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.