compote based on the description of the dish on the menu, though our order does come with a different compote that comes with an orange hue. Whilst most blackout cakes usually simply come with chocolate, the chocolate ganache layer for the Blackout Cake at VIOS by Blu Kouzina comes with the infusion of charcoal powder — this gives their Blackout Cake a jet black aesthetic where the ganache layer is. There is a hint of chocolate that runs throughout both the ganache layer and the sponge cake, though both elements aren’t overly sweet; the whiff of chocolatey notes running through at the back of the tongue — the ganache layer did turn out a bit less moist and runny as what we had initially expected. The sponge cake layer was however sufficiently moist and fluffy. Meanwhile, the fruit compote did carried a hint of flavours that replicated apricot but with a very zingy and tangy note — a wee bit too sour for us when matched against the chocolatey elements of the cake especially considering how the compote also exists as a layer in the middle of the cake as well.

Opting for a cuppa to go along with the food items they we have ordered, we went with the EVOO Coffee that con be opted as a hot beverage or a cold beverage. We went for the hot rendition of the EVOO Coffee and patrons can actually opt for their desired level of sweetness — from No Sugar, Regular and Medium. VIOS by Blu Kouzina claims to use their very own concoction of Extra Virgin Olive Oil for the EVOO Coffee — we were initially expecting something more similar to that of the local butter-infused Nanyang-style Kopi but it turns out that the entire concoction is much more well-integrated than what we had thought of it to be; perhaps for is the lighter nature of extra virgin olive oil that made the entire combination feel less greasy somewhat. The cuppa does carry an underlying sweetness whilst being one that featured a light body and a nutty flavour profile, with a very slight floral note coming from the infusion of extra virgin olive oil.

Despite the number of establishments serving up salad bowls / grain bowls and wraps that are situated in the Central Business District, VIOS by Blu Kouzina does stand out in a manner considering how Greek / Mediterranean cuisine aren’t typically served this way in the local F&B scene in Singapore — VIOS by Blu Kouzina does attempt to make such Greek / Mediterranean cuisine more easily available to the office folks working in the Central Business District as an interesting option against the many F&B establishments serving the same target audience. One thing that we found to be especially worth commending is the level of service that they deliver — their hospitality goes way beyond what one would expect for a quick-service dining establishment; perhaps closer to that of friendly cafe that goes beyond their way to ensure that they do make an impression with their patrons with their more personable yet fun-loving approach that is a different vibe and character in the Central Business District. Greek / Mediterranean cuisine have always been priced a little higher and VIOS by Blu Kouzina does fall somewhat in the pricey category for an establishment serving wraps and grain bowls even in the Central Business District; their Signature Bowls and Wraps offerings being priced from $13.50 to $21.50 — the lower-priced items generally being their Wraps. Still, an establishment that is definitely worth checking out once just to have a glimpse of the Blu Kouzina experience; though one spot that we would definitely think of if wanting to splurge on a salad / grain bowl or a wrap to go along with a bakery item on a weekday lunch!

Was scrolling around social media and caught wind of the opening of Oh Wunder Cafe — these folks had just recently moved into a shop unit that is located at the ground floor of Bras Basah Complex along the same line of shops as one would find Crust and Crumbs at Blk 231 Bain Street. For those whom find the mention of “Wunder” in its namesake very familiar; yes, this is an establishment by the same folks behind Wunderfolks that had first started out as a takeaway-only kiosk serving up artisanal tarts. These folks had expanded quite a fair bit since their initial days of operations, with one outlet of Wunderfolks at Tampines Mall having a dine-in space, while they also do run Café Barco by Wunderfolks that is located in Kaki Bukit. Oh Wunder Folks takes over the former premises that was once tenanted by WOW Bistro SG 威旺美食酒馆 that is located within a corner at the foot of Blk 231 Bain Street; the shop space is well-sized for F&B operations with a decent amount of space dedicated for its dining hall. It does seem that Oh Wunder Folks had kept part of the decor that was previously used for by the former tenant — largely being that of the walls made from compressed wooden chips that gives the space a bit of a “raw” vibe. Otherwise, Oh Wunder Folks had made the space uniquely theirs with the use of posters and murals that adorn its walls, while the dining furniture used comprises of wooden accents as well as shades of black and white that blends in pretty naturally with the environment here. There are also colourful and playful elements found throughout the entire space that makes the space feel cheery and lively — this is despite the space being dimly lit in some areas. Whilst being somewhat conceptually similar in terms of how Oh Wunder Folks is being run as a dine-in cafe much like Café Barco by Wunderfolks, the menu at Oh Wunder Folks differs from that of what is being served at Café Barco by Wunderfolks; the menu comprises of sections dedicated to Breakfast, Toasties, Burger, Pasta, Mains and Sides, while dessert offerings includes Tarts and Tiramisu, as well as Ice-Cream and Waffles (sourced from Denzy Gelato). For beverage, the menu is categorised into sections such as Coffee, Matcha and Hojicha, Speciality and Tea.

Skimming through the menu on the variety of main dishes that they have to offer at Oh Wunder Cafe, one of the items that caught our attention fairly early on would be the Breakfast Pancake Stack from the Breakfast section of the menu. The menu at Oh Wunder Cafe describes the dish to come with elements such as crispy turkey bacon, fluffy scrambled eggs, mayonnaise and cheddar cheese between homemade pancakes, and also being accompanied with sautéed mushrooms. There is also the mention of a Mesculun Salad that comes with the dish based on the description of the dish on the menu, though the illustration of the dish on the online point-of-sale system is also missing of it just like how it is as observed for our order. Conceptually, the Breakfast Pancake Stack is largely similar to the McGriddles in a way that the stack includes pancakes that substitutes the use of buns / English muffins. The folks at Oh Wunder Cafe leaves the options open for patrons one whether they prefer to have the pancakes as-is or to be doused with maple syrup — a saucer of maple syrup does accompany the dish on the side. The pancakes do definitely feel lighter, fluffier and less dense than the pancakes that would accompany the McGriddles; one that soaks up the maple syrup pretty well for it to carry a hint of sweetness that matches the inherently savoury notes from the turkey bacon that is typical of cured meat. Coming with quite a fair bit of cheddar that comes all gooey and melted with a rather noticeable hint of savouriness, one can still manage to get a hint of that egginess from the sunny side-up (listed as fluffy scrambled eggs in the menu description however) with the runny egg yolks and soft egg whites. The sautéed mushrooms on the side comes as a crowd-pleaser being all bouncy with a distinct earthiness on its own.

Given how Oh Wunder Folks is an establishment opened by the same folks behind Wunderfolks, we found ourselves also wanting to give one of the tarts that they have to offer a go. The tart that we went for would be the Lychee Tart which comes with elements such as Lychee Rose Mousse and Lychee Flesh. The illustration of the Lychee Tart on the menu differs from that of the actual Lychee Tart that is being served up in-person; the actual presentation of the Lychee Tart bearing a simpler aesthetic, while it also seems to be missing of the raspberry ganache which is also an element that is being mentioned in the description of the item in the online point-of-sale system. It was a bit of a shame that the Lychee Tart was served to us in a temperature that was still frozen — we weren’t informed about it being so, and it does seem that a lot more time was required for it to be thawed even though we had left the Lychee Tart sitting on the desk for quite a while before digging in. Considering so, the layer of mousse at the bottom which is filled into the tart base was icy; the flavours of the mousse not being exactly prominent due to the temperature that it was being served in. That being said, one could definitely feel nibs of lychee flesh within, while the top of the tart is being piped with Lychee Rose Mousse that adds a fruity and floral note to the tart. The tart base did surprisingly retain its intended texture; a little cookie-like but does hold up the elements within it fairly well.

Opting for a cuppa to go alongside with our food orders during our visit to Oh Wunder Folks, we found ourselves going for the Cream Cheese Foam Coffee; this would be an espresso-based specialty coffee offerings that can be found in the Speciality section of the menu. The Cream Cheese Foam Coffee does come in the form of a Long Black with a layer of cream cheese foam topping everything off on the surface; there seems to be enough cream within the Cream Cheese Foam Coffee given how the cream eventually settles down into the coffee rather quickly, making the Cream Cheese Foam Coffee look more like a beverage that consists of a base of a latte / Flat White instead. The coffee does come with a nutty flavour profile and a pretty light body, while the cream cheese foam though sufficiently dense, lacks that saltish note of cream cheese as one would expect out of cheese foam that is typically served up at other establishments specialising in bubble tea.

Wunderfolks is a brand that has come quite a long way in the local F&B scene here — this is considering with how they have started out being just a simple kiosk all the way to being a full-fledged cafe at this current juncture. It does seem that the folks at Oh Wunder Cafe had also grown with a bit more experience with its food items as compared to the times when Café Barco by Wunderfolks had just opened. That being said, we do wish that Oh Wunder Cafe could have looked into the details a little more especially with the way of how their tarts are being served (and more so since this is a core product of theirs) as well as the way the dishes are being described in the menu as opposed to how they are actually served up — discrepancies such as these should have been avoided for a better dining experience for its patrons. Nonetheless, it does seem that Oh Wunder Cafe is yet another cafe in town that probably would work well as a family-oriented dining establishment considering the cheery environment here; one that is probably worthy to check out if they are able to sort out their initial kinks as they smooth out their operations in the days to come.

The basement of TANGS Plaza had recently been through a revamp and there has been much talk about the new Hawkers’ Street food hall that is located within the revamped basement — that being said, it does seem that TANGS Plaza had included quite a number of new F&B establishments within the mix of tenants that are supposed to occupy the space; there is a mix of commercialised establishments such as that of an outlet of Ya Kun Kaya Toast, Gong Yuan Ma La Tang 宫源麻辣烫 and Lao Ma Ban Mian 老妈拌面 whilst more indie establishments such as the likes of Momolato, Percolate, Plain Vanilla etc. also can be found there. One of those indie establishments that had taken up a space in TANGS Plaza would be that of KAREKAMI — these folks aren’t new to the local F&B scene however, having been previously operating as Kare at Fusionopolis prior to their move here. Occupying a space that is dedicated for a food kiosk, KAREKAMI is simply decked; the establishment seeing the use of wooden tables and chairs matched with wooden fittings; the dining area comprising of dining tables that would fit those visiting in groups of four (4) to six (6) pax pretty well. It is noted that patrons do also get the choice to sit alongside high tables around the sides of the stall; these would work well with individual diners especially. KAREKAMI’s menu revolves around their Curry Rice, Curry Udon, Teriyaki Don, and Salad Bowl offerings — they also do offer a variety of side dishes that one can also add on to their order. Beverages served up at KAREKAMI includes Hot Green Tea, as well as a variety of canned beverages.

We had been a little bit in a phase for Udon and considering the namesake of the establishment, we had decided to give their Kare Curry Udon a go — the menu describes the Kare Curry Udon to come with elements such as three (3) pieces of Karaage Chicken and two (2) pieces of Tsukune Chicken Balls that is served with their Curry Udon. The style of Udon that comes with the Kare Curry Udon would be the Sanuki Udon; the broad and chewy Udon noodles that most should be pretty familiar with considering how this is usually the default that is being served when one orders Japanese Udon at other Japanese establishments. Other elements that are included in the Kare Curry Udon that are not being mentioned would include Shibazuke (i.e. purple pickles), as well as root vegetables like potato and carrots. Digging into the Curry Udon, we were initially expecting the Japanese curry here to taste somewhere a little bit more commercial — it does seem that the folks at KAREKAMI does make their own Japanese curry where there are noticeably clumps of broken down carrots and vegetables within; we also note that the curry also does come with a slightly more peppery and spicy kick that should be manageable for those whom are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness. The Tsukune Chicken Balls do come with a firm bite; coming slightly saltish with a hint of meatiness but our favourite element has to be the juicy chunks of Karaage Chicken that came with a golden brown deep-fried batter — all that whilst not being greasy. The root vegetables are cooked to a consistency where they are soft and had been broken down whilst being stewed with the Japanese curry.

There is a choice for patrons to further add on a Mini Salad on the side for every choice of Curry Rice, Curry Udon or Teriyaki Don that one opts for — and we went with it to pair up with our order of the Kare Curry Udon. KAREKAMI does not describe on the elements that come with the mini salad, though it can be observed that the mini salad includes items like corn nibs, baby tomatoes, leafy greens, edamame and Rice Krispies. The mini salad also comes doused with Goma dressing, though patrons whom wish to go for more Goma dressing can also help themselves to the bottle placed at the self-service area to add on more if they so wish to. The inclusion of nibs of corn helps to add a slight hint of sweetness to the mini salad, while the Rice Krispies was also another interesting addition that helps to provide a further dimension of textures to the salad; the goma dressing gels everything together with its creamy, nutty and roasty notes. Apart from the Mini Salad, we also found ourselves opting for the Tamagoyaki from the Sides section of the menu; this does come pretty tasty with a subtle hint of sweetness that one would expect out of a slab of authentic Japanese Tamagoyaki whilst also being tightly packed, yet soft and fluffy at the same time.

KAREKAMI is one of those establishments that probably will get misunderstood for those just merely passing by the establishment without stepping in to check them out — after all, casual Japanese establishments serving up Japanese Donburi and Japanese curry dishes are often more “pedestrian” and seemingly serves up commercially-made elements that usually would appeal to the wider audiences. That being said, KAREKAMI does seem to place a lot of emphasis in creating their very own flavours for a more unique experience — all that whilst also serving up their very own Karaage Chicken and Tsukune Chicken Balls that really showcases how these folks places an emphasis on the diner’s experience; taking pride in food that they serve up. Items listed in the Curry Rice, Curry Udon, Teriyaki Don, and Salad Bowl sections of the menu are priced from $9.90 to $16.90 — prices that are rather reasonable considering this is an establishment at the heart of Orchard; a spot that is worth considering to dine at if around the area!

Percolate has been an establishment that we have been visiting ever since they had started out their operations within one half of the shophouse unit that they are located in at Blk 216 Bedok North Street 1 — whilst their chapter at Bedok is coming to a close pretty soon, it is interesting to see them start making their footprint into town; these folks have found new digs at the revamped basement food hall at TANGS Plaza, occupying a kiosk space within the middle of the area dedicated to F&B establishments. For those whom are a fan of their hot food — fret not; whilst their TANGS Plaza outlet is one that is pretty much a takeaway-only spot, the TANGS Plaza location isn’t meant to replace their Bedok outlet but to compliment their upcoming location that would still be run as a cafe which will hopefully open by the end of Q3 in 2025. Peroclate’s core offerings will always Ben their espresso-based specialty coffee beverages; the menu is being split into sections dedicated to Essentials (i.e. the regular selection of espresso-based specialty coffee beverages), Fun Stuff (i.e. unique concoctions created by these folks), Chocolate, Spill The Tea, Iced Tea and Canned Drinks. Similar to the format of Percolate in Bedok, they do offer two different types of beans for their espresso-based specialty coffee offerings, while their filter coffee sees beans or two different origins being offered as well. Apart from beverages, Percolate also offers a variety of cakes and bakes that are prominently displayed in its display case at the counter, whilst also retailing coffee-related merchandise and peripherals and in an area at the side.

Wanting to try something that is not our usual order at Percolate whenever we drop by their Bedok location, we found ourselves opting for the Ginger Latte. Being offered as a beverage that can be ordered hot or cold, we were told that the Ginger Latte is an espresso-based specialty coffee that is best to be enjoyed hot. Think of the Ginger Latte as a hot latte that comes infused with a note of ginger; the latte itself carrying a very light body with a nutty and earthy flavour profile that makes it a rather soothing mid-day cuppa, while it was interesting to note that the Ginger Latte doesn’t come sweetened — no notes of sweetness as one would typically observe if ginger syrup were to be used instead, but still comes with a slightly spicy note that subtly kisses the tongue in its finish. It does feel good to see Percolate taking a leap of faith in its operations; these guys had pretty much stayed consistent in the way they are since the days they had founded the brand save for an expansion of its space to takes up the shop unit next to their original space at Bedok to become what it has been. It has been great having them around the local cafehopping scene for the last decade, and we would like to take the chance to congratulate them on the opening of their new space at TANGS Plaza — and looking forward to more decades to come!

A recent trip around the Beach Road area got us finding out about the new Basq & Bean that had taken over the former premises of the now-defunct location of Choon Hoy Parlour (and even more previously, The Masses) before they had made their move to Capitol Singapore. Basq & Bean is a new entrant to the F&B scene here; these folks did seem to have done quite an extensive renovation to the shop space after taking over the space — whilst Basq & Bean retains part of the industrial look of the space that The Masses had added to it when they had just moved into the space, Basq & Bean had made quite a number of significant changes to its interior. The layout of the shop now sees the counter that sits in the middle of the entire shop space, while there is quite a vast walk-in space from the entrance now that the establishment has made use of foldable door panels as opposed to the standard glass doors that most cafes / restaurants typically go for. The interior of the space sees the use of concrete-esque elements that matches with the industrial look in the façade from outside; the counter being decked in orange tiles with the clever use of plants that provides a bit of vibrancy to the space with an element of life. Whilst a see-through display fridge can be found at the back of store showcasing Basq & Bean’s variety of products, the cafe does also feature a small dine-in space hidden in one corner of the store that comprises of small metallic tables and seating on a platform; these folks did mention that they will be adding more dine-in furniture in time to come. As the namesake of the establishment suggests, Basq & Bean is an establishment that focuses on their basque cheesecake offerings — serving up their basque cheesecakes only as a whole cake, Basq & Bean offers their cheesecakes with different flavour options and in two (2) sizes; the 6 inch cake or the 3.5 inch cake. Beverages served up at Basq & Bean will include a line-up of espresso-based specialty coffee options, as well as Non-Coffee beverages as well.

Considering how the 6-inch basque cheesecakes that are being served up at Basq & Bean are meant to be shared around with more than a couple of folks, we found ourselves opting for the 3.5-inch cakes instead which still would work best to be shared around two (2) pax nonetheless. Basq & Bean offers three (3) different flavours for their 6-inch basque cheesecakes, but only offers two (2) flavours of their Mini Basq which are how they call their 3.5-inch basque cheesecakes here; the only Mini Basq variant that is available all year round will be the Snow White, while the other one would be a rotating special — both of which being priced at $15 a cake. We found ourselves going for the Snow White Mini Basq — the appearance of the Snow White Mini Basq alredy being very different from the typical basque burnt cheesecake in a manner where there isn’t a browned surface on the top; the Mini Basq also does come with gold leaf over the top that gives it a slightly more luxe and exquisite look as well. Digging into the Snow White Mini Basq, the basque cheesecake comes with a noticeably creamy and runny consistency that was also consistent throughout the entire cheesecake. One can definitely observe specks of vanilla beans within the cheesecake; we also liked how the cheesecake wasn’t particularly heavy and was actually very easy to have for a basque cheesecake. Whilst it does not come with any intense, sourish tang that is typical of cream cheese, it does seem to carry a zippy note likely from a citrusy element that provides a delicate shift of flavours that is brighter and lighter than the average basque burnt cheesecake out there.

During the same visit, we also found ourselves opting for the Literal Smoked Brew – one of the espresso-based specialty coffee offerings that is being listed in the Basq’s Signature section of the menu that comprises of unique concoctions of espresso-based specialty coffee that Basq & Brew serves up. These folks describe the Literal Smoked Brew as a beverage that comes with elements such as black, vanilla and maple wood. It is interesting seeing how the folks at Basq & Bean infused the smoke into the Literal Smoked Brew; using a device named the Smokpub, the Smokpub is placed atop the cuppa before it was being removed to allow for that smokiness contained within the cup to slowly diffused away from the — much like in the case of a smoking dome used in fine dining settings that is lifted to create a visual impact for the diner. The vanilla element is barely noticeable here, with the base beverage being a Long Black that came with a light and fruity body; all that whilst coming with a whiff of smokiness that is rather similar to that of smoking liquid that is typically added to other types of food to create a flavour impact. Pretty intriguing, but also pretty pricey at $9 a cup.

Basq & Bean does present itself as a rather unique and interesting concept where basque cheesecakes meets specialty coffee; whilst there are many cafes out there serving up basque burnt cheesecakes with specialty coffee, queic by Olivia does seem to be the only one that seems to be more centric around its basque cheesecake offering. That being said, queic by Olivia hasn’t really integrated their espresso-based specialty coffee offerings with their basque cheesecake offerings — the former seemingly being more of a complimentary offering to the latter, while the establishment has also been focusing on expanding its concept to become more specialised in different types of cheese rather than one that keeps to the basque cheesecake theme over the years. In this case, Basq & Bean does seem to have the ability to bridge its offerings with its espresso-based specialty coffee, providing an integration between the two things that they so choose to focus on. Whilst each Mini Basq is priced at $15, these do seem to be sized well enough for two (2) pax to share; the cost of a 3.5-inch cake does work out to be pretty reasonable per pax if so especially when considering how a slice of basque burnt cheesecake is typically priced at other cafes. A spot that is likely to garner more attention in time to come, Basq & Bean is a destination to add to the list of places to try especially for those looking for a unique experience served up in a cafe within the local F&B scene here!

Was passing by Bugis Junction when we kinda realised a rather unfamiliar sight along the perimeters of the mall facing North Bridge Road — it does seem that Best Ah Ma Cafe had recently ceased its joint operations with the Tinbox group for their only location in Singapore fairly recently; the space that was previously Best Ah Ma Cafe is now known as The Canteen by TINBOX, with the various signages and decals updated to reflect the latest change of concept. With the change of concept, the interior of the cafe has seen a little bit of a change as well — while the entire layout with most of the furniture and fittings hasn’t seen too much of a difference since the days that the space was still known as Best Ah Ma Cafe, the space now features a more monochromatic colour scheme with the pastel coloured elements now painted in a black-and-white scheme that brings the space slightly closer to that of a colonial-era house for that sense of nostalgia. The tables and chairs still comprises of wooden and marble-esque elements for that quaint vibe; arranged in a manner that would is suited for patrons visiting the establishment in groups of four (4) to six (6) pax. With the change of concept, The Canteen by TINBOX no longer carries the menu that Best Ah Ma Cafe used to serve up; whilst maintaining as a concept that still attempts to be a Nanyang Kopitiam-themed dining establishment with its menu split across categories such as Eggs & Breakfast Toast, Fusion Nasi Lemak, Rice, Big Breakfast, Noodles and Snacks, while the beverage menu comprises of Local Beverages, Iced / Hot Specialties, Soft Drinks and Premium Tea.

The Chee Cheong Fun at The Canteen by TINBBOX is interestingly being listed as an item under the Snacks section of the menu; it is worth noting that the Chee Cheong Fun at The Canteen by TINBOX is being sold in three different types of sauces for patrons to choose from — Curry, Traditional or Sweet Sauce. We went with the Curry variant during our visit to The Canteen by TINBOX and whilst The Canteen by TINBOX does not describe the elements that are included with their various offerings on its menu, it can be observed that the Curry variant of the Chee Cheong Fun comes in a large bowl that is filled with curry gravy; other items included apart from the rice vermicelli rolls would be that of beancurd puffs, spring onions and chunks of potatoes. Digging into the bowl, we did note that the rice vermicelli rolls seemed to be of those that are commercially-made; they do come with a distinct note of rice that typically comes with the local-style Chee Cheong Fun — all that whilst being doused in a curry gravy that is suitably rich but not overly thick that carried very distinct notes of curry spices, but not jelak and should work well for those whom are able to tolerate slightly lesser than moderate levels of spiciness. The chunks of potatoes could admittedly be cooked to a softer consistency, though this could also be just a matter of preferences for us. The beancurd puffs does soak up the curry gravy pretty much like a sponge, providing a flavour burst as one chews into it.

Noticing how The Canteen by TINBOX now serves up a bit of a fusion brunch menu for its Big Breakfast section of the menu that comprises of Eggs Benedict and Toasts with a bit of an Asian twist, we found ourselves going for the Asian Eggs Benedict. The Canteen by TINBOX does not describe the elements that comes with their dishes on the menu; that being said, the Asian Eggs Benedict can be observed to come with elements such as English muffins, lettuce, tomato, bacon and fried eggs; all that whilst coming with a sauce that comes atop the egg. Truth to be told, we are actually quite confused by the namesake of the dish with the way it has been executed; there isn’t anything we can relate to being Asian in the Asian Eggs Benedict apart from the fact that the dish features a different sauce (also barely Asian) from the standard Hollandaise sauce that comes with the typical Eggs Benedict dish, and how it comes with fried eggs rather than poached eggs. All in all, the Asian Eggs Benedict wasn’t spectacular; the fried eggs coming with a fully-cooked egg yolk felt that it completely missed the point of the classic Eggs Benedict that comes with flowy, molten egg yolks, while there was a pungent note of cheese in the sauce that we aren’t fans of which was absurdly heavy tasting on its own. As a consolation, we did like how they did the strips of streaky bacon here though; crisp with a bit of a tension to chew apart, while the bacon comes all savoury and salty just like how one would typically expect out of cured meat.

We also managed to try out the Pandan Kaya and Butter Toast from the Eggs and Breakfast Toast section of the menu during our visit. It does seem that The Canteen by TINBOX had improvised on the version of the same dish that was being served up by Best Ah Ma Cafe. Now comprising of two thin layers of toasted bread, the toasted bread does come spread with Nyonya-style Kaya whilst coming with noticeably thick slices of butter in between. The version of the Pandan Kaya and Butter Toast tasted pretty unsurprisingly more of the salted butter, with the butter adding a saltish note to the coconut jam that hints of a slight whiff of Pandan. We were glad to find that The Canteen by TINBOX serves up their Kopi (Iced) in a manner that is similar to that of what one can find at some Nanyang Kopitiam-themed establishments. That being said, it can still be noted that the version of the Kopi (Iced) that The Canteen by TINBOX serves up differs from that of the one that was previously served up at Best Ah Ma Cafe — the most visible being the lack of the overflow aesthetic here. Still coming frothy, the Kopi (Iced) does feel particularly thick and rich here, though we would prefer it to come a wee bit sweeter to bring out the caffeinated notes a bit more. Based on the items that we had tried at The Canteen by TINBOX, it does seem that the establishment does seem to do just slightly better when it comes to their local-style fair as compared to the fusion western fare that they seem to be wanting to go for in the Big Breakfast section of the menu — perhaps due to its experience in serving up local / Malaysian-style Nanyang Kopitiam-themed fare during its days as Best Ah Ma Cafe. We are also glad that The Canteen by TINBOX had also managed to fix some of the dishes once served by Best Ah Ma Cafe that doesn’t seem to work — an example being the Pandan Kaya & Butter Toast, which now looks more like an improvement for us. With that being said, competition within the Nanyang Kopitiam-themed dining establishments remains pretty stiff at Bugis, considering how there is an outlet of NAN YANG DAO南洋岛 at Bugis+ and an outlet of Oriental Kopi 华阳 at Bugis Junction itself, and the offerings at The Canteen by TINBOX are just not the strongest of the lot here in terms of the quality of food that they serve. Prices do seem to be kept at a pretty reasonable range for now, with the dishes being listed on the Fusion Nasi Lemak, Rice, Big Breakfast and Noodles section of the menu starting from $6.50 to $13.90; a spot that would work well for those looking for something simple and hearty without being too fussy about their food in general.

There has been quite a number of new gelato stores opening up of the late and it seems that there is yet another new one that had recently opened their doors in a shophouse unit at 430 Changi Road that is dubbed “The White House” which also houses Habibi Kebs — for those whom are familiar with the area, this shophouse used to be occupied by the now-defunct STRETCH by unifive at some point of time. There has been some works that had been done to the shophouse that segregates the space into two different shop units with one set of doors being installed to allow access into Habibi Kebs; there is also yet another set of doors that leads into an establishment named love, gelato!. The space in which love, gelato! operates from doesn’t just consist of one establishment however; as one moves further into the shophouse, it could be noticed that an outlet of Ground Floor Coffee is also situated here as well. For those whom are not aware, Ground Floor Coffee was an establishment that was started off serving up specialty coffee through the window at their HDB flat unit in Pasir Ris on the ground floor — they had since moved to a proper hole-in-the-wall shop unit at East Village along Upper Changi Road (ironically, the address of the building is a 430 Upper Changi Road). The interior furnishings are simple consisting of white walls that are matched with furniture and fittings of wooden accents; there are some elements of nature such as plotted plants that can be found in space that makes the space feels less “cold”, while the use of Persian rugs helps to provide a slightly cosier and more exquisite vibe to the otherwise simple-looking space. In the section of the space where love, gelato! occupies, the dine-in seating comprises of benches with plastic storage boxes being stacked up to double up as a side table; the space dedicated to Ground Floor Coffee in the meanwhile consists of proper dining tables with stools that seats groups of three (3) pax with display shelves consisting of art pieces and children picture books alongside racks filled with table games that patrons can borrow for their use. For love, gelato!, the selection of gelato / sorbet flavours can be found prominently displayed at the counter with patrons being able to opt between having them in a waffle cone or a cup; in the meanwhile Ground Floor Coffee’s menu is split across categories such as Specialty Blend, Our Signature, All Good Brew, and Milky Way.

Skimming through the gelato / sorbet flavours that love, gelato! has to offer, it does seem that the gelato / sorbet flavours available at love, gelato! are fairly limited to a few pretty conventional flavours. We did find ourselves ending up with the Mulberry Fling and the Salty Goodbyes — the former being a sorbet while the latter is a gelato offering. It also does seem that love, gelato! does add a water biscuit on top of their gelato / sorbets for those whom are ordering them to be served in a cup. Both flavours did turn out to be pretty good where consistency is of concern; the Mulberry Fling had a texture that was consistently smooth without any icy bits found within, while the Salty Goodbyes was sufficiently smooth and creamy without being too milky. love, gelato! describes the Salty Goodbyes being a Sea Salt Gula Jawa gelato; we did find that the flavour does carry a strong hint of saltish-ness from the sea salt while the scoop of gelato was also not too sweet. Meanwhile, the Mulberry Flings is being mentioned as a Mulberry Bay Leaf Sorbet that carries pretty evident tangy notes from the Mulberry which was especially refreshing after a heavy meal. Also not missing out on Ground Floor Coffee’s offerings whilst at it, we found ourselves giving their Kurma Black (Iced) while at it; the folks at Ground Floor Coffee describes the item to feature elements like Espresso, Filtered Water and Dates. This does turn out to be a Long Black infused with date syrup at the bottom that adds another dimension of fruity sweetness to the cuppa which didn’t turn out to be overly sweet. The introduction of both Ground Floor Coffee and love, gelato! into The White House is quite a wise decision; the two establishments are concepts that seem to be pretty complimentary to one another — also in turn providing patrons with a choice to opt for a beverage and dessert whilst enjoying the Doner Kebab, Durum and Donner Teller that Habibi Kebs offer. This pretty much turns The White House into a one-stop destination where one can opt for a full meal with mains, drinks and dessert under one roof — all of which being Muslim-owned businesses as well.

Was passing by the neighbourhood around Springleaf MRT Station along the Thomson-East Coast Line and found out about the new Mongkok Dessert 旺角甜品 which had taken over the former premises of the now-defunct Unicuz Chinese Cuisine 宏缘美食馆 along Upper Thomson Road. These folks had very much retained the look that the previous establishment had left for the shop facade, though there has been quite a fair bit of work done in the interior. Retaining the walls and floors that is left behind by the previous tenant, Mongkok Dessert 旺角甜品 had attempted to maximise the seating space of the dining hall whilst switching up the previous dining furniture with simpler furnishings comprising of plastic chairs and wooden tables — a little bit of a mismatch with the interior fittings that someone exudes a bit of a more modern, tasteful vibe with an oriental design element whilst at it. The tables are arranged in a manner that would work well for patrons visiting the establishment in groups of up to six (6) pax. Being an establishment that specialises in serving up Chinese-style Tang Shui, the selection of desserts served up at Mongkok Dessert comprises of hot and cold Tang Shui offerings that features a number of pastes and pudding / jelly items, as well as shaved ice desserts. There are also three fried items that Mongkok Dessert serves up; this being the Brown Sugar Lava Rice Cakes, Sweet Potato Rolls and Fried Custard Balls, while drinks available at Mongkok Dessert includes coffee, Iced Thai Milk Tea, canned beverages, as well as handmade herbal tea — just to name a few.

One of the more inventive items that is being listed on the menu at Mongkok Dessert would be their Pumpkin Pudding with Yogurt — Mongkok Dessert does not describe on the elements that come with their various dessert offerings on the menu; that being said, it could be derived from the namesake of the dish that this would have already come with pumpkin pudding and yogurt, while other elements that could be observed includes cocoa cookie crumbles plated around the pumpkin pudding. Digging into the pumpkin pudding, we note that the consistency of the pudding was more paste-like; not quite as gelatinous or jelly-like as what one would expect out of a pudding item to say the least — it also carried a slight hint of earthy sweetness that is pretty much what one would expect out of pumpkin. Shaped in a way where the middle of the entire pumpkin pudding is recessed, the pudding acts as a bowl to contain the yogurt within; it is interesting to note how the folks at Mongkok Dessert did include some chunks of mango and dragonfruit to add a bit of a bite and flavour contrast with a slight hint of zippiness and sweetness to the entire dessert. We also managed to try the Fried Custard Balls during our visit to Mongkok Dessert — speckled with sesame seeds on the exterior, the Fried Custard Balls come with a bit of a chewiness as one sinks their teeth into it from the use of glutinous rice that went into the making of these balls. Whilst its deep-fried nature does mean that the Fried Custard Balls would come crisp while the addition of sesame help elevate those textures further. Filled with salted egg custard filling inside, we did find that the consistency of the filling to be slightly more dense and paste-like; it does come with a noticeable note of saltishness and a milder hint of sweetness, though some may also mention how the filling may not be as molten as they would have liked it as it would be in a molten lava salted egg yolk bun. That being said, we did noted that the Fried Custard Balls didn’t feel particularly greasy — something that credit should be given considering the nature of the item.

Wanting to go for an item that comes with an element of ginger, we found ourselves going for the Egg Pudding with Ginger; Mongkok Dessert also serves up Double Milk Pudding with Ginger — the difference between the two would be how the former is being served as a Hot item, while the other is being served Chilled. The Egg Pudding with Ginger does come with a slightly more yellow hue than the Double Milk Pudding with Ginger; one can also pick up a distinct note of egginess that subtly runs through at the back of the tongue as well — all that whilst the addition of ginger also adds a slightly spicy note that tickles the tastebuds which should also be a manageable for those whom are able to tolerate lower levels of spiciness overall. We also managed to give the Coffee with Milk a go during our visit; this initially looked intimidating considering the copious amounts of condensed milk that they had added but it does seem that the black coffee served up at Mongkok Dessert is one that is likely dispensed from that of a coffee machine typically used at hotel buffets — especially strong and with a slight bitterness. Despite the amount of condensed milk added, the Coffee with Milk was barely sweet, though it does make the Coffee with Milk fairly easy to drink as a result. Having tried a small number of items that Mongkok Dessert has to offer, we did feel that the desserts offered by Mongkok Dessert is of a decent variety — that being said, we did wish that they could offer slightly more paste offerings since the only paste-based Tang Shui item that it offers would be the Black Sesame Paste; similar establishments to Mongkok Dessert these days are offering a wider variety such as Almond Paste and Walnut Paste, while Pistachio Paste can also be found at some establishments that are a little more modern and creative with their offerings. The offerings that we had tried at Mongkok Dessert aren’t too much of a standout, though the Pumpkin Pudding with Yogurt does deserve a mention for being a slightly more unique offering. Given the lack of dessert choices at Springleaf, Mongkok Dessert does work out as a decent stopover for dessert after a zichar / prata dinner around the neighbouring shops around them especially since none of their offerings are priced above $8 — fairly wallet-friendly to say the least.

Caught wind of the new 千里香馄饨 • 重庆小面 when we were scrolling around the phone not too long ago — these do seem like a somewhat new establishment that had opened up a while back at in 88 咖啡屋 Coffee House that is situated at the foot of Blk 88 Bedok North Street 4; this would be the very same neighbourhood where Bedok 85 Fengshan Food Centre is located, with the coffeeshop being the one where one can also find an outlet of Bangkok Street Mookata around. 千里香馄饨 • 重庆小面 occupies a stall unit that is situated in the corner of the coffeeshop that faces our directly to Bedok North Street 4; the stall unit that it occupies is around twice the size of the standard coffeeshop stall. The stall itself is one that is fairly noticeable — the signage comprises of a bright orange band with the name of the stall being prominently written on the top, with a slimmer white band running beneath it; there is also a cartoonish wonton logo on the left side while an illustration of one of its noodle offerings can be found on the right. 千里香馄饨 • 重庆小面 is a stall that somewhat follows the trend that Yuen Kee Dumpling 袁记云饺 has created; there is a display case where one can find the various wontons with different filings that they have to offer — these being available in ala-carte in Medium and Large portion sizes comprising of 12 pieces and 18 pieces respectively, while they also do offer a whole variety of noodle dishes as well.

Whilst 千里香馄饨 • 重庆小面 does serve up their wantons in ala-carte format in both Medium and Large portion sizes coming in 12 pieces and 18 pieces respectively, it is noted that there is an item that is listed under the Side Dish section of the menu being the Wanton with Sesame and Peanut Sauce (10 pcs) / Wanton with Sichuan Spicy Oil (10 pcs). Noting how the former does sound fairly similar to that of what Yuen Kee Dumpling serves up, we found ourselves going for the Wanton with Sesame and Peanut Sauce (10 pcs). It is noted that patrons do not have a choice on the type of wontons that comes served up with the Wanton with Sesame and Peanut Sauce (10 pcs) — the dish comes default with the Signature Pork Wanton. The size of the wontons at 千里香馄饨 • 重庆小面 are a bit smaller than that of what other similar establishments are serving up — the wontons do come with a silky smooth wrapper and does come with a reasonable amount of meat fillings inside. The meat fillings do come with a firm meaty bite; all that whilst it does not come with any undesirable porky stench. Coming with a mix of sesame oil and peanut sauce, this would be fairly similar to that of the Viral Mixed Sauce with Chili Oil that Yuen Kee Dumpling serves up sans the chili oil. One could definitely get the hint of the fragrance of sesame oil amidst the nutty and creamy peanut sauce that covers all of the wontons above — further topped with coriander that further adds its distinct notes to cut through all of the flavours of the sauce.

We also went with the Tomato Luncheon Meat Noodles during our visit to 千里香馄饨 • 重庆小面. Those looking to have noodles that feature Luncheon Meat can also find the Golden Soup Luncheon Meat Noodles on the menu, while other variants of Tomato Noodles here includes the Tomato Marbled Beef Noodle and Tomato Prawn Paste Noodle. The noodles here are pretty much Chinese-style La Mian; comes with thin strands while the La Mian also carries a fair bit of bite — we did feel that the tomato soup wasn’t quite as full-bodied as how we would have liked it to be, though it does carry a bit of a tangy note and does come with bits of sliced up tomato that helps to enhance the flavours and texture of the dish. The diced luncheon meat does seem to have been pan-fried a little before being added to the noodles; one side being a little bit crisp, whilst coming with a familiar hint of saltishness that is typical of cured meat. Again, the Tomato Luncheon Meat Noodles also comes with a pile of coriander going atop; the notes of the coriander adding yet another contrast of flavours to the dish. Overall, we do feel that 千里香馄饨 • 重庆小面 does make for a decent alternative to that of Yuen Kee Dumpling where their wonton offerings are of concern; no doubt that there are still some difference in the size of the wontons and the execution of its sauces — that being said, they do make for a good alternative considering how there hasn’t been a Yuen Kee Dumpling outlet / alternative of Yuen Kee Dumpling in the East at the time of writing that serves up freshly-made wontons. With prices of its wontons being set at $4.80 for the Wanton with Sesame and Peanut Sauce (10 pcs) and the ala-carte wantons being priced from $4.90 to $7.20 across the Medium and Large portion sizes, they do make for a decent option to think about to share across the table.

Heard about the new My Gofre that had opened its doors fairly recently around the Blk 74X neighbourhood in Bedok Reservoir; this neighbourhood at Bedok Reservoir is one that is particularly known for being an enclave for individually-run cafes considering how they it has seen quite a number of cafes come and go as well — establishments that we had visited in this neighbourhood will include that of the very first location of Refuel Cafe, Scoopy Doo Handmade Gelato, Reiwa Soba Honten 令和十割そば本店 and SaffronSips Indian Restaurant & Bar. My Gofre is situated at the foot of Blk 742 Bedok Reservoir Road, and takes over the former premises of the now-defunct outlet of The Daily Scoop. The store has seen a bit of a change of its layout to perhaps better make use of the space in the area of the shop right after its entrance — that being said, there are some fittings where the original counter and espresso bar, as well as the ceiling lamps have been retained alongside some of the dining furniture as well; the tables being arranged in a format to accommodate diners visiting the establishment in up to groups of (4) pax. Being an ice-cream parlour at heart, My Gofre serves up a variety of ice-cream flavours that are prominently displayed in the display chiller at the counter; patrons do get to have their ice-cream in a cup or in a cone — there are also options to opt for Classic Waffles, Waffles with Berries and Mochi Waffle as well. Apart from ice-cream, My Gofre also serves up açai bowls, while beverages offered at My Gofre consists of espresso-based specialty coffee, matcha, drinking chocolate, soda and Rootbeer Float Mug — just to name a few.

It is interesting to note that My Gofre actually does not make their own ice-cream; in fact, the ice-cream at My Gofre seems to be sourced from The Daily Scoop — evidently so from the names of the ice-cream that they are retailing. Skimming through the selections of the ice-cream that they have to offer, we found ourselves going for the Salted Mister Brown + Rum & Raisins Ice-Cream. My Gofre does not describe on the flavours of the ice-cream that they have to offer; we did notice that the Salted Mister Brown is an ice-cream with a salted caramel ice-cream base while it does come with bits of brownies swirled in between. One can definitely notice the slight hint of saltish-ness amidst the caramel-esque sweetness within the ice-cream, whilst this is complimented by a familiar hint of chocolate that comes with a bit of a bite. Meanwhile, the Rum & Raisins is one that would appeal to those whom are looking for a conventional ice-cream flavour that comes with the infusion of liquor — there is definitely an evident note of rum that runs at the back of the tongue within the ice-cream itself, while there are nibs of raisins that provides a bit of a bite within fruit pulp that gives a contrast of textures with the smooth and creamy ice-cream. It was only a bit of a pity that the ice-cream wasn’t stored at the optimal temperature; the consistency being a bit softer than that of what one would typically expect out of ice-cream.

During the same visit, we also went with the Latte (Hot) at My Gofre — it is noted that the espresso-based specialty coffee at My Gofre is being brewed using beans roasted by Tanamera Coffee & Roastery. We did find that their Latte (Hot) is a respectable attempt that is worth commending especially for a cuppa being brewed by an ice-cream parlour; one that carries a light body and roasty, nutty and earthy flavour profile — not too milky, whilst there is also an attempt on latte art for the cuppa which is definitely better than what some other ice-cream parlours would serve up. A cuppa that works well as a mid-day perk-me-up. It does seem like a bit of a deja-vu situation here with My Gofre — perhaps it is an acknowledgement of The Daily Scoop having a fanbase at Bedok Reservoir; the fact that My Gofre serves up ice-cream sourced from The Daily Scoop does seem to allow residents to be able to savour their ice-creams once again despite the shop now being occupied by a different tenant. Whilst not the entire range of flavours at The Daily Scoop are offered at My Gofre at any one point of time, My Gofre has mentioned that flavours are available on rotation, allowing patrons to still enjoy a variety of what The Daily Scoop offers whenever they make their return periodically at My Gofre. With the impending closure of the nearby Scoopy Doo Handmade Gelato being set at end August 2025 at the time of writing, My Gofre might be the location that residents around the area would find themselves gathering at for a convenient spot within the vicinity for ice-cream and waffles in time to come.

Heard about the new Kopi Folks Club 咖啡茶 that is situated at Block 89 Circuit Road Food Centre whilst scrolling around social media recently — whilst being a food centre that does consist of a few notable stalls and also one which we were often in the vicinity of, we had never actually found ourselves winding up here for a meal; stalls here also does seem to have a particularly low turnover rate as compared to the nearby 79 & 79A Circuit Road Food Centre. Kopi Folks Club is a new addition to the food centre, taking up a stall unit that is facing towards the wet market that is also attached to the food centre. Stalls serving up espresso-based specialty coffee and local Nanyang-style Kopi using espresso shots pulled from the espresso machine has become increasingly common with the opening of stalls such as Kopi More at Golden Mile Food Centre, Star Coffee at Bukit Merah Central Food Centre and Lim’s Kopi at Chinatown Complex Food Centre — further popularised by Generation Coffee that had expanded their operations to Hong Lim Food Centre, Tanjong Pagar Plaza Food Centre and Bendemeer Food Centre after their very first store at Tekka Centre — Kopi Folks Club is also such an establishment. In fact, the setup of Kopi Folks Club is really reminiscent of that of Generation Coffee’s featuring a very similar stall layout to its later outlets. Offering no food items on its menu, the beverages served up at Kopi Folks Club is also modelled closely to what Generation Coffee has to offer, featuring beverages categorised into Specialty Coffee, Traditional Coffee and Traditional Tea.

Usually more intrigued with the versions of local Nanyang-style Kopi that features a shot of espresso pulled from the espresso machine, we found ourselves going for the Kopi over their espresso-based specialty coffee offerings — the Kopi is being presented in the same exact style that Generation Coffee would serve theirs up; in a white porcelain cup (though Kopi Folks Club uses unbranded cups), while ice-cream sticks are used as a “stirrer” for the condensed milk that is added to the cuppa. Taking a first sip, the Kopi feels especially familiar; the same roasty and smoky notes that suggest the use of Robusta beans that has been roasted with butter and sugar — this replicates that vibe of the typical cup of Nanyang-style Kopi while one can also notice the smoothness that typically comes with espresso-based specialty coffee. The addition of condensed milk helps to give the cuppa a bit of a sweetness that rounds things off just nicely like how one would experience the usual cup of Nanyang-style Kopi; the entire experience being very similar to that of the Kopi that Generation Coffee serves up. There is a fair bit of effort to be made for those intending to drop by Kopi Folks Club since these folks are only open from 7am to 1pm from Thursday to Monday, especially given how this food centre seems to comprise of food stalls open in the day that compliments the wet market operations — not to mention its slightly off location from the nearby MRT stations. That being said, this is definitely worth the visit for those looking for espresso-based specialty coffee or a modern iteration of Nanyang-style Kopi served using the espresso machine that is situated right in the heart of the heartlands!