Dropped by the new Monday Coffee Bar at Blk 421 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10; the cafe is a rather small but cosy set-up that reminds me of specialty coffeehouses set up at the shop units on the ground floor of HDB blocks way back in the heydays of the third wave coffee movement. Decked in mostly wooden elements, the interior is pretty warm and inviting despite its size where it can only accommodate for three groups of diners throughout its indoor dine-in space (two counter seats, and two tables that seats two and five respectively due to social distancing requirements). Keeping the menu simple, Monday Coffee Bar only offers three different types of Sando, whilst also offering specialty coffee and a selection of Japanese tea for beverages.

Came by slightly before 12 noon and found ourselves snapping up the only sandwich that was available at the point of our visit — the Smoked Salmon Sandwich comes with elements such as smoked salmon, cream cheese, cucumber and dill: all that sandwiches between what it seems to be wholegrain bread. The whole combination can be said as predictable and safe, though also one that feels comforting especially with the vibes here — the bread here isn’t overly toasted so it still comes fluffy and soft; the smoked salmon provides that typical savoury note of cured fish while the cream cheese gives a creamy texture that binds all the elements together. The addition of cucumbers here was a thoughtful one; not only did it provide for some refreshing crunchiness amidst the entire sandwich, but it also helped to improve the overall aesthetic giving the Sando a little thickness — nothing like those trendy Sandos these days that comes overloaded with ingredients which is incredibly difficult to bite, but definitely gave the Sando here some volume.

Would say that Monday Coffee Bar is pretty much of a rare find of a cafe these days. The food offered isn’t much, but it does give a feel-good type of vibe that is especially comforting alongside then environment that they have to offer. Whilst it is not as spacious as most coffeehouses these days, it is well-renovated with a well-thought layout that gives it a sort of charm that is a difficult find these days. For that, Monday Coffee Bar is a spot worth checking out, especially for those who are looking to soak up some peaceful coffeehouse vibes that are most reminiscent of cafes that were part of the third wave coffee movement in its heydays where cafes were still sprouting up all around the island.