Good news for the café hoppers in the West. The Kins’ Specialty Coffee has opened at Bijou Condo, which is located directly next to Pasir Panjang MRT.
While the address is directed to a private condominium, the café is located at its public space, so you don’t have to get pass any security gantries.
The layout of The Kins’ is somewhat unique – 2 different units with 2 glass doors leading to both the indoor seating area of the cafe and the kitchen respectively.
With a total of 40 seats In the compound, 15 seats are indoors whereas the remaining 25 seats are outdoors with ample natural lighting.
For Instagrammers, they can choose between the indoor with white minimalist décor, or the outdoor area with some greenery. Choices, choices.
Currently during its soft launch phase, The Kins’ Specialty Coffee has about 18 items on their food menu, ranging from All-Day Brunch ($14 – $22), Mains ($14 – $22), Salad ($6), Sides ($7 – $12), to the one and only dessert, the Kins’ Burnt Cheesecake ($7.50). More on that later.
The selection on the All-Day Brunch is similar to some other cafes elsewhere, though I noted that the price tag is unexpectedly slightly steeper.
You get choices of Big Brekkie ($22), Scrambled Eggs on Croissant with Smoked Duck Shavings ($14), Smashed Avocado with Feta Cheese ($16) and Granola Bowl ($14).
The variety of the Main dishes seem more promising as compared to their All-Day Brunch, such as BBQ Pulled Pork Burger ($18), Beer Battered Fish & Chips ($16) and Gochujang Grilled Chicken ($14).
As I wanted to have something out of the ordinary, I decided to go for the Gochujang Grilled Chicken ($14) served with guacamole, kimchi and fries (not Kimchi fries as stated on their menu).
The chicken thigh was first marinated with Korean chili paste (gochujang) before grilling to provide the smokiness and and more robust flavour.
The meat was tender, but unfortunately a tad salty and lacked the spicy gochujang kick – which is possibly one of the most important component.
The thick-cut fries looked promising, but turned out to be slightly greasy.
The highlight of the meal was definitely their Kins’ Burnt Cheesecake ($7.50), served with a dollop of sweetened whipping cream on its side.
This Basque Burnt Cheesecake may look like a failed product from the kitchen, with a burnt and rough top layer, an under-cooked oozy layer in the middle mixed a fluffy layer of cheesecake at the bottom.
But it really tasted better than it looked.
The Burnt Cheesecake was light on the palate, soft and moist at the same time, which resembled more of a Japanese cheesecake in terms of its texture.
Even though the flavours and texture are quite complex, they blend and complement one another – from the smokiness of the burnt layer to the creamy centre layer with a zesty tinge of lemon and a lightly sweetened layer of cheesecake.
The Kins’ Burnt Cheesecake can be easily consumed within a minute and is definitely worth the calories.
Note that the Kins’ Burnt Cheesecake is not available for takeaway because it will probably end up as a puddle of cream cheese at room temperature.
Having prior experience as a mobile coffee service at various events, The Kins’ serves coffee beans from Single origin: Brazil and a House blend (50% Brazil, 50% Ethiopian) local roastery Two Degree North Coffee Co.
The price is reasonable: Espresso ($3), White ($4.50/ $5/ $5.50), Black ($4.50), Hot Chocolate ($5) and White Cold Brew ($7).
For non- coffee drinkers, Matcha Latte ($6), Hojicha Latte ($6) and Tumeric Latte ($5) are available.
As a matchaholic, I was eager to try out the Matcha Latte, which came with earthy matcha notes and a well-drawn latte art.
The Burnt Cheesecake definitely leaves a deep impression and with further tweaks and adjustment to their mains, I believed this will be the next hipster place in the near future.
So the question is: Will the Burnt Cheesecake be the next “hot” food trend?
The Kins’ Specialty Coffee
2 Jalan Mat Jambol, BIJOU, #01-08/09, Singapore 119554
Opening Hours: 11am – 9pm (Thurs – Tue), Closed Wed
https://www.facebook.com/thekinscafe/
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* Written by Nicholas Tan @stormscape who loves all things [NEW]. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.