Kopi 1930 x Twenty Eight Cafe (National Gallery Singapore)

National Gallery Singapore has been going through its revamp of its F&B tenants within the space of the museum and it has already been seeing quite a number of known new tenants which have either already started operations or yet to move into its premises at this current juncture — Bakery Brera being the earliest of the lot that had opened its doors there some number of months back. The latest tenant that had seemingly moved into the grounds of National Gallery Singapore would be that of Kopi 1930 x Twenty Eight Cafe. For those whom find the name of the establishment particularly familiar; yes, these would be the same folks behind both Twenty Eight Cafe at Sophia Flats which had previously spawned off the Kopi 1930 brand some time back. The space in which Kopi 1930 x Twenty Eight Cafe takes up within the National Gallery will be the same one that was once occupied by the now-defunct The Great Mischief; some might be more familiar with the space being Gallery & Co. previously. Kopi 1930 x Twenty Eight Cafe takes up two distinct areas within the National Gallery; one of which being closer by the museum’s retail shop space tucked towards the back of the space when one enters National Gallery Singapore via the sheltered linkway from St Andrew’s Cathedral; this would be where some dine-in seatings can be found alongside the counter and kitchen of the establishment, while a larger dine-in space can be found situated along the walkway towards the zone designated for the Keppel Centre for Art Education. The space is decked in a vibe to replicate the black-and-white houses of the colonial era; there are some parts of the decor that consist of nostalgic elements that reminds us of the wares being used at old-school establishments, while some of the elements also blends in well with the fittings that are preserved as part of the building of National Gallery Singapore itself. The dining furniture does seem to comprise of wooden chairs and tables with a black surface; the tables are mostly arranged in a configuration that best seats two (2) to four (4) pax, though larger groups would find the booth seats situated around the windows being more conducive for their use. Combining the operations of Kopi 1930 and Twenty Eight Cafe into a single space, the menu features both items that are more inspired from a Nanyang Kopitiam-themed establishment and also pasta, brunch and other cafe-style dishes. The line-up of bakes available for both Kopi 1930 and Twenty Eight Cafe are all stocked in the small display shelf at the counter.

The Malfadine Cream Pesto Chicken is an item that is being served up by Kopi 1930 x Twenty Eight Cafe in the food menu of the latter; the menu described the Malfadine Cream Pesto Chicken to come with elements such as Malfadine, Chicken Thigh, Mushroom and Pesto Cream. Being a rather simple pasta based on how it looks, this is one pasta dish that is most certainly a crowd pleaser for those whom prefer something more predictable but not quite run-off-the-mill. Coming with Malfadine as the type of pasta noodles that is being served up with the dish, the Malfadine is a pasta that comes with ruffled, curly edges that is pretty reminiscent to the knife-shaven noodles that one can find at Taiwanese establishments for its shape. Done al-dente, the pasta does provide does carry a good bite; the shape of the pasta also allows for the sauce to cling onto the pasta that gives it the flavour that they intend for the dish to carry. The usual notes that one expects pesto pasta to carry does pull through here; there is a whiff of fragrance from the use of olive oil, basil and garlic — it even does come with some pine nuts for a bit of a texture to chew on, though all of that does come with a little more volume and depth from the addition of cream that would suit those whom prefer creamier pastas. Chicken exists in the form of chunks of meat that is scattered throughout the entire plate of pasta to give it a meaty bite, while the addition of sautéed mushrooms gives a bouncy bite and an earthy note. Overall, a pretty hearty pasta that is bound to satisfy the tastebuds of most.

During the same visit to Kopi 1930 x Twenty Eight Cafe, we had also decided to check out the Nasi Lemak with Chicken Rendang that is being listed in the menu of Kopi 1930. The menu describes the dish to come with elements such as Chicken Rendang and Egg, though it also comes with the usual suspects that one would typically find on a plate of Nasi Lemak — this would include the usual anchovies, peanuts, sambal and slices of cucumber served on the side; all that with the coconut milk-infused rice that sits in the middle of the plate. Going straight for the coconut milk-infused rice first, it is noted that Kopi 1930’s rendition of the Nasi Lemak does come served with typical rice grains; we did feel that the Nasi Lemak was decently executed — the rice does come with a more gingery touch here. This does go well with the Sambal on the side; the Sambal carrying a bit more of a savoury note with a slight sweetness — does come with a slight hint of spiciness that should be manageable for those tolerable to lower levels of spiciness. The Chicken Rendang does come with quite a fair bit of the rendang gravy drenched all over the chicken leg; the chicken leg being moist, tender and juicy — the rendang here does come with less complexity in terms of flavours of the spices involved, though it may be a little bit on the saltier side for some especially after digging into it for a while. The anchovies does come sufficiently crisp and saltish that provides ample flavour, while the hard-boiled egg was a good-to-have — though we would usually prefer the inclusion of sunny-side up for the type of egg that comes with our Nasi Lemak.

One thing unique about Kopi 1930’s toast offerings is how they do carry other options of bread which includes that of wholemeal bread and UFO bun apart from the standard White Bread option. We found ourselves going for the ala-carte version of the Homemade Kaya & Butter UFO Bun. Kopi 1930 also serves up the Homemade Kaya & Butter UFO Bun in the form of a set — this would see the addition of the usual soft-boiled eggs and a beverage of the patron’s choice. The use of a UFO Bun here also meant that the bread here would be soft and fluffy; all that with somewhat crisp edges that provide a very light crunch for a texture variance. That being said, the highlight of the Homemade Kaya & Butter UFO Bun was actually in the Homemade Kaya where it is more custard-like in texture as compared to the commercially-made Kaya spreads. The Homemade Kaya at Kopi 1930 is in the style of the Nonya Kaya that comes in a shade of pale green — seemingly naturally coloured from Pandan juice and comes with quite a hint of pandan fragrance without being overly sweet; all that whilst the slab of butter is suitably sized to bring a balance of saltish-ness to the Homemade Kaya & Butter UFO Bun. Opting for the Kopi (Hot), the Kopi here does come with a good kick of caffeine with a strong and robust body from the use of Robusta beans that is typical of Nanyang-style Kopi; one can also be able to detect the fragrance of the evaporated milk added that made this quite a smooth brew, though we do wish that it could come a little sweeter from just a dash of condensed milk that could give it more flavour contrast for a fuller experience.

Kopi 1930 x Twenty Eight Cafe does turn out to be a pretty apt addition to National Gallery Singapore considering how it encompasses a bit of a nostalgic element whilst still offering more cafe-style brunch fare as part of its brand — this is exactly the spirit in which National Gallery Singapore was founded upon, where the old-world charm of the building meets a renewed purpose bringing a contemporary vibe within its stately, colonial era flair. We did find that Kopi 1930 x Twenty Eight Cafe does seem to be stronger in their pasta, brunch and other cafe-style dishes from the menu of Twenty Eight Cafe, though Kopi 1930’s toast offerings does shine here as well. Prices of the individually-sized mains at Kopi 1930 x Twenty Eight Cafe range from $9.90 to $34 — the lowest priced item being the Fried Bee Hoon from Kopi 1930’s menu, while the priciest would be the Angus Steak from Twenty Eight Cafe’s menu; a little pricey, but this is National Gallery Singapore anyway. Nonetheless, this is a dining concept that is absolutely befitting to that of the entire character of National Gallery Singapore is built upon, and is worth the visit for those willing to shell out a bit of money on a meal whilst visiting the museum.