Strangers Reunion



Kampong Bahru Road, Outram Park

I've written before about Outram Park in Singapore, where four quality cafes operate within a 10 minute walk of each other. Strangers Reunion is one of those cafes, and it doesn't disappoint. This is an interesting cafe, with a very distinct look and atmosphere, and most importantly, well crafted coffee.

The espresso shot below had a light mouthfeel, but a strong and robust flavour. It wasn't bitter or citrusy - the dominant flavour was woody and earthy. This is an interesting combination, and it worked for me. The crema on the shot was dark brown, and the volume was correct - this tells me that it's a shot made from fresh beans, extracted for the correct length of time. Bonus points for the friendly staff, who knew exactly what blend of beans were used, and were happy to talk coffee. This is great - I love seeing this in a cafe - staff who clearly love coffee too.

I ordered a cappuccino too. This was smooth as silk, with soft foam, and steamed to perfection. The coffee flavour is slightly muted by the milk, but is still there - it's a good mix of taste and texture, and one of the better cappuccinos that I've had. There is an underlying sweetness also - this is from the lactose in the milk itself, and is brought out by steaming. More importantly, it is brought about by steaming at an appropriate temperature - it's a learned skill, and this tells me that this was an experienced barista. The foam layer was about right too - by no means was this one of the "latte in disguise" coffees that I've noticed in a few places lately. 

The overall aesthetic is quite distinct - I like the overall effect. The cement floor, rugs, subdued lighting and unique furniture ensure that Strangers has carved out it's own niche, distinguishing itself from any number of independent cafe's which have opened lately. I quite like that the cafe doubles as a gallery, supporting local artists - something that encourages repeat visits.

Overall, this was a good coffee experience, and there is one more coffee place that I can add to the list of places that I would recommend to friends. What stands out for me were the staff, more than one of whom asked about the standard of coffee - this is a sign of staff who are engaged in what they are doing, and want to serve good shots. They did, and I'll be back for more.  



Are you a latte in disguise?

I make a point of trying to highlight cafes or roasteries which serve above average coffee. Since the idea of "good" coffee is entirely subjective, there are a number of objective criteria that I look for instead - dark espresso crema, the correct volume of fluid in a shot and the correct extraction time, to name a few. Occasionally, I come across examples of coffee where something has gone wrong - here are two things that I've encountered recently.

 

I've noticed a trend lately in a number of cafes. If you order a latte and a cappuccino, you will receive two drinks which are virtually identical. This is a bad thing - there is a specific ratio of espresso to milk to foam for each drink.

 

A capuccino typically has a ratio of one third espresso, one third steamed milk and one third milk foam. The layer of foam is thicker than a latte for a specific reason - it imparts a smooth, silky mouthfeel to the drink. A latte differs in that it has a thinner layer of foam - the same mouthfeel is not present.

 

Honestly, I don't mind if an order is mixed up - in a busy cafe, it will happen, and it's not something to lose sleep over (I make a point of never, ever being rude to baristas or kitchen crew). However, there is a difference between getting an order wrong and simply not knowing the difference between different drinks - one is an understandable mix up, the other tells me a lot about a cafe, and it's attitude towards making coffee.

 

I wrote in a previous post that it's hard to make bad coffee with a good espresso shot. Hard, but not impossible. The cappuccino in the picture below looks good, but unfortunately it wasn't. The milk appears to have been steamed either at an incorrect temperature, or for an incorrect duration - this resulted in foam which did not have the usual smooth mouthfeel. The layer of foam was too thin, resulting in a drink that resembled a flat white instead, but with a layer of uneven foam on top - losing the best parts of each drink.

 

 

I've been to the cafe before, and this was the first bad experience that I've had there. Also, reviews on the blog are based around a series of visits over time - I won't write a bad review simply because of one bad experience. The espresso shot that I also had was good, and they do some interesting and creative things with drinks - I'll still be back.  

Chye Seng Huat Hardware

Chye Seng Huat Hardware, Singapore



CSHH is the new flagship venue of the Papa Palheta group. Located on Tyrwhitt Road (beside Jalan Besar stadium), CSHH is a roastery, retail space and coffee academy. The Steeping Room - previously a pop up space at Bras Basah - makes a welcome return in the form of the Annexe, a dedicated area for coffee and food pairing.  

Papa Palheta cafes tend to have a very distinct decor, feel and atmosphere - CSHH is no exception. The original shell of the hardware store is intact, with art deco lettering and exposed light fixtures enhancing the effect. The interior is bright, airy and contemporary - a new lease of life for one of the old workshops that was here before. Combined with a large retail space, this is not unlike Barista Jam in Sheung Wan, Hong Kong - a venue I like a lot.  

As always, I started by ordering an Espresso. The blend used was a combination of 

Brazilian Coromandel, Guatamelan Antigua and Ethiopian Sidamo. In general, Brazilian and Guatamelean coffees have hints of chocolate, and low acidity, while Ethiopian sidamo has a smooth aftertaste. The shot had an intense aroma, with a dark brown crema, indicitave of freshly roasted beans. There was a syrupy mouthfeel that I typically notice in shots from third wave outlets - this is an indicator that the shot has been extracted for the correct amount of time. The intensity and robust body of the shot was evident from the first tasting - the combination of dark chocolate paired with a citrus, floral notes gives rise to a complex, long lasting bouquet with perfect balance. The aftertaste lingers, and I could taste it long after I had finished my shot. Some things are simply better in their places of origin - like eating chicken rice in Singapore, or drinking Guinness in Dublin, drinking a Papa Palheta blend in CSHH was a coffee experience to savour. There were more notes, flavour and mouthfeel in the last few drops than in any number of shots from other cafes.

I ordered a Cappuccino also. It arrived with beautiful latte art and dark brown foam - a nice contrast of light and darkness. There was a lovely foamy, light texture with an intense coffee hit a few seconds later. The espresso did not dominate in this drink, even though it was a strong shot - the milk and espresso work in conjunction, a 1-2 punch straight to the pallete, where one hits right after the other. They accentuate each other rather than fight for dominance on your taste buds. The layer of foam on top was the correct thickness also - a simple thing, but not something that every cafe gets right.

This was one of the few coffees I've had where the espresso was clear and distinct in the aftertaste - you know it's a cappuccino that was made with a very specific blend - not something that I see everywhere - Oriole, Jimmy Monkey and Nylon would fall into this category also. You know that it's a Palheta shot in your cup when you taste it. I want to drag people here and say "You see? THAT's coffee! That thing! Not what you did!".

Viva la revolution 

  

The retail space is large and well stocked, with Chemex woodneck products, Hario Buono kettles paired with V60 pourover rigs, Aeropress and syphons all on display. There were 5 bean varities available also, which can be bought whole, or ground on request. Professional espresso machines and grinders are available. This is significant - the staff are are baristas who use machines such as these each day, rather than sales people who may receive comission for recommending a particular type.

Some other notable points are the menu, which has a wide variety of brewing types, and clever pairings of food to coffee. Also, I like the pairing of Jungle Beer (brewed in Admiralty) and Papa Palheta coffee - this is entirely consistent with the creative approach of Papa Palheta. I have not yet tried the Annexe, where food, coffee and alcohol pairings are explored more fully, but based on the work that has been done in CSHH to date (and from one or two experiments that are being prepared at present), this is something to look forward to.

In short, it's some of the best coffee that I've had. Papa Palheta may be no more, but the same intense, robust and complex shots live on in a quiet street at Jalan Besar.

Remembering Papa Palheta

Papa Palheta, Singapore

It was never just a coffee place.

 

 

 

It was a hidden gem, spread by word of mouth - a coffee roastery serving up fantastic shots behind an inconspicous row of shophouses on Bukit Timah Road. Hidden amongst the quiet conservation houses of Hooper Road, you would never suspect that it was there. Walking through the leafy courtyard rippling with conversations, into a busy serving area with a rich aroma of coffee in the air, and finally into the quieter, almost nostalgic indoor area 

was like walking into an underground coffee scene.

 

 

Papa Palheta had a unique atmosphere. This was partly due to the coffee and the location, but also due to the staff - they helped to make it what it was. Going to Papa Palheta every day (except Monday! Roasting day) was not just about going for coffee, it was going to a friends place. It was a coffee speakeasy where conversations about roasting profiles, extraction times, bean varieties - things that might be obscure to 99% of the population - were normal, and were coffee geekery was celebrated. The contrast between the enforced friendliness of franchise chains, and the genuine warm welcome - and passion for good coffee - from the staff at Papa Palheta - could not be more apparent.

 

I'm genuinely sorry to see Papa Palheta close, however the standard of coffee continues at CSHH, and the spirit of the place continues in the Annexe, and in some of the independent roasteries which have been set up since. 

A sincere and heartfelt thanks to the current and former staff for making Papa Palheta what was my favourite coffee roastery in any city, and in any country.

The last shots

Table Manners, Changi City Point

Table Manners, 5 Changi Business Park Central 1, Singapore

Table Manners is the latest venture from the team behind Bar Stories at Haji Lane. Bar Stories deserves a post of it's own - it's one of the most unique and memorable bars that I've visited, in any of the cities that I've lived in. It's sister outlet, Table Manners, has a unique selling point - the creativity of Bar Stories combined with the coffee crafting expertise of Papa Palheta. This would be a potent combination in any part of Singapore, but particularly so in an area that until recently has been starved of quality coffee. 

As always, I ordered an espresso and a cappuccino, two drinks that tell me a lot about the quality of coffee in any given cafe, bar or restaurant. The espresso shot was thick, with definite hints of citrus. This gave rise to a full bodied aftertaste that lingered long after the last drops of espresso had been gulped down. It seemed thicker and more potent than a regular shot - more akin to a ristretto - this was a shot that was extracted for the correct eighteen to thirty second extraction time. This may seem like a minor point, but it's an important one - it's harder to make bad coffee with a good espresso foundation.

The shot had a medium dark crema, which lined the side of the cup. It's interesting to note that a lot of the perceived bitterness in an espresso shot comes from the crema itself. If you carefully scoop the crema from a fresh espresso shot, it should taste extremely tart. Crema which clings to the side of a cup will not impart as much of this sharp flavour to a shot. This was a good shot by any standard, but it would also be a good shot for anyone who has not tried espresso shots before, or for anyone who has been turned off espresso by bad shots in franchise chain cafes.    

The cappuccino has a thin layer of foam, closer to that seen on a latte. As a result, the smooth and silky mouthfeel was reduced, making this a lighter cappuccino (I prefer mine stronger), but the quality of the drink was not overly diminished. The use of Papa Palheta beans is a clever choice for this drink - the lingering aftertaste ensures that the coffee flavour is not lost, and that this remains a quality coffee. One negative point however is that the coffee cups used are very thin, so that drinks tend to go cold much more quickly as a result. 

It's worth pointing out that coffees in Table Manners are notably less expensive than those in franchise chains. Why waste good money on bad coffee when Table Manners has Papa Palheta's beans?

Latte art is always a welcome sight, as it tells me that the baristas were trained to a high standard, and trained to care about quality coffee. This is consistent with my comments on the espresso shot being prepared correctly. The light dusting of cocoa powder ensured that little sweetness was imparted, and that the cocoa flavour accentuated rather than dominated the drink.

The food menu is worth a mention also - there is a good selection of starters, main courses and deserts, and an interesting menu that allows items to be paired according to the customers preferences. The prices are fair - they are certainly not overpriced - another point in their favour.

In a nutshell, the bright young staff at Table Manners are serving up quality coffee, made from quality beans in a quirky and interesting bar and restaurant. Bar Stories younger sibling is already off to a good start.  



Nylon Coffee, Singapore

Nylon Coffee Roasters, Everton Park, Singapore

I have a love / hate relationship with coffee franchise chains. I appreciate that they have helped to make coffee culture much more popular than it was previously, and it is now possible to get an espresso of known quality and consistency in most parts of the world. Some chains are certainly better than others, however there are still some examples where stale, over roasted beans are the norm, and where quantity takes precendence over quality. The skill set of the barista - the experience of tamping and pulling shots, of learning to assess the correct grind size for beans - is sadly reduced to the ability to press a button. Even worse, customers come out of franchise chains thinking that espresso shots are supposed to taste bitter, almost acrid.  

Fortunately, there is a large (and increasing) number of independent cafes and roasteries where the opposite applies, and which serve as test beds for new and innovative blends and brewing methods.The entire point of this blog is to highlight cafes where the owners committment to good coffee is evident. Nylon is one such example, where some superb single origin, third wave coffees can be found in a quiet residental corner of Outram Park. 

Nylon's house blend - El Primero - is a mixture of 60% Brazilian and 40% Nicaraguan beans. This results in an espresso with a medium dark crema, and a distinct flavour with citrus elements. I'm struck by the initial taste of the shot - it's not bitterness, it's a combination of a medium bodied espresso with distinct citrus flavours, and it's certainly something that I have not seen in most cafes. El Primero (along with Papa Palheta's PNG Peberry) is unique. Both are products of long hours spent working out pairings of beans to blend together, of coming up with roasting profiles for each blend, and experimenting with different ratios of beans. The time and effort that has gone into crafting each blend is obvious - this is the antithesis of every over roasted, over extracted coffee where any flavour or uniqueness was drowned in a sea of milk, whipped cream and caramel!

Nylon's 5oz coffee (below) is smooth with a nice subtle flavour, the latte art was beautiful. Aeropress and pour over coffees are also available, as well as occasional cold brews. I noticed that a digital scale was used for measurements, just as it was in Highlander. This is always a good indicator of quality coffee, as it suggests that the baristas have put thought and effort into the process. It also implies that a specific ratio of beans to water has been tailored to the house blend.

There is an interesting approach to the menu also. Rather than having conventional lattes and cappuccinos, there are 3oz, 5oz and 7oz sizes available. This is a clever idea - while some franchise chains serve what are essentially bowls of caffeinated warm milk, the owners of Nylon have ensured that a broad variety of preferences are catered for, while never losing the underlying coffee taste - coffee is always the most fundamental component of each drink. Furthermore, as milk is steamed, lactose becomes more soluble (coffeegeek.com has more information on this process), which imparts sweetness to the drink. Coffee which has been prepared correctly should not need sugar - this is one of the many things that are not merely done correctly at Nylon, but are done very, very well. Once again, Dennis and Jia Min's passion for coffee is evident throughout.

Sugar is typically not served at Nylon (although it is available if requested). This ensures that the underlying flavour of each coffee blend is not lost, and also has the welcome effect of exposing customers to the different flavours, acidity and balance of beans from different regions. This is something that I love to see happening - customers are subtly being educated with each cup! It also makes customers think about what they are drinking, which should only be encouraged.

A selection of coffee beans and accessories are available to purchase also - but rather than the usual selection of accessories that are available, Nylon have focused on more unique, hand made items. Kalita wave drippers sit alongside custom Japanese hand grinders, and a quirky wooden coffee scoop which doubles as a bag seal. It's a nice touch - an independent cafe that supports other independent businesses.  

Since opening a few months ago, Nylon has become one of my favourite coffee places, with consistently good coffee, and owners committed to making the best shots possible. This is definitely worth trying - don't waste good money on bad coffee at a franchise, when some superb shots are being pulled at Nylon!

Highlander Coffee, Singapore

Highlander Coffee, Singapore

 

Outram Park in Singapore has become a mini coffee hub recently, with at least 4 cafes (Nylon, Highlander, Oriole and Strangers Reunion) serving artisan coffee. Highlander was one of the first (if not the first) third wave cafes to open in Singapore, and is still roasting and serving interesting blends of coffee on Kampong Bahru road.   

 

 

 

 

Highlander is also a coffee academy, which holds regular barista workshops, as well as coffee appreciation sessions. One session was finishing as I stopped by, which gives me an idea for my next day off... 

 

 

So, how did the theory translate into practice? Are the baristas the 'crema' the crop? (Ok, no more puns). The espresso below has a light brown crema, and the volume was spot on - a good single shot should not fill up an espresso mug. It had a interesting acidic taste - not tart, but the right amount of bitterness. The biscuits which come with all coffees in Highlander are sweet, and balance out the acidity.

 

 

 

The house blend in Highlander is a combination of beans from Brazil, Ethiopia and Sumatra, which is a good combination for lattes, cappuccinos etc. The stronger, lasting aftertaste ensures that there is still a definite taste of coffee, and that the steamed milk does not mask any flavour. (I mention this a lot, but it's a fundamental part of a good coffee). Highlander house blend uses a specific ratio of beans from these different countries to ensure a very specific taste. The amount of foam used was slightly more akin to a latte, but it had no impact on taste or texture. Just an observation, not a criticism.

 

I also saw digitial scales lined up beside a French press, with tells me that specific amounts of coffee are being used for different brewing methods. (I have seen this in Nylon and CSHH also - will be reviewing both soon). My inner coffee geek was delighted to see this - it means that thought (and probably experimentation) has gone into the brewing process. The whole point of this blog (in which the title is a reference to the optimum extraction time for an espresso shot) is to highlight cafes which serve good coffee by putting thought and effort into each shot. (Nylon, Papa Palheta, CSHH, Oriole, Jimmy Monkey, Maison Ikkoku and some others all do this, I just haven't posted reviews yet. There is only so much caffeine that I can take in one day!)

 

 

 

Some coffee accessories are available, such as grinders, filters, aeropresses and vacumn packs to store ground beans. Pricing is good - consistent with other cafes, beans are slightly cheaper. My wife recently saw an Aeropress on sale in a shop in Orchard Road for $129 (!), roughly twice what it should be. In contrast, there were no rip off prices here. 6 bean selections are available also, including the house blend that I tried. There are lunch items on sale (sandwiches, pastries and cakes), as well as smoothies and Italian soda's available for non coffee drinkers - so no excuses for not stopping by!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coffee Alley, Taipei

Coffee Alley, Guanqian Road, Taipei

 

Coffee Alley is a coffee franchise, with at least 4 outlets in Taipei. I visited their cafe on Guanqin road (near Taipei main station) recently. Of all the coffee places that I went to in Taipei, this was definitely the most interesting - the quirky, intelligent design really stood out. This a cafe where a lot of things are done very well - even down to the cutlery and menu design!

 

Design, decor and service are only a portion of the overall experience though - the coffee itself should be the highlight. Fortuntely, the same attention to detail was present here also. The espresso had a dark brown crema, and the correct volume for a shot. It had a sweet, almost syrupy mouthfeel - something I love in my shots. There was no burnt taste, which would suggest that the beans used were stale - in other words, this was a good shot, at the correct volume, with fresh beans - can't ask for more than that. An espresso shot tells you a lot about a cafe - if the crema is a pale colour, then the beans are stale, if the volume of liquid is too high, then the shot is over extracted - Coffee Alley easily passed both of these tests. (Unlike a cafe in Bangkok airport, where an espresso arrived in a full size coffee mug, filled to the brim. I sent it back, untouched....) 

The coffees in Coffee Alley come with 2 biscotti, a nice touch that sets it apart from other cafes. The biscotti was fresh, and the mix of dried fruit running through it added a hint of sweetness. This is another exmple of the attention to detail that I saw here. Also, the cups and cutlery are unique! The espresso cup reminds me of a mobius strip!

I ordered a cappuccino also, which arrived with a topping of caramel. This might be too sweet for some tastes, but I liked it - only a small portion of the carmel sank through the foam, so that it imparted flavour but did not overwhelm the underlying taste of coffee.

 

 

 

Coffee Alley is definitely somewhere that I would recommend, and would go back to. It's slightly more expensive than Fong Da or Nanmay, however they are smaller cafes with more limited menus. Overall, Coffee Alley stood out for it's unique design, and for the attention to detail - this is what a cafe looks like when a series of things are done well!Recommended.

 

Fong Da Coffee, Taipei

Fong Da Coffee, Ximending, Taipei, Taiwan

 

Chengdu Road in Ximending is a mini coffee hub. In the space of 200 metres, there are 3 independent coffee roasteries. Fong Da is probably the oldest, opening in 1956 and pulling shots ever since.



 

Fong Da is a roastery, cafe and retail space. Beans were being roasted during our first visit, and on subsequent visits also. This is not surprising - there are at least twelve different blends available in the retail section, and also on the menu.

  

 

I noticed that the twelve blends available in the retail section were all different shades of light / medium brown. This suggests that different roasting profiles are used for each blend. Only two of the blends were a dark, shiny brown colour - this is interesting, and the opposite of what I have seen in other cafes. It could be that the coffee culture in Taiwan is more established, and a higher proportion of cafes roast their own beans. As a result, consumers are used to different varieties in different cafes, rather than the uniform over roasted style that is used in franchise chains.

 

 

 

The coffee itself was great. The thing that immediately stood out in the shot below was the crema. It's a striking dark brown, typical of freshly roasted beans. The shot had a robust flavour that lingered, although on some days the shot was more intense.

 

The cappuccino was very, very smooth. The foam was perfect - steamed at the correct temperature and for the correct duration. The foam was a dark shade of brown towards the edge of the cup, however the silkly smooth foam acted as the perfect complement to the strong coffee flavour. There was also a good range of syphon coffees available.

I can see exactly why Fong Da has survived for so long - the coffee is great. Fong Da became our regular coffee place during our time in Taipei - I would definitely go back.