Official Photographer - Bernard Wee
Offical Groomer: Awesome Pawsome
Fetch-Box Singapore
East-Side Coffee - Percolate
Is Dempsey overhyped? Tiong Bahru
too hipster-mad? Or all too far away altogether? Well, those living in the east
of Singapore can hop down to Bedok North Avenue 3 and discover Percolate! Considering
the east seem to be lacking in coffee places, starting up here was a no-brainer
for co-founder, Avin Tan.
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A tiny outfit which serves one of
the best caffeine drinks around. Strictly not pretentious, serious coffee
drinkers will be lured by the aroma even before stepping into Percolate. “We
really love the staff and customer dynamics which can only be achieved through
small and intimate spaces. For some reason, a bigger floor plan makes it harder
to achieve such a relationship,” says Avin.
Opening shop earlier this year,
Percolate has steadily seen her customer base grow. Weekends see the café filled
to the brim, with barely enough seating for the ever-growing crowd that need
their caffeine fix. Maybe it is the current café-hopping craze that Singapore
is currently going through, but there must be something that makes Percolate
different?
Avin says he designed Percolate
to be a cosy and relaxing space which serves up honest and delicious coffee,
“Coming in, we hope visitors will feel welcomed, akin to stepping into their
own homes.” Percolate sources their beans from local coffee roaster partners,
which allows for a fresh cup in what Avin describes as “carefully selected
service ware”.
It also helps this earnest barista has interned at some of the
hippest coffee places (Loysel’s Toys and The Steeping Room) around Singapore. Previously in the airline industry,
he was also exposed to the different caffeine cultures around the world – which
makes for some impressive taste buds on what makes a good cup of coffee. “I
like the art of coffee-making as it is so much more than just pulling a shot of
expresso or steaming some milk. Being a barista also involves being social with
the customer while the coffee is being made. I always strive to make the right
cup of coffee, finding out the preference of customers and striking just the appropriate
conversation within a short time. Believe it or not, it can make someone’s day,”
says Avin.
Customers will also be able to
pick from a selection of cakes and pastries. With an ode to going local,
Percolate sources from local micro bakeries which count as the owners’ personal
favourites too. “We believe in building relationships so it was natural that we
integrate their products deeply into their menus too,” says Avin.
The Wong Dogs Review
Okay, disclaimer – Percolate is
not in the truest sense, pet-friendly.
But the owners are huge dog lovers and
will not chase away customers who wish to have a cuppa and spend some quality
time with pooch. Pet owners will prefer visiting Percolate during weekdays during
the late afternoon which The Wong Dogs did. This will also allow you the chance
to speak to the owners and know more about the café.
It was quite relaxing sitting
back with the two furkids as I tucked into an Expresso Tart and a 5oz cup
(similar to a latte).
I was expecting the former to taste extremely bitter but
I was pleasantly surprised that the tart had the perfect mix of sweetness intertwined
with a slight bitter aftertaste. Percolate also has a host of other pastries
though due to limited storage space, these sell out quite fast, especially
during the weekend.
The cup of coffee was your
standard fare of a delicious brew (Singapore’s standards are rather high) and
is attributed to Avin’s outlook on what is good coffee. “Percolate’s strives to
be meticulous, paying the most attention to our coffee-making,” he says. As
mentioned above, this is contributed by sourcing their beans locally, keeping
their stock as fresh as possible. The 5oz cup also counts as Percolate’s
best-seller to date. “We find that this is the coffee to milk ratio that is the
easiest to enjoy as it is creamy and sweet and can be taken without sugar,” he
says.
With such comfortable settings,
repeat visits are a confirm must!
Address
Bk 136 Bedok North Avenue 3
#01-152B
Singapore 460126
Operating Hours
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays: 1030 – 2130
Tuesdays: CLOSED
Saturdays and Sundays: 0900 – 2130
For more information, visit Percolate’s Facebook page here.
Labels: dining, dogs, east, miniature schnauzer, mixed breed, pet cafe, pets, the wong dogs
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