PUBLISHED July 21st, 2014 06:22 am | UPDATED April 18th, 2016 06:03 pm
The East side of Singapore is all too easy to fall in love with, delineated with old housing estates and hawker food trails. One thing admittedly missing from it, however, is more homegrown cafes than the Starbucks littering the estates. It was thus good news to hear of Percolate, a relatively new kid on the block tucked away in the outskirts of the Bedok Central area.
To get to this little space, one has to walk past HDB blocks and a bustling kopitiam. Its welcoming signboard and little arrangement of wooden chairs and tables may seem a little out of place amidst the neighbourhood barber and provision shops, and once inside, it is like an entirely new world with its simple, comforting interior space.
Percolate is small – and this is perhaps why one can instantly feel the warmth of the baristas all the way from behind the bar, right from the entrance. Instead of feeling cramped, there is a sense of cosiness that permeates the café, with both individual and communal tables, a large glass display of sweet bakes, and a rack for newspapers and dangling magazines.
The coffee here is good. Using Papa Palheta Terra Firma, Percolate’s brew is fragrant, well rounded and smooth, with a solid kick but none of the acidic tang, both the Long Black ($3.5) and Latte ($4) were delightful and came with friendly prices.
The bakes are outsourced from external vendors such as cakestand bakery, and include a good range of flaky pastries, cakes and tarts. The Almond Croissant ($4) was a little sweet and unmemorable, whilst the Banoffee Cake ($6) slice is definitely suited for those who prefer a denser cake with the three different layers of banana, toffee and caramel melding into one.
Now, it is hard to find service that is warm and friendly, yet not intrusive, and Percolate has that perfect balance. There is no over-enthusiastic clearing of your glasses once you are done, yet sharp eyes ensure your glass of water is topped up when empty for a while. If you are interested to find out more about the coffee beans, or the café industry in Singapore, the barista and co-owner of Percolate, formerly from Loysel’s Toy, would be more than willing to answer your questions. His passion for coffee is barely contained and infectious, with no hint of pretention.
With its excellent coffee, warm service and cosy space, Percolate is a real gem for some quiet time alone or with company. There is no Wi-Fi nor power plugs here, which forces one to focus on being in the moment and away from being constantly connected. We also hear the menu has expanded with more savoury offerings and an extremely sexy-sounding dessert containing a rich brownie topped with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream and drizzled with an espresso shot, and we can not wait to be back for them!
Written by Tweedlingdum