Coffee and matcha lovers should be familiar with two cafes at CHIJMES – the popular specialty coffeehouse Glasshouse and a matcha teahouse Hvala.
Looking at the ambience, vibes and offerings, I am pretty sure this new café DOUGH at CHIJMES will attract a sizable following.
If you are a fan of Glyph Supply Co. at TripleOne Somerset and Runes at Lau Pa Sat, you are in for a treat as they have opened this latest cafe concept which looks more polished and upscale.
Inspired by the bakeries on their overseas trips, the team decided to create a space dedicated to comfort bakes and hearty food and thus the name – DOUGH, a basic mixture of flour and water combined before baking.
(Perhaps not their interior) Their concept reminds me of Café Onion in Seoul, with a bakery in-house that churns out fresh bakes every now and then.
To find the place, it is just on the right hand side of the Victoria Street drop-off point at CHIJMES.
Their interior has quite a number of marble furnishing accented with shades of green (the coffee machine, trays and even the thermometer measuring our temperatures were green).
Natural sunlight was pouring in through the glass windows along the mini coffee tables.
The remaining 40 seaters space are equipped with dine-in furniture with pieces sourced from Danish designer brand Fritz Hansen & Carl Hansen.
Being a bakery and a cafe under the same roof, customers can choose and pick their breads off the shelves for takeaways or choose to dine in there.
The café also serves a small selection of savoury main dishes.
The selection of bakes includes both savoury and sweets options such as Strawberry Brioche ($5), Fougasse with sun dried tomatoes ($5), Babka ($9), Kouign Amann ($5), Matcha Mochi ($5), Apple Caramel Cake ($4.50) and Passionfruit Black Tea Cake ($8).
My favourite was the Strawberry Brioche ($5) that comes with a crispy layer of meringue on top of the soft and fluffy brioche bun made using French flour, sprinkled with dehydrated strawberries.
Take a big bite and enjoy the contrast in textures and you will be surprised to find generous amount of custard cream and strawberry compote in it.
There was a citrusy and refreshing punch that cuts through the creamy custard cream, whereas the inclusion of basil surprisingly adds some complexity to the overall flavours.
As a matchaholic, the Matcha Mochi ($5) is something I would want to try.
Comes with a layer of ceremonial grade matcha cookie crust on top of a brioche bun made using Japanese flour, Azuki beans and milk mochi are added as fillings into it.
The overall textures were enjoyable, from the crunchy matcha cookie crust to the soft and chewy mochi in it.
Perhaps they can increase the intensity to the matcha flavour by adding some matcha cream or matcha mochi instead as the sweetness from the Azuki beans tends to overpower the earthy tones of the matcha.
Every piece of bread, pastries and pastas on their mains menu are made in-house, such as Shroom Pasta ($22) and Kimchi & Tomato Pasta ($22).
For a more filling meal, DOUGH also offers Wagyu Burger ($26), Ribeye ($36), Chicken Thigh ($26) and Salmon ($28).
DOUGH is unlike both Glyph Supply Co. and Runes that use the same under-the-counter Modbar espresso machine which is sleek and futuristic while keeping the coffee counter clean and tidy without any obstruction.
Instead, you will notice the usual espresso machine on the coffee bar counter, except that it is customised in an almost-army-green-colour and wooden elements for its outlook, complemented with a similar shade of deep-green coffee beans grinder.
Using the latest La Marzocco espresso machine with the most advanced and updated technology, each cup of coffee is brewed with the same standard and consistency at the highest efficiency.
This reduces the waiting time without compromising on the quality of the coffee.
Think Black (5oz $4.50, 8oz $5.50), White (5oz $5, 8oz $6.50), Mocha (5oz $6, 8oz $7.50) and Cold Brew (Black $6, White $7).
V60 Pour Over options are available, using single origin from Panama Geisha ($12 – $15), Colombia Geisha ($12), Colombian Pink Bourbon ($9) and Colombia Sidra ($13).
I had their 5oz Matcha Latte ($6) that came sweetened and a tad diluted.
Perhaps heading over to Hvala will be a better choice if you are a serious matcha drinker.
For non-caffeinated drinks, DOUGH also offers a selection of House Tea ($6), Single Cultivar Tea ($12), Kombucha ($9.50/ $11) and Soda ($9/ $10).
With a wide selection of bakes freshly made from the kitchen, diners can enjoy some over a cup of specialty coffee
DOUGH
CHIJMES, 30 Victoria Street, #01-30, Singapore 187996
Opening Hours: 10am – 6pm (Mon – Sun)
Other Related Entries
Mother Dough Bakery (Jalan Kledek)
Chū and Co. (Serangoon Garden)
Maison Sucreé (Lengkok Bahru)
The Bread Rack (Yio Chu Kang)
Cafe Bakeaholic (Springleaf)
* Written by Nicholas Tan @stormscape who loves all things [NEW]. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.
