Caffeine Fix

3 munchies: All my favourite ingredients were stacked to build this Breakfast Burger – fried egg, potato rösti, guacamole, bacon & tomato relish. The chunky tomato relish made a great condiment by adding sweetness and flavour to the savoury bacon. It was a tad pity that the overdone potato rösti was dry and slightly burnt, though.

4.5 munchies: Perfect for a chilly morning like this, the Caffè Gianduja is one of the house specials that features its exclusive 1882 Espresso blend and thick hot chocolate topped with whipped cream. Using a slow-roasting method that takes 18-22 minutes instead of the commercial "turbo toasting" which takes 5-6 minutes, flavours and aromas of the Arabica beans are more thoroughly extracted, producing a balanced roast. This indulgent drink from the city of Turin is every chocolate and coffee lover's dream! #Burpproved

Weekend brunch goals set in the lush greenery of Rochester Park. My picks are the Crab Benedict, Three-Stack Pancakes, and a cup of well-brewed flat white!

2.5 munchies: Made with steamed milk and topped with Nutella, whipped cream, toasted hazelnut, and a sprinkle of cocoa, this cup of beverage was all about the sweetened hazelnut cocoa spread. There was hardly any taste of the espresso shot – probably not the place I'd want to get my caffeine fix from again the next time I'm in NYC. #munchinginNY

4 munchies: Equivalent to 4 espresso shots, 9 blocks of frozen K1 espresso were suspended in temperature-controlled milk to bring out the well-balanced Brazilian and Costa Rican blend and its chocolatey undertones. What I really enjoyed about the beverage was how it started out creamy and as the ice began to melt, it amplified the intensity of the coffee flavour without diluting the drink.

dal.komm COFFEE, which is featured in popular Korean TV drama Descendants of the Sun, launched its first local flagship outlet earlier this month at The Centrepoint.

2.5 munchies: No perk-me-up Monday because I suspect the coffee served here is brewed with a lower coffee to water ratio, resulting in a weak flavour with little body. There was also too much milk in my flat white that took away the medium-dark roast aroma and slight bittersweet aftertaste.

4 munchies: Made with Melbourne-imported Dimattina Coffee, the Grande Tazza blend was balanced and rich in taste. I loved the invigorating cocoa aroma from the West Coast Cocoa's Dark Deluxe Hot Chocolate, an intense dark cocoa blend crafted with premium cocoa from West Africa. The Mocha Cold Brew is perfect to combat the sweltering heat outside!

Now is your last chance to grab the cold brew (also available in Milk & Black) from The Wild Pressed here at the final day of Singapore Coffee Festival 2016!

The Wild Pressed is the in-house brand of Fawr & Co. – the distributor of Dimattina Coffee, West Coast Cocoa Merchants, and Sweetbird. #sgcoffeefest

0.5 munchies: I love my macadamia, almond and dates, but I really wasn't expecting this bottle of dairy-free, cold-pressed Taisho M.A.D. Milk to taste absolutely vile. The sourness in the weak coffee was unacceptable – perhaps it's just me who can't appreciate a medium-bodied brew with extremely high acidity, or rather, under-extracted coffee. Holding my breath, I gulped down 3/4 of it only because it was a hot day and the Singaporean in me wanted to make my $8++ worth.
After the cup of sour flat white that I had gotten 3 years ago, my second awful experience has warranted me to never come back here for coffee again.

From grinding six different regions of beans to aroma noting and loudly slurping the coffee, I had a great time learning so much more about what goes behind a cuppa at my first coffee cupping workshop. Unfortunately, the Carlos Alberto Ulchur No. 13 and Brazil Fazenda Da Lagoa blend featured here was weak in flavour and lacked the body and aroma.

The coffee cupping was conducted by Dockyardcoffee; many thanks to The Loft Cafe SG for hosting us and Eleanor for extending the invitation!

3.5 munchies: The mild flavours of the Arabica beans blended with the slightly more bitter Robusta gave the cuppa a strong, almost full-bodied finish with a fluffy foam head. As aromatic and robust as the cafe latte may have been, I wasn't sure if the price at $6++ per cup was justifiable for the blend served at this upscale BreadTalk Group property.

4 munchies: Roasted locally by 2° North Coffee Co., the special, medium body Caldera blend was slightly nutty with hints of red fruit and chocolate. Loved how my flat white was bright yet balanced with a boldness that was uplifting!

2.5 munchies: Featuring 4 out of the 5 Coconut Cold Brew launched recently at the newly expanded Montana Singapore, my picks are the mildly sweet Regular and refreshing Kahlua with orange juice. Not a fan of the sour, bitter Nitro at all, as well as the Gula Melaka that I prefer in my local desserts.

I'd get a cup of medium roast flat white anytime when it comes to getting my caffeine fix.

This was a hosted meal by Montana Singapore; many thanks to Ying for the hospitality and Sherena for extending the invite.