When Things Go Wrong

I try to be as fair as possible when I write a review. I put together a post based on a series of visits - I don't want to slate a cafe simply because the barista was new, or was having a bad day. However, some coffees have to be sent back - not something that I enjoy doing, but ultimately it helps the barista to improve their techniques. I'd argue that most baristas would rather know if something was wrong, and have an opportunity to correct it, rather than lose customers. 

The piccolo latte below is a good example of how things can go wrong, even in cafes which serve consistently good espresso shots. The initial hit of espresso was hardly tempered by the foam, which was coarse and irregular. As a result, the smoothness and mouthfeel that should be imparted was lost. A good piccolo latte will have foam that mixes with the espresso and milk mixture with every sip - however, this was not the case here. Over time, the initial hit of espresso faded, which left a watered down drink, and the interesting, if disconcerting, experience of a piccolo turning into a flat white halfway through.  

It's worth noting that this is an issue that can be solved - it's not something that would stop me from visiting the cafe in question again. The underlying espresso shots are good, which means that the foundation for a good coffee is still there.  

Jewel Coffee, Singapore

There are certain things that I associate with Shenton Way in Singapore. Suits, skyscrapers and spreadsheets, to name just the things that begin with "s". Single origin coffee can now be added to the list, in the form of Jewel Coffee, beneath the polished glass and steel exterior of One Shenton.

Jewel played a role in my coffee education, in the form of a cupping / coffee appreciation session after work on evening in Changi. I spent an evening learning to appreciate the differences between different blends and varities of beans from different regions, and even today I still use some of the lessons learned that evening.

Espresso shots tell me a lot about a cafe. The crema tells me how fresh the beans are, the volume of fluid tells me if the extraction time is correct, and the taste tells me if the roasting profile is suitable for the bean. So how did Jewel measure up?

The volume was perfect, with a medium dark crema. The dominant flavour in the shot is citrus - but it's a shot where the astringency is very evident - as much a sensation as a flavour, an intense hit of citrus that awakens your taste buds, with an aftertaste that fades out slowly. The mouthfeel has some syrupy elements, but not overwhelmingly so either.

The choice of single origin beans is a nice touch - when I visited, beans from Costa Rica and El Salvador were being served. Each has distinct tasting notes (mandarin orange hits and brown sugar for the Costa Rica, lingering sweetness and dark fruits for the El Salvador), however I found that the citrus elements were dominant in each. I'll never complain about single origin coffees on a menu - it's a sign of how far coffee culture has come, and it directly benefits the farmers who grow the beans in question. However, it could be a good idea to have one strong citrus single origin and one robust, earthy and less floral single origin paired with each other. This is not a complaint by any means, just a recognition of different tastes and preferences.

The cappuccino that I ordered came with smooth foam that complemented, rather than drowned out, the underlying coffee flavour. The layer of microbubbles added the required smooth mouthfeel, while allowing the coffee flavour to dominate. The layer of foam and serving size were just as they should be, ensuring that this was separate and distinct from a latte. The latte art, and contrast of light on medium dark foam, was a welcome touch.

There is a very good selection of drinks on the menu, with Chemex, V60, Syphon and Iced coffees available. I always like to see Chemex coffees available - it's notable for producing very clean brews which highlight the underlying characteristics of each blend or variety. It's a good method to begin to appreciate the differences in blends from different regions.

There are some retail items available also - I spotted Chemex and V60 pourover accessories on the shelf. The bean selection is quite good, with beans from Guatamela (Antigua), El Salvador (El Cordon), Nicaragua (Los placeros), Ethiopia (Sidamo) and Sumatra available, for $18 each.

This is a good choice for quality coffee if you work in the Shenton way area, along with Oriole and Club St Social - but it is more expensive, with a single espresso priced at $4.20. The sheer choice of coffee blends and brewing types makes this worth visiting however.

Smitten Coffee and Tea Bar, Singapore

Over the last few years, Robertson Quay has been transformed from a quiet residental strip by the Singapore river, into an eclectix mix of restaurants and cafes. Every new apartment block seems to bring with it a new French bistro, or a Japanese teppanyaki grill straight from the winding alleys of Shinjuku. The overall effect is that the area reminds me of Clarke Quay, if the bars were replaced by restaurants. Hidden amongst the mix of eateries is a small cafe that is punching above it's weight - Smitten Coffee and Tea bar.

This is a roastery that seems to be bigger on the inside that it appears on the outside. The use of space is clever - by placing most of the seating outside, Smitten can function as a roastery, retail space and full service cafe. The fact that it is a roastery allows Smitten to compete with larger cafes - their coffee is always fresh, and they have their own unique blends on the rack. The retail space is very specalised - tampers, cone drippers, stovetop espresso makers, filter baskets, grinders, and knock boxes line the shelves - this is a good option for any aspiring home barista.

 

The espresso shot I ordered came with a dark brown crema, and the correct volume of liquid for a single shot. No surprises there - dark brown cremas are the product of beans which have been roasted recently. This was a nicely balanced shot, combining an underlying tempered robustness with tart notes. The astringency is fine, neither too bitter nor too overpowering, and the mouthfeel has more syrupy than watery characteristics. So far, so good.

The first thing that I noticed on the cappuccino below was the latte art - there is a distinct contrast of light on dark, and very defined borders. The foam layer is fine - the thickness is ideal, remaining intact until the last drops of coffee are consumed. It seems like something small to single out, but i'm surprised at how many cafe's get this wrong. The microbubbles in the foam added smoothness, and took the edge off the strong underlying espresso shot. The aftertaste does not linger, making this a "clean", mellow drink - the coffee hit is in the first few seconds. It's a balanced, well executed cappuccino with no issues.

There are also alternatives available for people who prefer brewed or pourover coffees. V60 and Chemex brews are availble, with beans from Brazil, Ethiopia (Yirgacheffe) and Tanzania (Kilamanjaro). There is also a selection of cakes and deserts available too.

This is the little cafe that could - it's punching above it's weight, and turning out some decent, consistent shots - this is a good choice for a lazy Sunday by the river.

Jimmy Monkey

I could smell coffee while I was walking up to the cafe. This is a good thing, and generally speaks of good things to come.

 

One North is a hive of activity during the week, a hub of biomedical and scientific research in the West of Singapore. In a quiet corner of One North Residences, research of a different kind is taking place. Interesting blends of beans are being paired together, in a little corner of Melbourne which has been transported to Singapore - Jimmy Monkey cafe and bar.

 

 

I've mentioned Jimmy Monkey in previous posts - their Piccolo latte stands out in particular - and it's a haven for coffee lovers in the West of the island. Jimmy Monkey is also a full service bar and restaurant, and provides a number of good reasons to catch a circle line to One North station.

 

Anyone who has read the blog before will have a good idea of how this works. Over the course of a series of visits, I order drinks (usually an espresso and cappuccino) that tell me a lot about a cafe, and the quality of coffee. So how did Jimmy measure up?

 

Fly, my pretty, fly!

 

Espresso - this was a potent, robust and strong shot with a lingering aftertaste, but also a good balance of taste and flavours. This is not surprising - Jimmy Monkey's Ironbark blend is a combination of beans from Brazil (Cerrado), Papua New Guinea (Sigri), Columbia (Kachru), Guatamala (La Laguna) and Peru (Amazonas). There is also a Columbian single origin blend available, which works well in pourover coffee. Each bean variety contributes something unique to the shot - hints of citrus, and even some chocolate notes. Ironbark is a blend that is still evolving, and is now on it's third iteration (version 3.142, according to the note on the grinder - a nice in joke, along with some pop culture references hidden on the menu! It doesn't take a lot to make my day). The experimentation has paid off, leaving a full bodied shot with a lingering aftertaste. The home made biscotti is a nice touch, with hints of orange complementing the citrus notes in the shot.

 

 

The cappuccino below was notable for the initial strong hit of coffee flavour, complemented by smooth, light foam and finished with well executed latte art. The microbubbles in the foam add the smooth, silky mouthfeel that I look for, and is seen in quality cafes. This is where Ironbark is used to good effect - the lingering aftertaste is a strong base for a milk based drink, ensuring that the fundamental coffee character is retained.

 

 

I had a Piccolo also, which is characterised by a more robust coffee taste, with the aftertaste lasting through the milk and foam. The milk complements the robust coffee flavour, smoothing it but not smothering it, creating a hybrid which retains the best characteristics of each - its just right and well executed. Their original place in the piccolo latte hall of fame post is deserved, and retained. There are also pourover, syphon and chemex coffees available. 

 

 

The effort that has gone into setting up Jimmy Monkey is evident in a number of ways. The interior is almost industrial, with high ceilings, a smooth cement barista counter and some quirky touches hidden in plain sight (hint - look up at the ceiling when you are inside. You'll know it when you see it). A Giesen roaster sits across from a Slayer machine, one of only two in Singapore at present. Slayer machines are expensive - really expensive - and for good reason. They offer significant levels of control over a number of variables (pressure, temperature etc), and have some clever design features - notably, the double ristretto that makes up every shot. A ristretto differs from a conventional espresso shot, in that it is comprised of the first ten seconds of extraction from a shot. As a result, ristrettos are punches of flavour, which are never watered down. Ristrettos are a good choice for milk drinks, as the underlying characteristics of the shot are not lost in a sea of milk. From speaking to the staff, and from the quality of coffee served, I doubt that this would happen here.

 

 

A quality machine is a good start, but the quality of the staff is an even more important factor. This is where Jimmy Monkey shines. The staff are attentive without being intrusive, picking up small details that might go unnoticed - for example, spotting that it was my wife's birthday and getting a cake ready without being asked. Small things like this result in customers becoming regulars.

 

Cafes which celebrate coffee geekery (Papa Palheta, you are sorely missed) are to be treasured, and the owner, Michael, was considerate enough enough to talk in detail about the Slayer machine. The level of detail was telling - down to the description of modifications to group heads to prevent heat loss, and of modifications to compensate for the loss in pressure and heat when multiple shots are pulled in quick succession. Coffee conversations like this result in me attaining a state of coffee nirvana, or in my case, nerdvana.

 

It's shiiiiiiny....

 

I don't normally comment on food, but this is a good place to see a busy kitchen in action, with a kitchen crew that turn orders around quickly, but who still take the time to check and plate carefully. The end results work, with some impressive creations crosing the counter. They don't skimp on portions either. It can fill up quickly though, so it's advisable to stop by earlier in the morning - there are no reservations on weekends, but the staff are flexible and helpful.

 

 

 

 

Since opening, Jimmy Monkey has been a regular part of my coffee treks around the island. Based on todays (and previous) visits, I'd recommend that anyone who likes quality coffee do the same. 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.