The basement of One Raffles Place has undergone a minor revamp with some tenants moving out, and shops such as April’s Bakery, Seattle Pike Chowder, Anamoto Café and Jewel Coffee coming in.
Parallel located at a corner is a brand-new name, serving a selection of açaí smoothie bowls and coffee.
The specialty coffee joint uses coffee beans from Common Man Coffee Roasters, but unfortunately is primarily a takeaway kiosk with only has a standing counter (whereas JEWEL right opposite has sitting spaces).
So this may just boil down to which coffee you prefer.
Prices range from $3.50 for an expresso, $5.00 for white, $5.50 for iced version.
The espresso blend can be described as complex layered, and full bodied, and I generally liked the pleasant mix of flavour and acidity.
To add, the barista also bothered to do a neat latte art even though I bought a takeaway cup. You don’t get that all the time.
Parallel’s Acai Boxes come in two sizes, Regular ($8.90) or Large ($12.90), with choices of Superstar, Antioxidant, or Amino Bowl.
I was recommended the Amino Bowl with a blended açaí base served with strawberries, blueberries, goji, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and chia.
There are no added sugars, syrups or sweeteners, and if you wish, you can request for a free topping of Australian organic raw honey.
The pricing when contrasted with other acai bowls in the vicinity, is comparable. I liked the portion sizing, and that the blend was not too icy.
The only part I did not fancy that much was its goji berries, which were hard and difficult to bite, and therefore did not mix well with the rest of the ingredients more easily palatable.
There are MANY acai bowl places around Raffles Place, and perhaps more is needed to stand out from the rest.
With coffee choices aplenty in the CBD and Parallel being an unfamiliar name, it may need to go on the friendly ‘neighbourhood’ coffee place route, build up relationships with regulars.
The team can perhaps consider offering some cold brew (which is lacking in the CBD) and unique pastries to expand its selection.
Parallel
1 Raffles Place, #B1-34 Singapore 048616 (Raffles Place MRT)
Tel: +65 92982896
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 9:30pm (Mon – Fri). Closed Sat, Sun, PH
Other Related Entries
April’s Bakery (One Raffles Place)
Anamoto Café (One Raffles Place)
Hustle Co (Craig Road)
Kurasu Singapore (Odeon Towers)
Lunar Coffee Brewers (Downtown Gallery)
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