Strangers at Work

Strangers’ @ Work has been around for quite a long while by now — located at the ground floor of Change Alley, Strangers’ @ Work are by the very same folks who have brought us Strangers’ Reunion, Curious Palette and Wakey Wakey; a pretty evident face considering how they bear quite a similar namesake to Strangers’ Reunion. Whilst Curious Palette and Wakey Wakey shares quite the popularity of the equally successful Strangers’ Reunion, Strangers’ @ Work is much like the forgotten middle child — being the smallest establishment of the lot that operates only on weekdays given its location in the Central Business District, Strangers’ @ Work is probably the least known establishment of the lot. Decked out pretty much in a raw and industrial vibe that would have looked the part when they had first opened their doors back then, the vibes at Strangers’ @ Work are unmistakably “Strangers’ Reunion”. That being said, the menu is fairly restricted considering the size of its food preparation area here; for a start, the only hot food options available here would be their sandwiches, while the list of beverages would be centred around their specialty coffee offerings — think espresso-based coffee, as well as alternatives such as bottled cold brew coffee, hot chocolate, tea and tea lattes as well.

We cannot exactly remember if we ever had their toasties previously — we have been visiting Strangers’ @ Work on-and-off periodically over the years and have recalled that their sandwich / toasties menu is not exactly always available during our few visits there thus far. That being said, it does seem that the sandwich menu has seen a revamp at least from our last visit — the sandwich menu features quite a few items that caught our attention; think Tandoori Chicken, Chicken Meatball Marinara etc., while all the sandwiches do come with freshly-baked sourdough focaccia.

Our Kimchi & Spam Melt came with grilled spam, spicy kimchi, melted aged cheddar, fresh herbs and aioli — the sandwich is also toasted on a panini grill, and pressed as part of the preparation process. Taking a bite into the Kimchi & Spam Melt, we thought that the sandwich is pretty much soul food at its best — the sourdough focaccia was thankfully not too dense; having gone through the panini press, the bread was compacted to give a firm bite with a toasty crisp on the surface but we liked how how it wasn’t heavy or felt carb-intensive. The Sourdough Focaccia also carried a light tangy note from the fermentation process of the bread — pretty much like what one would expect from the usual sourdough. In between, all the elements are served hot as well; a consistent temperature running through from the bread to everything else that is sandwiched in the middle — the grilled spam sliced in pretty sizeable slices so that one gets that savouriness of cured meat with a good bite without overwhelming the tastebuds. The spicy kimchi wasn’t exactly that spicy — would work well with those who have lower tolerance to spiciness in general; the cabbage kimchi provided a refreshing, tangy crunch that cuts through the carbs and meat, while the melted aged cheddar provides for that slight oozy chewiness that melds all the elements together.

Despite being the relatively unknown child from the folks whom have brought us Strangers’ Reunion, Curious Palette and Wakey Wakey, Strangers’ @ Work has probably provided some form of comfort and consistency to the folks of the Central Business District. Having been around for a long period of time, we would reckon that Strangers’ @ Work have probably established relationships with its regulars over the years and has a loyal following amongst the office folks working in the area. The quality of coffee at Strangers’ @ Work has been consistent over the years — sometimes even surpassing that of the same that is being served at their sister establishments; we were also glad to see the return of dine-in cups here considering that we have recalled them using disposable cups only for all orders for quite a while (or we might have mistaken). With the introduction of the relatively new sandwich offerings, it does seem that Strangers’ @ Work does still know what they are doing and keeping up to speed with things — even so when there have not been any significant revamps done to the shop space to give it a refreshed look over the years; the quality of the sandwiches are also what one would expect from an established name that is part of the third-wave coffee movement serving up brunch items. Whilst the sandwiches are no doubt a little pricey at $10.90 to $12.90, we do feel that they carry a quality which we would most certainly pay the price for. For those working in the Central Business District whom are into the local cafe culture and have yet to discover this gem — it is probably time to really check them out!

For as long as I can remember, Strangers’ Reunion has one of the smoothest cappuccinos in town. Love that it doesn’t leave me with a bitter lingering taste, but still gives me that caffeine buzz :)

Interesting name. Very popular during weekday morning but managed to get my flat white ($5.3) with soy milk ($0.6) within short period of time. The coffee smells really nice and wasn’t too bitter for me.

|
Walking in the rain with a cup of long black and newspaper. Not a bad "feel". .
|
At the beginning, a sharp sourness attacked the tongue and woke up all the senses. Slowly the caffeine killed in and woke up my soul. But I am wondering why a cup of long black costed $6.40.

Worthy drink as the caffeine will hunt for the second cup 😊 lilabit crowded at lunch hours

Both are waiting to be filled again.