I was really excited about going to Dutch Colony Coffee Co. on Frankle Avenue this morning. I have read so much about the incredibly wonderful coffee that they represent. The place has an industrial warehouse design style with a touch of modern chic. The ceiling is raw with exposed wiring, the support structure of the center piece wooden table is made out of steel water pipes and there is a long bar with black grill cupboards above it. They soften the functional and ruggedness of the industrial design by using warm lighting and dark colours to create a cosy, relaxing and inviting venue. But do stay away from the few tables under the skylight roof in the afternoon,  it can get pretty toasty there.

I had a chat with the barista while waiting for my lunch dates to arrive. The coffee is where this place comes into its element. They pride themselves with “single origin” coffee beans. These are beans sourced from one particular plantation or farm. They are not blended with other variant of beans nor beans from other plantations. A bit like your single malt vs. blended whiskey. This supposedly allow you to pinpoint it if you really like a particular single origin coffee! I guess this is coffee growers attempt at moving up the curve that wines have been enjoying.

There are single origin coffee beans from 6 different countries. There are sweet raisin & dark cocoa coffee beans from Brazil, butterscotch and caramel ones from Colombia, walnut and grapefruit ones closer ashore from Sumatra and also ones from Ethiopia, El Salvador and Mexico. After you have chosen the bean, you can enjoy it in the usual espresso-based coffee like a flat white, latte or cappuccino, etc or a brew out of the 7 different brewing apparatus, with names like steampunk brew, woodneck, V60, chemex and syphon (feels like I am back in chemistry science lab in school!).

I went for the Brazilian beans which were sourced from a plantation by the name of Fazenda Cruzeiro. I didn’t opt for any of the fancy apparatus but a good old Flat White and Cappuccino. Will come back to try those the next time. The Brazillian made a strong cuppa. It gives a thick, malty, silky feel in the mouth and has a clear hint of chocolate and nuttiness in it. It is a very flavourful and wholesome cup of coffee. It is good, very good.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the food i had. The Teriyaki Chicken Sandwich was poor. The teriyaki marinated chicken lacks the thick, rich, sweet and salty flavour you tend to associate with teriyaki sauce. It has been robbed of its dignity! The meat was too dry and the sourdough bread was uninspiring. Sweet potato fries is an interesting option, but it was too oily for my liking.

The Smoked Salmon Bagelwich didn’t fare any better. There is suppose to be a choice of bagels, but at 1pm on a Saturday, there were no bagels available and only the uninspiring sourdough bread was on offer. There was a generous serving of smoked salmon, but sadly not complemented with sufficient “luscious cream cheese” as it says on the menu.

Thai Milk Tea Loaf ($5.00) came close to saving the day. It is very moist and have a delicate milk tea flavour. It is really not bad. I also tried the Matcha Strawberry cake ($7.50), but it didn’t make the cut. I think the pairing of strawberry with green tea is a bad idea and it was too dry, even with the generous amount of cream that it came with.

In conclusion, go to Dutch Colony Coffee Co. at Frankel Avenue if you want a nice place to enjoy a fabulous cup of coffee and nothing else. It is a place that you can sit for hours and hours but stick to the coffee and don’t deviate to the cakes nor food. You will regret it.

This place provides free flow of tap water and doesn’t charge for service. It is also kids friendly.

Dutch Colony Coffee Co.
113 Frankel Avenue
Singapore 458230
+65 6448 5852
Visit Dutch Colony Coffee Co. Website