Helmed by Chef Mohamed Al-Matin who has previously worked at Noma, Restaurant Andre, Black Star Pastry, Zumbo, Le Matin Patisserie first started as an online pastry shop during Circuit Breaker last year, and it has since opened a physical shop at Raeburn Park earlier this year.

Other than the Le Matin Basics which featured 5 pastries, we also tried the Savoury Box: Assemblag that came with 4 savoury pastries including the new Lamb & Red Wine Pie and Wagyu & Bone Marrow Sausage Roll.

Each pastry box from Le Matin Patisserie comes with 4 or 6 pastries and each drop can vary in accordance to the technique and seasonal supplies.

Le Matin Basics (S$34)

• Kouign Amann
• Pain Au Chocolat
• Lacto-fermented Plum Galette
• Brioche Feuilette
• Bread and Butter Pudding

Out of the five pastries from Le Matin Basics box, we loved the Kouign Amann, Pain Au Chocolat and Brioche Feuilette.

Laminated with lots of butter, the Brioche Feuilette—a croissant-brioche hybrid—was truly outstanding with an extremely buttery and crispy pastry. The signature Kouign Amann was equally buttery, flaky and had subtle hints of vanilla.

Chocolate lovers will love the Pain Au Chocolat which was stuffed with Valrhona dark chocolate and came with a molten chocolatey center.

Savoury Box: Assemblage (S$58)

• Lamb & Red Wine Pie
• Wagyu & Bone Marrow Sausage Roll
• Escargot Escargot
• Beef Tongue and Cheese Croissant Panini

The Savoury Box that comes with 4 savoury pastries including the new Lamb & Red Wine Pie and Wagyu & Bone Marrow Sausage Roll. The savoury pastry that stood out the most was the Beef Tongue and Cheese Croissant Panini. The croissant was layered with Beef Tongue and Wagyu Bresaola, a mix of 4 different cheeses, as well as pickled rose petals, butternut and horseradish.

How about escargot in a pastry? Le Matin Patisserie shaped the traditional croissant like a snail and filled it with escargots from France. This was the perfect balance of savoury and sweet.

You can also add on cold brews to your pastry boxes and they include Black Coffee (S$5), White Coffee (S$5), Oat Milk Coffee (S$7) and Chocolate (S$7).

Le Matin Patisserie offers Island-wide courier delivery at a flat-rate fee of S$10 for a single location on the same date. Enjoy free delivery with a minimun order of S$80.

Le Matin Patisserie
10, Block B Raeburn Park, #01-25
Singapore 088702
Website: www.lematinpatisserie.com

A well-known gem for quality brunch item and strategic location near Somerset MRT station, Oriole Coffee + Bar has recently expanded their menu and upped their game in the local cafe and bar scene.

Whether it is gourmet coffee that you are craving or alcohol for you to indulge in during a night out with your friends, Oriole Coffee + Bar posits as one of the best spots in town for you to have a meal at and chill out. Founded in 2008, this diner has an interesting concept as it transforms from a hipster cafe during the daytime to a snazzy bar by dusk.

We’ve been frequenting Oriole Coffee + Bar since its opening and we have to say that their food and coffee are consistently good—if not, getting better and better over the years—and it is one of our favourite cafes in Singapore.

From now until 31 May 2018, diners who spend S$35++ with Mastercard are treated to Oriole Coffee + Bar’s signature Har Cheong Gai at only $1++! Do note that the promotion is only valid from Monday through Friday, 11am to 3pm, excluding eve and day of public holidays at the Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Orchard outlet.

THE CONCEPT

Oriole Coffee + Bar is essentially a specialty coffeehouse in the day and a bar by night. During the day, guests get to indulge in hearty meals while watching the skilled baristas in action as they create each cup of coffee with precision and care.

When night falls, get ready to be serenaded with live music as you knock down pints of beer or sip on cocktails throughout the night. Their all-encompassing drinks menu features cocktails, draft beers, wine and spirits.

Situated in Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Orchard which is just right beside 313@Somerset, Oriole Coffee + Bar definitely does not fall short in terms of serving quality grub to cater to both locals and tourists around the area.

HEARTY ALL-DAY BREAKFAST ITEMS

Don’t we all love all-day breakfast items? If you are like us who cannot wake up early, Oriole Coffee + Bar has plenty of options for All-Day Breakfast meals, which are available from 8am to 6pm daily.

One of their highly recommended dishes is the Fully Loaded (S$22) that will surely, well, leave you loaded and fuelled. Choose how you would like your eggs to be cooked, and have them with 2 types of meat, maple-glazed bacon, roasted potatoes, roasted tomatoes, mushrooms, baked bean and multigrain toast. There is also a gluten-free option for their multigrain toast!

For those with a smaller appetite and looking for a wholesome or vegetarian option, the Bircher (S$12) is a blend of healthy Greek yoghurt, rolled oats, fruits and granola.

COFFEE FOR THE DAY

Be it hot or cold coffee, Oriole Coffee + Bar will have you covered.

Coffee connoisseurs will definitely appreciate the effort taken by Oriole Coffee + Bar to offer the best brews in Singapore by travelling to countries like Ethiopia to source for beans and roasting them locally. Aside from single origin coffee brews, cold brews served black, with milk or non-dairy M.A.D milk (cold-pressed nut milk) are some crowd favourites you will be able to enjoy at the coffee specialty house.

In particular, the Death Cream (S$10++) is a special concoction of vanilla beans, espresso and cream – high level of caffeine well-balanced with the ensuing vanilla taste.

Otherwise, try their other signature in-house cold brew, Taisho White (S$8++), which is made using Oriole’s in-house signature Raven blend on the daily. Nitro cold brew lovers will be excited to hear that Oriole Coffee + Bar has recently introduced 5 different types of Nitro Cold Brew (S$7) too!

CLASSIC PIZZAS TO LOVE

This new addition to their extensive food menu is something to love. We sang nothing but praises for their Margherita Pizza (S$18), which was generously topped with fresh buffalo mozzarella, tomato confit, parmesan cheese and basil leaves.

This dish would be good for sharing amongst a group of friends—but we wouldn’t promise that you and your buddies will not be fighting over the last slice!

SEAFOOD OPTIONS

Also a newly introduced dish, the Pan-Seared Barramundi (S$26) features a fresh fillet with nutty romesco sauce.

They also have other seafood options, such as Garlic Prawn Risotto (S$25) and classic Fish and Chips (S$20).

TRUFFLE MAC AND CHEESE

Do not be fooled by their Truffle Mac and Cheese (S$24) which is seemingly unappealing because the flavours are actually very on point. Unlike many dishes that claim to have truffle yet do not have a hint of truffle taste, the taste of truffle in this dish was extremely piquant for us.

Imagine freshly baked macaroni in cheese and topped off with chunky pieces of crabmeat, crunchy corn and then rounding it all up with aromatic truffle oil; it is any cheese lover’s wildest dreams come true.

PHILLY CHEESE STEAK

Open up their Philly Cheese Steak (S$18) to find a chock full of well-marinated beef, mozzarella cheese, caramelized onions, mushrooms and capsicums sandwiched between toasted ciabatta bread.

With just the right proportion of the various ingredients, the sandwich is neither overwhelmingly sweet nor salty, making it very well-balanced.

FINGER FOOD

Look forward to close to 10 bar snack choices which are available from 11am onwards daily. These snacks go hand-in-hand with their beers and cocktails!

For an insanely addictive snack for sharing with friends, the Spam Fries (S$12++) is THE bar snack you have to get when you are at Oriole Coffee + Bar. Thick cuts of luncheon meat are deep-fried until crispy, making this sinful side the perfect accompaniment to your bubbles and ice-cold beer.

Oh what can we say, really? This is a guilty pleasure we are willing to forgo our diet for!

HAR CHEONG GAI AT ONLY S$1++

We have yet to meet a Singaporean who doesn’t enjoy Har Cheong Gai (S$16++). For the uninitiated, Har Cheong Gai is actually deep-fried chicken wings marinated with shrimp paste.

From now until 31 May 2018, Mastercard® cardholders can enjoy an exclusive deal—a serving of Har Cheong Gai at only S$1++ (U.P. S$16++) with a minimum spend of S$35++ on a la carte items in a single receipt.

Simply pay using any local or overseas Mastercard® credit or debit card to enjoy this deal! This promotion runs on weekdays from 11am to 3pm.

BAR BY DUSK

At 7pm daily, Oriole Coffee + Bar will feature a live band to bring out the chill vibes for the perfect ambience to have a glass of cocktail or beer after work. The outdoor seats will give you the best view of the live performances while you enjoy your meals and/or drinks.

We reckon that we aren’t the only ones who love their concept of ‘Café by Day, Bar by Dusk’, right? Besides whipping up quality grub and serving gourmet coffee, get some alcoholic drinks here at Oriole Coffee + Bar at night after a long day at work!

Oriole Coffee + Bar
96 Somerset Road, #01-01, Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Orchard
Singapore 238163
Sundays to Thursdays: 8am – 11pm
Fridays and Saturdays: 8am – 12am
Tel: 6238 8348
Nearest Station: Somerset

This post is brought to you by Oriole Coffee + Bar.

For students, working professionals, freelancers and digital nomads, conducive work-friendly cafes in Singapore are never enough and at some of these places, you still have to deal with unstable WIFI, boring freezer food and coffee that is mediocre at best. Now, who has the time for that?

Here comes O’Coffee Club Xpress—a casual cafe that is equipped with free WIFI, power sockets, a curated range of gourmet food and coffee selections, as well as convenient Grab & Go salads and sandwiches for the busy people.

O’Coffee Club Xpress isn’t just for those who are looking for a workspace; if you want affordable lunch sets or a place for a quick lunch, this will be your answer too.

With six outlets islandwide, here is everything to love about the new O’Coffee Club Xpress.

O’COFFEE CLUB XPRESS CONCEPT

With six outlets islandwide, O’Coffee Club Xpress can be found at SMU, Raffles Place, Jurong Point, North Point and Changi Airport Terminals 2 and 4. The cafe runs a fuss-free, semi self-service concept with a range of Western-style hot food options and superfoods at the Grab & Go chiller.

Setting themselves apart from other coffee chains in Singapore, visitors are able to enjoy hearty food made from fresh and natural ingredients daily.

HOT & COLD CAFFEINE BEVERAGES

At their latest Changi Airport T4 outlet, coffee addicts will be pleased with the range of caffeine beverages using coffee beans that are roasted locally. Their coffee beans are being sourced from 7 different countries. Watch them brew your coffees at any of the O’Coffee Club Xpress hand brew bar in Singapore where they feature 3 distinct brewing methods!

Their 100% Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee Beans are also available for purchase at the stores.

O’Coffee Club Xpress also have various types of iced blends for all those who do not particularly favour hot drinks. Choose from a wide variety of iced blends—including mocha, caramel and vanilla!

Another cold beverage option not to miss is the Frozen Espresso Latte, in which espresso is frozen into ice cubes and put together with milk so it prevents your drink from watering down.

NITRO COLD BREW ON TAP

Have we mentioned that their Cold Brew is amazing? The Organic Jeju Cold Brew is definitely a notch above the rest.

For those who have yet to try Nitro cold brew coffee, it is essentially draft coffee infused with nitrogen which results in a smoother mouthfeel when you drink it. Give the intense and refreshing cold brew a try! 

LIGHT BITES

The bestseller at O’Coffee Club Xpress is their customisable waffles. Diners get to pick their own waffle flavour—namely Matcha, Red Velvet, Charcoal and Original. But don’t stop there! Carry on your creation with their exciting savoury and sweet toppings.

Every waffle order is served with Coffee Maple Flavoured Syrup and Salted Gula Melaka.

We went for Matcha Waffle with Orange Mascarpone Cheese and Mixed Berries, Charcoal Waffle topped with Salted Egg Chicken and Red Velvet Waffle with Bratwurst Sausage and Scrambled Eggs.

For something comforting, give their Croque Madame a try. While it looks unassuming, the cheese-laden sandwich was the energy booster we needed to start our day on the right note.

Lavishly filled with layers of Virginia Ham, cheese, béchamel sauce and finished with a runny egg on the top, the Croque Madame makes for a great breakfast option! All you need is to pair it with a cup of hot coffee to complete the meal.

Those who are visiting O’Coffee Club Xpress in Changi Airport T4 can also opt for the French Toast, which is exclusively available at that outlet only.

If pastries are your thing, you will find plenty of options at O’Coffee Club Xpress. Watch the pastry chef craft them from scratch at the open kitchen beside the pastry counter.

Their in-store bakery carries all sorts of aromatic pastries and some highlights are Apple Turnover, Chicken Pie, Strawberry Basket and Jumbo Sausage Braid. All pastries can be warmed up upon request and are made fresh to order.

GOURMET FOOD SELECTION

Refuel your brains with some wholesome food; there are a ton of hot food options too.

Our favourite of the lot is the Chili Crab Pasta but be warned that it is not for the faint-hearted! It captures the essence of our favourite Singaporean local delight pretty well with the pasta being topped with a generous amount of chilli crab sauce and crab meat.

On days when you feel a little more famished, the Baked Yakiniku Chicken Thigh is what you need to go for. Together with the glorious golden brown chicken thigh, this dish is accompanied with creamy mashed potato and refreshing garden salad.

Full Breakfast, Eggs Benedict, Sausage & Mash and Salted Egg Prawn Pasta are just some other choices on the menu.

IT’S A MEATY MEATY AFFAIR

Lunch is the best time to visit O’Coffee Club Xpress as that is when you get to enjoy their Meaty Meaty Platter!

Featuring BBQ baby pork ribs, chicken chop, sausage, crispy bacon, sunny sid ups, mashed potato, side salad and creamy pepper sauce dip, this platter can be broken down into individual sets with sides.

GRAB & GO

If you are in a rush, O’Coffee Club has a convenient Grab & Go station that offers healthy and wholesome food options. A wide range of freshly-made salads and sandwiches are available, with the inclusion of our favourite Wasabi Prawn & Avocado and Smoked Duck salads on the premium line!

Besides that, all sandwiches can be warmed up upon request and are made fresh upon order!

Do note that every O’Coffee Club Xpress outlet differs in aesthetics and ambience, so even if you’ve been to one, you haven’t been to all. There are six outlets in Singapore waiting for you to check out!

This post is brought to you by O’Coffee Club Xpress.

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The Pound is a specialty Dutch iced coffee shop located on the first floor of Sultan Plaza. The unassuming one-month-old establishment is not your typical pretentious hipster-looking cafe, but a small bistro with a very strong focus on cold drip coffees and cake rolls.

Cold Brew Coffees are all the rage right now and we are thrilled to see a new bistro committing to serve premium Dutch Iced Coffees.

These caffeinated beverages are actually far from a passing trend; Dutch Iced Coffees have been around since before our time and have made a successful comeback over the past years in a series of renditions across cafes in Singapore.

Run by a Korean family, The Pound is go-to place for a kick ass cold brew fix (from S$4). Their limited but splendid selection of cakes are handcrafted from scratch and holy moly, they are amazingly scrumptious!

Fortunately, these dainty sweet treats are affordably priced and range from S$3 for a homemade blueberry muffin to S$4.50 for a fresh banana cake roll.

From single origin Ethiopia Limu Agaro Coffee to the smoky Disco Signature Blend, the number of beans and blends here is evidently extensive. If a single portion is not enough, then why not purchase a 300ml or 500ml bottle of Dutch Iced Coffee at S$15 and S$24 respectively.

While no main courses are served at The Pound, we would still highly recommend you save some stomach space for their heavenly Strawberry Roll Cake (S$4.50). The airy vanilla sponge cake roll is stuffed with fresh light whipped cream and a plump bright red juicy strawberry.

The Pound
100 Jalan Sultan
#01-17B Sultan Plaza
Singapore 199001
Closed on Sundays
Mon to Sat: 9am – 6.30pm
Nearest MRT Stations: Nicholl Highway / Lavender

Cold Brew Coffee is a rising trend in town and we sure are embracing it.

You might have seen food journals, magazines, blogs and your social media feeds bursting with pictures or reviews of Cold Brew coffees. It is for sure, the new it coffee at the moment.

Why do people levitate towards Cold Brew Coffees? There are a couple of reasons. And the ones who truly appreciate their coffee will taste the robust and concentrated flavours in cold brews, while still enjoying the taste of the coffee itself as opposed to downing it like an espresso.

If you are still confused, here’s a simple read on What You Need To Know About Cold Brew Coffee.

How is cold brew made?

Coffee is first grounded, then steeped in either chilled or room temperature water for up to 24 hours. This intensifies the coffee extraction process, as you’re physically letting it ‘sit’ for a longer period of time. Same goes for slow-cooking and braising for hours and hours – you get the best out of it through the process of slow-extraction.

Typically, the coffee is then diluted to be served or poured over ice cubes.

This traditional method of serving it prevents the consumer from taking in too much coffee at a go, as the effects of drinking it directly could be equivalent to swallowing a few espresso shots at once.

We can’t say for sure how long the hype for cold brew coffee will last. But one thing we are certain about, is that we will be fans of it for a long, long time.

Well, of course, until a new and fancy way of extracting and serving coffee is invented. But until then, we will return to these places for the Best Cold Brews in Singapore.

Heading up to level 2 of 73 Amoy Street to Dapper Coffee was a tiny setback, especially after trudging through Singapore’s humid weather. But the cosy space made up for the “hike”, and we spent an idyllic afternoon at the cafe over great coffee.

The swanky interior resembles a cool British pub. The coffee aroma that filled the air was alluring and we were thankful for the good range of different coffee to choose from.

Let’s see what the hype about Dapper Coffee is all about.

We ordered a cold brew coffee – perfect option for a crazily humid afternoon. Their cold brew coffee was listed as S$7. But upon taking a seat, the barista came up to us and told us that they only had a drink called Gold Cold Brew (S$10) available.

Skepticism levels were higher than ever. We agreed to it and before we could enquire more, he sprinted off to grab our drink. When we saw that the drink came in a tiny minuscule bottle, it really didn’t look like much. He swished and swirled the little glass jar and then the magic happened.

We were told that this drink has something called ‘unicorn tears’; of course, he declined to unveil the “secret ingredients”. What we saw were tiny gold particles, much smaller than gold flakes, inside of the glass. However pretty it was, it was still a tiny bit gimmicky.

We poured it out to have a taste and we had our answer – it was an exceptional cold brew. But we are sure about one thing – the ‘unicorn tears’ did nothing for us, except a little visual appeal. The coffee was strong and intense, basically more of a cold brew espresso instead.

Dapper Coffee also offers a range of cakes that includes Salted Egg Yolk Sesame Cake and Mango Avocado Cake for you to pair your coffee with.

Will we return here? Very likely, but we will probably stick to our usual latte. The extra S$3 was not worth it.

Dapper Coffee
73A Amoy Street
Second floor
Singapore 069892
Tel: +65 9005 4790
Mon to Fri: 8am – 5pm
Weekends: Closed
Nearest Station: Telok Ayer

About the writer:
Cheryl is a staff writer for ladyironchef. She loves a good steak and an even better cuppa. She eats just about anything and everything. In her free time, she regularly starts on sci-fi or fantasy movie marathons.

Cold brew coffee is the new ‘It‘ drink. Trust us when we say that we are onboard the Cold Brew Express as well. Cold brew coffee is made by slow extraction of coffee using only cool (not hot or warm) water over a long period of time, averaging 2 to 24 hours (usually).

This process intensifies the flavour of the coffee beans used. Because of this, many baristas choose to use a light roast coffee as opposed to a dark or full roast, as the latter can be very bitter once the whole cold brewing process is done.

Most of the baristas we talked to from these cafes also told us that they prefer using a single origin instead of a blend for the same reason. Here are 7 Best Cold Brew Coffees in Singapore that are a cut above the rest.

#1 CHYE SENG HUAT HARDWARE

Using a blend of beans from Ethiopia and Sidamo, this is actually one of the only cold brews we had that is a blend and has a higher acidity, which we actually prefer in this case. This blend is very light and boasts a touch of sweetness within a medium body. Chye Sen Huat Hardware’s version is very very easy to drink.

150 Tyrwhitt Road
Singapore 207563
Tel: +65 6396 0609
Tue to Fri: 9am – 7pm
Sat & Sun: 9am – 10pm
Mon: Closed
Nearest station: Farrer Park

#2 COLLECTIVE BREWERS

Here, we had the Cold Drip (S$5), which is essentially a cold brew coffee. It was served to us in a smaller sized cup than usual, simply because of its intense flavours. We loved the robust and very concentrated flavours of this, and it was similar to downing a double shot of espresso with this. Acidity was low and the coffee was not overly bitter – something everyone can enjoy for sure.

301 Changi Rd
Singapore 419779
Tel: +65 6635 7455
Tue to Fri: 11am – 10pm
Sat to Sun: 10am – 10pm
Mon: Closed
Nearest Station: Aljunied

#3 DAPPER COFFEE

We ordered the Gold Cold Brew (S$10) here at Dapper Coffee. Besides the gold ‘gimmick’, the flavours of this cold brew was really pleasant, and it certainly kept us wide awake for the entire day ahead.

73A Amoy Street
Second floor
Singapore 069892
Tel: +65 9005 4790
Mon to Fri: 8am – 5pm
Weekends: Closed
Nearest Station: Telok Ayer

#4 DUTCH COLONY COFFEE CO.

This was one of our favourites for two reasons – the great coffee and the cute presentation. The barista had also mentioned that they used single origin for their cold brew coffee, resulting in a taste that is not overly intense nor diluted. Just very smooth and very drinkable.

113 Frankel Avenue
Singapore 458230
Tel: +65 6448 5852
Sun to Thu: 8am – 8pm
Fri to Sat: 8am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Bedok/Eunos

#5 OLD HEN COFFEE BAR

This is a classic favourite. Anyone who has been to Old Hen Coffee Bar has most likely already had it before. Available in black, and white, this cold brew is no doubt one of the all-time favourites. It is also lighter and milkier as compared to the others we have tried.

88 Rangoon Road #01-03
Singapore 218374
Tel: +65 6341 5458
Mon: 12pm – 10pm
Wed to Fri: 12pm – 10pm
Sat: 10am – 6.30pm
Sun: 10am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Farrer Park

#6 ORIOLE COFFEE + BAR

Their Taisho Cold Brew (S$6 Black, S$7 White) is an in-house cold brew and we liked that it actually tasted more intense than it looked when it was served to us. We went for the white instead. The coffee was spot on with a smooth taste despite the intensity.

96 Somerset Road
Pan Pacific Serviced Suites, #01-01
Singapore 238163
Mon: 10am – 10pm
Tue to Thu, Sun: 10pm – 11pm
Fri & Sat: 10am – 12am
Nearest Station: Somerset

#7 TOBY’S ESTATE

Toby’s Estate is a favourite of many, and we were all excited to try the Cold Brew (S$6) here. Because cold brew can be a little too concentrated for some, they served theirs with ice cubes. Toby’s Estate nailed theirs. We were told that they use a light roast single origin Ethiopian beans for this drink to create the splendid, well-balanced flavour.

8 Rodyk Street
#01-03/04
Singapore 238216
Tel: +65 6636 7629
Daily: 7.30am – 6pm
Nearest Station: Clarke Quay

Here are 12 Independent Cafes & Coffee Shops in Singapore that serve great coffee.

About the writer:
Cheryl is a staff writer for ladyironchef. She loves a good steak and an even better cuppa. She eats just about anything and everything. In her free time, she regularly starts on sci-fi or fantasy movie marathons.