Being located in the premises of Nam San Mackerel Otah, Joo Chiat Càphê is a stall at 263 Joo Chiat Road that serves up the Vietnamese Banh Mi and Otah — the establishment is actually Muslim-friendly, with the items being offered only featuring beef, chicken, fish and mushroom. The stall is simply decked out, and there are a few tables around for those who intend to dine-in; the dine-in area being set in the middle and towards the left of the entire shop space, and is pretty much surrounded by the counter where orders are taken and where beverages are prepared. For those who may not be into Vietnamese cuisine, Joo Chiat Càphê does serve up a Traditional Kuning Fish Nasi Lemak, as well as Otah and Otah Toast where some has mentioned that the Otah is made using the same recipe as that of Nam San Mackerel Otah as well.

We reached Joo Chiat Càphê for a late lunch; they were already sold out of the Mackerel Otah with Homemade Vietnamese Mayonnaise Banh Mi by the time we had arrived. The lady at the counter recommended us to have either the honey-glazed grilled chicken thigh with homemade chicken pate Banh Mi or the Grilled Lemongrass Beef Patty with Hoisin Sauce Banh Mi; we picked the latter. Featuring elements such as a freshly-baked Vietnamese baguette, pickled salad, cucumber, lettuce, coriander, chili (optional), grilled lemongrass beef with hoisin sauce, Vietnamese mayonnaise and homemade chicken pate, we found the Banh Mi here to be rather delicious. Whilst being one of the pricier item here (this costs $6.50; the priciest items Banh Mi costs $7.00), this one is packed generously with meat and is actually pretty filling. While the party is shaped more like meatballs in the photo, it comes as an entire slab of meat when served — the patty is a good mix of lean and fatty parts that come with some chew, but doesn’t take much of an effort to bite through. There is a subtle hint of lemongrass that can be detected in the meat from the marination process; was also pretty amazed how the meat wasn’t particularly gamey. The pickled vegetables provided a crunch and a tang, while the coriander did cut through much of the meatiness and savoury notes here; the chicken pate spread on the baguette giving a buttery-esque feel with its slight saltishness. While the sauces did make the Banh Mi a tad messy to eat with juices and sauces dripping from the end when we were about to finish the baguette, we liked how the sauces didn’t attempt to overwhelm the entire item in terms of flavour. We also liked how the baguette is served warm and toasted upon order; crisp on the exterior as it lightly shatters when one chews on it, yet carrying a good bite as well.

Overheard the conversation between the owners and some patrons during my visit and must say that the folks here seemed to be passionate on what they serve — they were also pretty concerned on whether I felt that their Vietnamese Coffee was a wee too thick for my liking; constantly checking if I was ok with it (I like my Vietnamese coffee bold; akin to a chocolate-y concoction — they nailed it without it being too sweet). With such emphasis on their food, Joo Chiat Càphê is pretty much off a good start; can’t really comment on how their Banh Mi would pitch against that of the widely-raved 233 Banh Mi just several units down, but Joo Chiat Càphê is certainly one spot I wouldn’t mind heading to get that Banh Mi and Vietnamese coffee craving fixed!

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