Quite excited to drop by the new Oaks Coffee Co. that had recently opened its doors at Upper Thomson Road; the new coffeehouse is located along the same stretch of shophouses where Hello Arigato is. For those whom are pretty familiar around the neighbourhood, the spot that Oaks Coffee Co. occupies is the same exact spot where Habitat Coffee was before their move to King George’s Avenue. Serving up different menus for lunch and dinner service, the brunch menu features dishes with a fusion touch amidst other more contemporary cafe fare like pasta, muesli, cheese toasties and brunch plates — think items such as the Beef Rendan Burger and Laksa Orzo Pasta, while the dinner menu is more communal featuring starters and sharing plates. Being a coffeehouse at heart, there is a selection of specialty coffee (including their in-house concoctions such as the Fizzy Espresso Yuzu), tea and even wines available for choices of beverages here.

Being someone who is on a lookout for dishes featuring Orzo (items that I recall having the specific type of pasta include the Beef & Grains from the now-defunct Sin Lee Foods), the Laksa Orzo Pasta was one that piqued quite some interest in me even before I headed here. The item features Tiger Prawns, Clams, Salmon Roe, Tau Pok, Coconut Ice Cream, Laksa Leaf — a rather unorthodox combination of elements considering how the item is a combination of hot-and-cold, whilst also lacking the strands of noodles which have been replaced by Orzo — pasta grains shaped like rice. Liked how there is sufficient “gravy” going around the sauce; it was also pretty “lemak”; rich and carried evident notes of the spices, while the coconut ice-cream provided on the side was velvety smooth and further enhanced the texture of the whole dish. The Orzo grains also carried a good bite; liked how they have portioned it well so it doesn’t really get overwhelming here. The taupok included were dehydrated; carrying a texture almost akin to that of croutons, while the seafood included such as the clams and prawns were fresh — the latter carrying a natural sweetness. Liked how they also included the Salmon Roe here, which helped to give it a slightly umami-ness that strangely compliments the whole dish.

Also took the opportunity try out the Chrysanthemum Jello for a dessert to end off the meal, as well as the Creamy White Cold Brew which is a bottled cold brew with cream and milk — the former is a refreshing dessert evident floral notes, while the latter comes slightly sweetened and is everything nutty and rich. While the Upper Thomson Road neighbourhood is filled with a myriad of cafes of the old (i.e. One Man Coffee, Colombus Coffee Co.) and that of the new (i.e. Hello Arigato), Oaks Coffee Co. is an apt addition to the coffee scene here — liked how they do carry quite a good selection of inventive dishes (that also work) and some safer items to cater to a wide variety of patrons. They are currently still in their soft launch phase, so do expect some teething issues but I am pretty certain that they will get things sorted out soon — a spot to add to the list of cafes that one should check out!