I was skeptical when my Grab driver decided to drop me at this ordinary-looking and unassuming building along River Valley Road, with a preschool occupying the entire first 3 levels. (Also read: 10 Cafes And Brunch Places At River Valley)
Sho, where is SHO?
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And it turned out that ShoBrew is located on the 4th floor, right next to a gym and a swimming pool.
(And if you are already here, you may want to check out Kura and The Real Peranakan at Kim Yam Road which is a 8-10 minutes’ walk away.)
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Even though this hole-in-the-wall coffee bar can only accommodate 2 tables and 3 counter seats, the common area outside can accommodate another 40 people in total.
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This is a two-in-one concept that features SHO focusing on coffee and bakes and Genzo, a modern Japanese restaurant that serves Donburi, Maki, Sushi, Sashimi, Soba, Udon and Omakase.
I wanted to try out Genzo since I was already there but unfortunately, the chef didn’t turn up for work on the day of visit. (I mean this in jest, but I been through a couple of occurrences of late when chefs happen to be not around.)
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SHO is the brainchild of the barista, Shawn Ho (and thus the name) and he started off from a home-based business selling bottled coffee, specifically cold brew.
The menu is short and concise, serving Cold Brew ($6 – $7) and Espresso-based drinks ($3 – $5) such as Latte ($5), Flat White ($5), Cappuccino ($5), Long Black ($4.50), Magic ($4.50), Espresso ($3) and Macchiato ($3.50)
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For non-caffeine drinks, Flavoured Drinks ($5 – 5.50) such as Mocha ($5.50), Matcha ($5), Chai Tea ($5), Chocolate ($5) and English Breakfast/ Earl Grey/ Chamomile/ Wild Berries Tea ($4) are available.
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There was a small selection of Pastries, namely Butter Croissant ($3), Cheese Croissant ($3.50), Chocolate Twist ($3) and Pizza Twist ($4), all prepared and baked in-house in small quantities.
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The drinks are served on wooden trays which is synonymous with their brand which sounded Japanese-like.
The coffee beans used in their espresso-based drinks are roasted by Pyroast, a 3-beans-blend (Costa Rica, Indonesia and Colombia) with a chocolatey and nutty taste.
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I enjoyed my cup of Flat White ($5) containing double shots of espresso, with a medium body and was smooth, strong and robust.
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Believing that cold brewing is a healthier & refreshing alternative to the usual coffee drinks, their signature product was the Cold Brew in 3 different flavours: Black ($6), White ($7) and Thai Milk Tea ($7).
Wait, a $7 bottled Thai Milk Tea, that’s probably one of the most expensive ones around.
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A different set of coffee beans are steeped overnight to yield a smoother body and less acidity compared to espresso-based drinks and the White Cold Brew ($7) turned out to be much floral and sweeter.
The texture was light and smooth, but a tad too sweet for me even though the owners confirmed that there was no honey or maple syrup added.
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Opened at 7.30am daily, SHO will be the perfect place for the early coffee cafehoppers.
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SHO
336 River Valley Road, #04-02, Singapore 238366
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 5pm (Mon – Sun)
Other Related Entries
10 Cafes And Brunch Places At River Valley
Little Farms Café (River Valley Road)
Grace Espresso (River Valley Road)
Kura (Kim Yam Road)
Starter Lab (Havelock Road)
* Written by Nicholas Tan @stormscape who loves all things [NEW]. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.