Highlander Coffee is started by two brothers, Phil and Cedric Ho, who quit their engineering careers in pursuit of their passion for coffee. The cafe arrived after their primary business in supplying coffee machines, coffee appreciation and barrista courses. It was only a few years ago that they started their cafe. Their disciplined way of brewing coffee up to cleaning their coffee machines daily really lived up to their tag line, “Seriously Coffee”. Since the cafe is opened, they have attracted serious coffee fanatics in search of good gourmet coffee.
One Friday morning, I decided to pay a visit to Highlander Coffee for a little caffeine high after a night shift duty. My destination was found smacked right in the middle of the row of shophouses along Kampong Bahru Road near to the entrance of SGH. There was some road works just outside the unassuming cafe front. Upon entering the front door, the noise from outside faded to a hum and all there was, a tranquil, relaxing mood with the inviting aroma of coffee. The cafe feels cosy, much smaller than the typical Starbucks and Coffee Bean joints. There was one caucasian guy sitting in one corner, tapping on his laptop with his coffee and then asked for another cuppa. There was another caucasian lady at another table and there was me. Looks like a quiet morning for my newspapers and magazine.
The coffee menu on the wall behind the coffee bar shows a list of classic hot espressos and flavored coffees. As for food, there are some cakes, sandwiches and toast but nothing very fanciful. The main draw is definitely coffee.
Here's the cafe latte with the rich and foamy milk (S$2.80/cup). I observed the barrista making extra effort to compact the freshly ground coffee powder which results in my aromatic esspresso, which when added to the milk forms a well balanced latte. I liked to my latte without sugar and this makes it easier to taste if the espresso was made properly. Poorly done ones will end up with the latte having bitter after taste from too much espresso or the other extreme, the lack of it.
My breakfast comes in the form of a simple, thick wholemeal toast with butter an strawberry jam. I liked the thick toast for the slight crisp on the outside and the soft textured insides. This light breakfast still keeps the taste buds most sensitive to coffee pretty much intact, enables enjoyment from the cuppa. A meal with rich, complex taste would most likely spoil a good coffee experience.
Another good place for cafe latte is at Jones the Grocer. I'm afraid the consistency of the latte, cannot be compared to Highlander Coffee. The price is at S$4/cup which is much pricier. So Highlander is definitely a place to visit for good gourmet coffee at a economic prices. For the early risers, sorry, they are only opened at 9am and closed at 6pm.
Cost : about S$7/person (coffee with food)
Address : 49 Kampong Bahru Road (opposite SGH entrance)
Website : Highlander Coffee
Country : Singapore
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