Admittedly, I'm already quite tired of the recent café scene. So many new openings, so many disappointments that I wouldn't even wanna waste my time writing about them. But surprisingly, the relatively new The Alley Café along Keong Siak Road at Chinatown drew me back for a repeated visit (which is quite a rarity considering the abundance of café choices we have).
The Alley Café does not stand out particularly for its decor nor food nor coffee, but there is a well-balanced element residing in all these factors combined. It's like a trusted old friend whom does not induce any heart-thumping excitement, but is surely dependable when you wanna retreat into moments of comfort.
And those soft, cushiony couch seats certainly provided much physical comfort for my tired body as I sank into them. The dim lighting made it all the more cozy, making it the perfect setting for sitting back and chillax over a cup of coffee.
Thumbs-up to the free wifi, friendly and efficient service is another plus point too.
Brewed using their special house blend of Sumatra, Ethiopia and Brazil beans. I thoroughly enjoyed my cup of Latte ($5) which is always lusciously full-bodied with right balance of acidity, and without much bitterness.
I do love their latte art which is simple yet came out consistently beautiful. Some may argued it's a superficial touch which does nothing to enhance the taste of the beverage, but IMHO, the entire coffee drinking experience would not seem complete without it. No latte art? Unthinkable.
The food menu sticks to the safe side at initial glance, with the usual Greasy Spoon ($16), a hearty breakfast item of sausage, mushrooms, salad, tomato, baked beans, muffins, hashbrown, bacon and sunny-side-ups, Eggs Benedict ($13), FatJacks Pancakes ($10), Half Pounder Beef Burger ($22), Fish & Chips ($16), Aglio Olio ($12), as well as the recommended Sawadee-Chicks Wings ($12) providing some substantial bites.
But there are surprises too! My friend and I totally adored their Truffle Mac & Cheese ($15) with ham and truffle paste, a fancified take on the traditional baked macaroni and cheese dish. 4 different types of cheese were specially used, smothering the al-denta pasta with a blanket of savory deliciousness. The combination sounded a tad surfeit but it was strangely not at all too heavy on the palate. Certainly addictive, with the lovely scent of truffle hooking it to us even further!
If you're a fan of anything truffled, perhaps this is also where you can overdose yourself with Truffle Carbonara ($15) and Truffle Egg Mayo Sandwich ($8) too. I can see myself returning for these :)
The Alley Café (CLOSED end-Feb 2015)
Address: 21 Keong Siak Road, Singapore 089128
Contact: +65 6223 1334
Website: http://www.thealley.com.sg/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thealleycafesg
Opening Hours: Sun-Mon 9am-9pm / Wed-Thu 9am-9pm / Fri & Sat 9am-12am / Closed on Tue
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