Café Review: Common Man Coffee Roasters Joo Chiat Launches with Sourdough Pancakes and Filter Coffee Exclusives
PUBLISHED September 24th, 2021 05:00 am | UPDATED September 28th, 2021 10:25 am
The Joo Chiat ‘hood has been brewing up a storm of new cafés of late, and the freshest face on the scene is Common Man Coffee Roasters Joo Chiat. The third Singapore branch of this beloved specialty coffeehouse is fuelled by the same commitment to a good cuppa, with a dedicated bar for filter coffee brewing and a rotation of single origin beans. CMCR Joo Chiat, though, offers one more tantalizing reason to head down for brunch: sourdough pancakes.
CMCR doesn’t do reservations, so be prepared to jostle with early birds for a table – the 80-seater space was a full house when we swung by at 10am on a weekday. Full-length windows open onto the buzz of Joo Chiat Road, letting plenty of natural light into the industrial-chic space. Taking pride of place is a statement counter of blond wood and white marble, lined with gizmos to make a pour-over coffee devotee drool – the specialty filter coffee brewing bar.
Here, CMCR’s seasonal rotation of single origins are hand-dripped into bold-flavoured cuppas, many featuring experimental processing methods. One exclusive joe to sip at the Joo Chiat branch is a limited-release, award-winning brew from Ethiopia, the Boledu #COE 21 (S$9) – as the name suggests, it ranked 21 among thousands of brews in the renowned ‘Cup of Excellence’ competition. Natural processing and anaerobic fermentation yields a fabulously complex coffee from the first sip, with wine-like notes of red fruit and raisin.
Espresso aficionados aren’t left out – CMCR’s usual array of signature blends and single origins are up for the brewing. Or make your wake-up call more bubbly with the Coffee Kombucha (S$8) bottled by Wild Boocha. Fermented from brewed coffee in place of tea, it’s reminiscent of an espresso tonic with its fizzy kick and bright acidity.
Cuppas aside, CMCR is known for whipping up a mean all-day brekkie too. The star of the breakfast show at Joo Chiat is their sourdough pancake exclusives – these house-made pancakes undergo a 30-hour fermentation to form smooth, bouncy circles of joy. Start off with the Savoury Sourdough Pancakes (S$24) piled high with crispy bacon, a fried egg, and a drizzle of maple syrup. Then come back for seconds with some Sweet Sourdough Pancakes (S$24) – a decadent dessert lashed with chocolate almond ganache, almond praline, vanilla bean ice-cream, and tart dollops of citrus marmalade to balance the sweetness. Limited amounts are available each day, so stake your claim early.
Otherwise, you’ll find most of CMCR’s signature brunch plates on the menu. The Turkish Common Man Breakfast (S$28) is a crowd-favourite, and we can see why. This hearty affair features a runny egg cradled within crisp, deep-fried filo, fluffy whole wheat pita, and an earthy mash-up of sheep’s feta, pumpkin hummus, and fresh greens. But the winner for us is the Umami Mushroom Avocado Toast (S$22), where avocado toast gets a spicy, savoury makeover. A juicy crown of sauteed oyster and maitake mushrooms, a spritz of lemon juice and togarashi, and a splash of herb oil made from leftover herb trimmings take this brunch basic from good to memorable.
The lunch menu kicks in from 10am, with a wholesome array of salads and sandwiches. Grab the chicken breast-packed Common Man Caesar (S$25) for a light work lunch – with charred brussel sprouts, cheese crisps, creamy globs of stracciatella, and a punch of chili powder to boot, this Caesar salad is far from yawn-worthy. If you’re feeling indulgent, the Smash Burger (S28) packs a patty of fresh ground beef smashed with bone marrow, cooked to a crusty sear on the plancha and slathered with a tangy beetroot BBQ sauce.
Good food and coffee aren’t all that CMCR has brewing. The café is well and truly settling into the Joo Chiat ‘hood with a slew of neighborly collabs. The first in the series is an espresso head-to-toe wash created with Oasis Beauty Kitchen, sustainably repurposed from spent coffee grounds, and they’ve got plans for a cheese plate with The Cheese Shop and an affogato creation with Birds of Paradise already in the works.
Common Man Coffee Roasters Joo Chiat is located at 185 Joo Chiat Rd, Singapore 427456, p. +65 6877 4863. Open daily 7.30am–5.30pm.
Top Image: Sweet Sourdough Pancakes
