Had been wanting to make the return visit to Venture Drive Coffee at Vision Exchange, but the thought was lingering for quite a while since they are located quite a distance away from the places that I would usually be hitting.
Introduced after I had made my previous visit when they had first opened, the White Cold Brew is pretty well-executed. Despite coming unsweetened, the White Cold Brew is nothing short of being rich, earthy and nutty with medium body — one that gave quite a caffeinated punch that would work well as a perk-me-up.
Pretty stoked that they had tied up with the folks of Lemuel Chocolate to serve up a selection of their desserts at the premises — I am a fan of the various chocolate desserts that bean-to-bar chocolatiers Lemuel Chocolate creates, but bummed by how Lemuel Chocolate at The Star Vista does not have a dine-in area, while their Westway outlet is too out-of-the-way and features a rather small dine-in area. It is not the first time that I am having their Signature Chocolate Tart, but it was still as good as ever — served out of the chiller as-is, I liked how the Signature Chocolate Tart isn’t exactly the tart that features a rich chocolate ganache. In fact, it feels like you are having a slab of chocolate straight from the bar; especially so for the layer of chocolate hidden within the tart itself — one that carries a bittersweet flavour at just the right notch, whilst not being “heaty” nor overly sweetened, and instead, focuses on the notes of the cacao beans used. The chocolate mousse atop provides a smoother texture and a slightly sweeter note, but I really love the shards of chocolate chip that they have included over the top that provided a good crunch. What makes the Signature Chocolate Tart so good here is how it never felt monotonous — a rarity for a chocolate-based dessert, considering how Lemuel Chocolate had always surrounded its branding around chocolate education, and it’s emphasis on using cacao beans from different origins — also the same way that most specialty cafes that are part of the third-wave coffee movement work.
Places in the West are hardly talked about, but Venture Drive Coffee is one of the places to hit for specialty coffee around the area — these folks certainly know their stuff, all that whilst seemingly supporting fellow local brands for tie-ups that is worth commending. A spot that would work for a leisurely cuppa in the West without straying to far away from the centralised area of Jurong East where JEM, JCube, Westgate, Jurong East MRT Station and Jurong East Temporary Bus Interchange is.
