Mark_C Senior Member Joined: 4 Jan 2004 Posts: 28 Location: Singapore Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: La Marzocco GS3 Grinder: Mazzer Super Jolly
Posted Tue Jul 31, 2007, 5:49am Subject: Searching for good espresso in Singapore
I moved to Singapore from Seattle three days ago for what I'm expecting to be a two-year stay and I'm already suffering from espresso withdrawal. I definitely haven't found anything close to an Espresso Vivace or a Caffe Vita yet, and Starbucks, Coffee Connection and Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf aren't helping. I'm finding that I'd rather drink okay-level drip coffee from those vendors than their terrible espresso. And, to make matters worse, I left my pid'd Zaffiro and Mazzer Mini in the States because I was spooked by the voltage difference! :(
There's a 3-year old thread on this forum where the only recommendation was a chain called Spinelli's, though it got mixed reviews. I'll have to try it out. Does anyone have any other recommendations? I'm hoping (praying) that the espresso scene has advanced a bit in the last 3 years!
Posted Tue Jul 31, 2007, 8:38pm Subject: Re: Searching for good espresso in Singapore
I'd get a 240V machine and grinder ASAP and have beans flown in regularly. There was nothing over there worth drinking when I was last over (Nov 06), although I didn't find Spinellis
hazbean Senior Member Joined: 21 May 2007 Posts: 15 Location: Adelaide, SA, Australia Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: Isomac Mondiale Grinder: Mazzer Mini E, Gaggia MDF Vac Pot: Santos Roaster: Gene Cafe
Posted Fri Aug 3, 2007, 10:22pm Subject: Re: Searching for good espresso in Singapore
In my 30+ working visits to Singapore over the last ten years, a good espresso has been a rare event. There is a Starbucks under the hotel where I stay, so out of necessity I'll go there. If that's closed, then I'll grin and bear it at Delifrance.
Singapore's entrant in the 2007 WBC just held in Tokyo works at Cafe Beviamo in Tanglin Mall. Her video may still be online at http://www.zacharyzachary.com
A few months ago I googled around and came up with this (very short) list of places to try / contact if I ever got the chance.
This place makes all the right noises. Their cafe might be worth a try, if not they may have some information:
and also has a cafe but that looks dubious. I'm intrigued to know what a "light Japanese roast" is.
There is also a roaster called Brewers which might be useful when you get a machine.
The suggestion by kaanage to contact Alan Frew is very sound. I think you'll find prosumer machines hard to come by in SG, trend there is towards superautos.
For my next trip (next week actually) I'll be taking a hand grinder, an aeropress, and a blend of my home roasting efforts (probably Yirg and Mountain Top Bundja).
CoffeeMe Senior Member Joined: 2 Jul 2004 Posts: 102 Location: Singapore Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Brewtus II Grinder: Rocky DL Roaster: GeneCafe
Posted Sat Aug 4, 2007, 3:26am Subject: Re: Searching for good espresso in Singapore
Unfortunately espresso really sux in Singapore :-( All cafe chains are mirroring $B: dark, oily, etc! Nothing even come close to Vivace (one of the best espresso I even had).
Hope you brought along your machine and roaster ;-)
Posted Sat Aug 4, 2007, 6:08am Subject: Re: Searching for good espresso in Singapore
Whilst most retailers are pushing superauto's, CG quality machines are available. Singapore is a trading hub after all! I bought a La Scala L1 Butterfly from Santino Coffee http://www.ebenezercoffee.com.sg:8080/ Other brands are also available. Find the one you like, contact head office and ask for the name of the Singapore distributor. Good luck!
CJL
P.S. I second the recommendation for Alan Frew's coffeeco.
Mark_C Senior Member Joined: 4 Jan 2004 Posts: 28 Location: Singapore Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: La Marzocco GS3 Grinder: Mazzer Super Jolly
Posted Sat Aug 4, 2007, 4:51pm Subject: Re: Searching for good espresso in Singapore
Thanks for your replies. I'm definitely buying a new 240v machine and grinder as soon as possible, and have gotten in touch with a few local distributors. I'm not a roaster (though living in Singapore may yet change that), so it will be interesting to see if I can find locally roasted beans of any real quality. I'd be willing to pay the freight for beans from Australia, though I worry a bit about the speed and conditions of delivery.
Nonetheless, I of course don't lug my machine around all day and it would be nice to be able to stop by a cafe during the afternoon to have a decent espresso. Thanks, Hazbean, for the links and I'll try all of those places in the next few weeks and give a full report. I knew Singapore had an entrant in the WBC, and in fact had come across the Singapore Coffee Association's website in which it described the Singapore championship and WBC qualifying event held here in March. It seems that if any barista (apparently there were 29) is passionate enough to even enter the competition, that person likely makes a decent espresso! Time and some good cafe hopping will tell.
On that note, there is a Caffe Beviamo at Tanglin Mall and another one at Paragon further south on Orchard Road. I may try to get to one of them today.
I tried the Spinelli Coffee at the Heeren mall on Orchard yesterday. The store claims to have originated in San Francisco (where I'm originally from), and the name and look were vaguely familiar. I googled it later and it turns out that there were several Spinellis in SF that were bought out by Tullys in the mid to late 1990s. I don't remember it for great espresso, but Tullys was almost certainly a step down. In any case, though I often drink straight espresso or macchiatos, I like to get a double small/short latte (maybe 6-7 ounces of milk) at a new place as a first drink because I figure it'll be more drinkable if the espresso is mediocre/bad. Based on this one drink, which was okay at best, I'd probably stop at a Spinelli over a Starbucks, but this isn't espresso that is worth seeking out, or anywhere near the top-level cafes in the States (or Australia, I imagine). So the hunt continues...
Posted Sun Aug 5, 2007, 7:07pm Subject: Re: Searching for good espresso in Singapore
Hi Mark, Regarding the quality and timeframe for beans from Australia, I recently bought an order from Alan and transit time for the parcel was 4 days (I'm in HKG). Singapore is closer to Australia and has far more flights a day serving it so you can expect the same if not better. The beans are sealed in plastic lined foil bags with one way valves. You really can't do better.
I am told that Santino coffee roast their own beans but have no idea what their quality is like. Spinelli's also have their own roaster who often appears on these forums. Can't remember his name though :(
Steve_C Senior Member Joined: 12 Nov 2005 Posts: 95 Location: Singapore Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Expobar Brewtus II Grinder: Macap M4D Digital (Stepless) Vac Pot: Hario Syphon Drip: AeroPress Roaster: Gene Cafe
Posted Tue Aug 7, 2007, 8:38am Subject: Re: Searching for good espresso in Singapore
The coffee scene in Singapore is active, but most establishments are simply trying to cash in on the *$ 'phenomenon'. Pity.
Spinelli's master roaster has a passion that contributed to the first organised SBC this year and Singapore's participation at the WBC. Having said that, his passion for coffee hasn't really filtered down to the staff that serve in Spinelli's cafes. There's a long way to go before they match US cafes such as Intelligentsia, Vivace etc. Other Singapore chains such as Coffee Club, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Gloria Jeans are just more of the same *$ yadda yadda.
I have to admit that Highlander do a fine cappuccino, but the roast doesn't seem suited to an espresso shot. They have acknowledged that when challenged and state that as 99% of Singaporeans order milk based drinks, their standard roast can be a little bitter when served as a straight shot.
Wienerkaffeehaus is crap .. simple as that. Too much of the artsy fartsy food, cakes and signature drinks when all I want is a simple espresso shot. They are the only cafe that has given me an espresso that made me wince. Even McCafe has served more drinkable beverages. The espresso was so watery that I had to ask whether they had served me an espresso or short Americano.
So ... I order beans from Sweetmarias and roast at home on a Gene Cafe. I create my drinks on a Brewtus II and regularly enjoy shots that blow me away and make me want to go back and pull another ... and another ...
Why on earth I can't find a cafe in Singapore that comes close to my home brew, I just don't know ... :-(
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