In this day and age where everything tends to be a bit more fast-paced, we were more than glad to have discovered House Downstairs, a warm, cozy cafe in Ulu Pandan Community Club, where we could simply put aside our worries for a short while.
Hidden Cafe in Ulu Pandan CC
House Downstairs or affectionally known as 家楼下 in Mandarin is a cafe located within Ulu Pandan Community Club. It’s somewhere in between Buona Vista and Holland Village.
The moment we entered the cafe, we were immediately greeted by the warm atmosphere of the cafe. Decorated in wooden and rattan elements with rays of sunlight peeking through the blinds, House Downstairs looks nothing like your typical void deck.
People were enjoying their coffee, catching up with friends or simply just enjoying the afternoon.
Menu at House Downstairs
House Downstairs serves both coffee and mains, which they wittily named ‘Eat Some Dong Xi’ to reflect the Dong (East) and Xi (West) meal options.
Under the Dong menu, we see mainly Asian options such as Korean riceballs ($9), Laksa Goreng ($16) and the House Signature Craygee ($22), their version of paofan served with prawns, clams and crayfish.
As for the Xi menu, you have your typical Smashed Avo on Sourdough ($14) and Spiced Baked Eggs ($15) to name a few.
Drinks-wise, you have the usual espresso-based drinks as well as some juice/smoothie options.
Gochujang Chicken with Rice
While we thought the Gochujang Chicken with Rice ($16) would come in a donburi format, it was actually served separately. Since they used thigh meat, the texture of the meat wasn’t too tough.
The sauce on the other hand was slightly salty but made sense when paired with the piping hot white rice. It had a nice sweetness with a pinch of spiciness. The rice, however, was not as soft and fluffy as we hoped, with the bottom being slightly hard, almost like the bits you find in claypot rice.
Scallion Pancakes
Scallion pancakes are a common night market dish you can find in Taiwan. The ones served at House Downstairs are made in-house. They don’t serve the frozen, ready-to-eat kind.
The slices of scallion pancake also came with a dish of condensed milk, for you to dip – almost like eating your local roti prata with sugar! The combination surprisingly works, resulting in a mix of savoury and sweet flavours.
With that being said, we certainly could’ve appreciated a few more scallions in the pancake for a more fragrant dish.
Flat White
A great pair to any cafe is a good cuppa. The coffee here at House Downstairs was not bad, though it may lean to the acidic side with bright notes of berry.
A quick shoutout to the beautiful cup it was served in. Actually, the plates and bowls used were all really aesthetically pleasing, just saying.
Great Cafe For Solo Diners
While the seats here are mainly catered for groups, we think the window seats and coffee bar counter will be popular amongst solo diners/cafehoppers.
While the location may be slightly inaccessible for many, a trip down to House Downstairs might just be breather you need. Enjoy cozy vibes while sipping on a cup of coffee or watch the day pass by as you stare out the window.
House Downstairs
Ulu Pandan Community Club, 170 Chim Moh Road, #01-03, Singapore 279621
Mon-Sun, 10am-5pm
*This is an independent review by MiddleClass.sg
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