Caught wind of the new Bloom Coffee, which had recently opened its doors at the spot which the now-defunct Stamping Ground Coffee used to occupy — much of the layout of the shop is still somewhat reminiscent of that of its former tenant; the space also exudes rather Scandinavian vibes with its extensive use of wooden elements in its furnishing and fittings. With a focus on serving up Sangas and specialty coffee, the menu at Bloom Coffee is pretty limited — there are five different Sangas listed here, while those whom are looking for other items can also choose between shoestring fries (a truffle-infused variant is available at an additional charge) and a granola bowl. Being a cafe that is part of the third-wave coffee movement, patrons can opt between espresso-based (“by pressure”) or filter brews (“by hand”) — the beans available here are roasted by Mercanta Coffee. They also do offer a variety of other non-alcoholic beverage options here, including juices and other house-made concoctions.

Skimming through the list of Sangas which they have to offer, the Tamagoyaki Avocado Bacon Sanga is one that pretty much stood out for me — features smashed avocado, grilled bacon, tamagoyaki, Japanese mayonnaise and a basil yogurt sauce. Taking a bite into the sandwich here, the bread provided a light and crisp bite; pretty crusty, whilst the next layer would be the smashed avocadoes — smooth and buttery, and helps the bind the other elements such as bacon and tamagoyaki with the entire sandwich alongside the various sauces here. The bacon was crisp; carried a hint of saltishness that is typical of cured meat, providing much of the flavours for the sandwich while the tamagoyaki rolls provided a slight sweetness and a soft bite. The entire item felt comforting in a way similar to a big breakfast platter, reconstructed in the form of a Sanga rather than as separate elements co-existing on the same plate; pretty interesting and works even when had altogether at the same time.

While we are usually those who would often prefer the specialty coffee options offered in any given cafe, we would go to the extent of saying just do yourselves a favour and order the Yuzu Cardamom Lemonade whilst here — the fizzy concoction, though a little on the sweet side, is especially delicious considering how it carries a slightly spiced note amidst the sweetness. Bloom Coffee seems to hit all the right spots with their offerings — pretty thoughtful creations that are well-designed and goes together. The East has no short of good coffee spots all over, especially in the Katong neighbourhood, but Bloom Coffee does have its own unique identity to set themselves apart from the competition around — a spot that cafe-hoppers should add to the list of places to visit!