Upper Thomson is one of the most OG cafe areas in Singapore. There have been some new cafe openings in this cafe haven, such as Kong Cafe and Hello Arigato. Taking over the space previously occupied by Habitat Coffee is Oaks Coffee Co., a new cafe opened by the folks behind The Kins Cafe.
Oaks Coffee near Upper Thomson MRT
Oaks Coffee has a pretty similar layout to Hello Arigato, with a dining area on both “floors”. The coffee counter occupies quite a large space on the first floor and has 3 tables (can fit around 15 max) available, along with 3 counter seats. The second “floor” has more seats but is more compact compared to downstairs.
There are also mirror fixtures right above the coffee counter, so you can see everything going on via the mirrors. A pretty interesting sight.
If you’re just grabbing coffee, you can consider the alfresco seats outside, but we wouldn’t recommend having mains there since there are no tables.
Menu at Oaks Coffee Co.
Oaks Coffee Co. has a brunch and dinner menu available for viewing on their IG profile. When we visited around 11:30am, we were informed that 4 out of the 8 items on their brunch menu weren’t available. They were the Cheese Toasties ($21), Muesli ($19), Laksa Orzo Pasta ($22), and Duck Breast ($22).
Items like the Beef Rendang Burger ($24) and Black Garlic Mushroom Pasta ($18) were still available. There are also sides such as Korean Fried Chicken ($16) and Cheeseburger Spring Rolls ($14) for sharing.
Big Breakfast
We opted for the Big Breakfast ($28) which came with our choice of eggs, beef hamburg, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, baked beans, mashed potatoes, and homemade Hokkaido milk toast. The dish was supposed to come with Dorayaki as well, but sadly, that too was unavailable.
We felt that the eggs were really cooked well, with creamy flavours and still slightly runny texture. The toast was crispy, but we felt that it would’ve been nicer if we could get a fluffier bread texture.
Chicken & Cauliflower Fried Rice
Despite the huge number of olives in the Chicken & Cauliflower Fried Rice ($19) dish, the olive flavour didn’t overwhelm the dish. The fried rice had a slightly bitter aftertaste which could be attributed to the overcooked garlic (?).
Our favourite item on the plate was the chicken on the side which was cooked well, moist, and had a nice sear.
Truffle Fries
The side of Truffle Fries ($13) was extremely huge in portion and served with a side of aioli sauce. Truffle flavour could have been stronger, but other than that, we thought it was a pretty value-for-money side.
Drinks at Oaks Coffee
The Upper Thomson Cafe has a diverse menu of drinks such as a Genmaicha Latte ($6), White Oolong & Sour Plum Cold Brew Tea ($8), espresso-based drinks and a specialty menu containing items like Hojicha Lemonade ($8).
White
For the White ($5.5), we could choose between Brazil or Colombia beans, and we went for the latter. It was a nice, balanced cup of coffee with just the right hit of acidity and nuttiness.
Fizzy Espresso Yuzu
The Fizzy Espresso Yuzu ($9) is made with yuzu marmalade, tonic water, espresso, and a sprig of rosemary. Just like its name suggests, the drink is a refreshing fizzy beverage that’s perfect on a hot day.
Make sure to mix well before to really get that fruitiness from the yuzu.
White Peach Matcha
Served in a deep shade of green, the White Peach Matcha ($9) was a combination of Peony Jade & Blue Pea Tea, White Peach, and Matcha, topped off with a dried pineapple slice.
While the drink looked like it would be intense in terms of matcha flavour, all we got from this were overly perfumy floral notes with hints of peach. Some of you might appreciate this, but this wasn’t for us.
The Dirty Earl
On the other hand, The Dirty Earl ($8) was a beautiful blend of both tea & espresso. The drink usually comes with a topping of thick cream, but they didn’t have it when we visited. However, the combination of the earl grey infused milk with espresso was well executed.
It would’ve been great if there was the thick cream, which would’ve helped in terms of texture.
Cafe For Brunch Near Upper Thomson
Despite the logistical hiccups from the 4-day old cafe during our time of visit, we do think that Oaks Coffee Co. still makes a nice place for brunch. While there were some hits and misses from what we tried, we thought the coffee and service were good.
Hopefully, during our next visit, the kitchen would be well-stocked so we can have more options to choose from.
Oaks Coffee Co.
223 Upper Thomson Rd, Singapore 574355
Mon-Sun, 10am-10pm
*This is an independent review by MiddleClass.sg.
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