Our once-stagnant coffeshop scene has really perked up of late – witness the effusive accolades lavished on 40 Hands, The Plain and Papa Palheta. But Keith Loh remains unchallenged as coffee’s benign overlord, combining a world-class barista’s expertise, sharp business acumen and a showman’s charisma. As if he’d not already flaunted such credentials at Oriole’s 313 Somerset flagship, his CBD offshoot’s untrammelled sophistication redefines what this niche market can offer.
It even looks delicious. Sculpted into Republic Plaza’s ground floor, Espresso and Brew Bar’s chocolate, gold and olive-green colours bathe the L-shaped room in an inviting glow. Small by the mothership’s standards, its modest square-footage nurtures a friendly feel – seating capacity is just 40 – and 1970s wallpaper on low ceilings, coupled with super-smart lighting, radiates extra ambient warmth. Dainty second-hand trinkets, and washes of jazz and chamber-pop à la Andrew Bird piped through an unobtrusive speaker, accentuate that unforced retro-homeliness.
The tools of Loh’s trade surround you, gleaming silver and gilt. A chunky La Marzocco machine bestrides the service area, oozing the effortless flair of top Italian craftsmen; a state-of-the-art ‘über-boiler’ by Marco guarantees optimum drink temperatures, while handsome connoisseur toys from Ditting and Akira decorate the borders. Whether you sup in swish russet booths laced with golden trim, perch with co-diners on a long central table or recline in leather armchairs, service is eagerly attentive even on a meeting-packed Monday lunch hour. Oriole’s bespoke Yellow Bird blends, topped by the Gethumbwini sizzler sourced from Kenya, are wowing espresso fans; among creamier brews, the signature Piccolo Latte takes some beating.
Chef Nabil Tan’s bespoke menu offers the steady stream of suits an expansive selection of roast beef sandwiches: our New Orleans with Cajun spice was undercut by a chewy, dry and outsized baguette, but The Egyptian’s incongruous ingredients – feta, hazelnut dukkah, molasses and tortilla – blended into a sumptuous whole. Pasta dishes are whipped up on-site, and between-meals muffins are a steal at around $3.50, even if some, like the peanut butter and jelly creation, feel a tad cloying.
Transport
Nearby Stations: Somerset
Bus Lines: 7, 14, 16, 36, 65, 106, 111, 123, 124, 128, 143
Telephone 6238 8348
Transport
Nearby Stations: Raffles Place
Bus Lines: 10, 57, 70, 100, 107 131, 167, 532, 545
Telephone 6438 3843
Main courses from $8.00 to $15.00
Open
Republic Plaza
Mon-Fri 8am-7pm; Cofee-appreciation workshops 2.30-5.30pm
Pan Pacific Serviced Suites
11am-11pm
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Good food, decent coffee and really bad service The good: - Prawn linguine, aglio olio style. This was simple food at its best, with fresh ingredients like prawns and rocket. It was a tad spicy for me but hey, that is what a good aglio olio should be. - Sticky date pudding: this was a very sinful - aka delightful - dessert. There was a generous use of honey (I think) paired with a nicely textured pudding. The only flaw with this dish was the rather mediocre vanilla ice-cream that tasted a little cheap. The decent: - Apparently, this place is known for its coffee. I tried the skinny latte and it tasted pretty good. It came really pretty and the acidity of the coffee was well balanced. While it's not the best I've had, it is certainly one of the good ones in the city. The bad: - Service. It was really hard getting the attention of the wait staff. When we eventually did get to place our order, the female waitress came by with a very sulky face and did not even apologise for making us wait despite the fact that she did see us about 5 minutes before. The place was relatively busy and we didn't mind waiting; just have the decency to apologise for making us wait. Next up, of the 3 mains, we ordered 2 pasta dishes. No more noticed that we needed spoons to consume our food. The ultimate example of a poor service was when we asked for the first refill of our tap water after sitting in the restaurant since 8 pm, we were told by the waiter that they could not refill the water as the World Cup had started airing. I did not understand why and was later told that they did not want customers to just order water during the showing of the match. I was appalled. We had been there since 8 pm and asked for the refill at 10.30 pm, after spending $150 on food, dessert and coffee! To me, this was an ultimate insult to the customer. What was worse is we were sitting UNDER the screen and was obviously not there to hog the table to watch the soccer match! It was only after I asked for the manager to explain this ridiculous policy that the waiter said sheepishly that he would get us refills. I am still interested to hear what the management of Oriole Cafe has to say regarding the lousy experience my party and I had. This place is certainly not getting a Service Star Award.
Posted on Sun 27 Jun 2010 04:19:29