Talk about unusual fare, Aspire Café serves up award-winning food with dance lessons and… um, skincare and babysitting services.

The five-month-old café operates on a lifestyle concept, with no bias to any of its other branches of enterprise. According to manager Wilson Lim, Aspire “aims to offer an ideal one-stop solution to everyone’s lifestyle needs”.

Climb up a short flight of stairs of a quaint shop house along Joo Chiat Road and you’re there.

At first glance, you notice the disarmingly clean whitewashed walls, bathed in natural sunlight coming in from the floor-to-ceiling windows, there’s thus no need for additional lighting till evening. It is, indeed, hard to imagine that such a modern oasis would exist in the retro streets of Joo Chiat.

“We picked Joo Chiat because this area is full of culture and history. There is so much to offer,” said Jessica Low, one of the owners.Upon entering the café premise itself, a deep sense of relaxation permeates through the air while a tantalizing aroma that could only come from a well-used oven fills every cell with lingering hunger.

Though you might just have had a heavy meal, you’ll find enough room in your stomach to squeeze in a roti wrap, or even a sandwich. Yes, it is one of those sins that you cannot help but to commit.

With an award from Singapore’s Best Food Online Directory under its belt, it’s not difficult to see why. Aspire Café boasts of sumptuous light bites and a wide variety of beverages. No complaints about the variety, which ranges from sandwiches to chicken rice.

We do, however, feel that the serving portions could have been bigger. It is quite cheap as compared to other café standards, taking into account the other facilities the café provides. Waiting time is usually no more than 10 minutes, so your stomach will probably have no need to growl more than thrice.

As for the beverages, the berry berry tea ($6.50) served hot with a little jug of maple syrup, left a pleasantly sour aftertaste infused with a whiff of assorted berries, a must try for those who prefer their drinks slightly tart. The Icy Tea Float ($3.80), one of their house specials, was rather disappointing as the drink was a tad too sweet without the familiar dash of bitterness prevalent in all teas.

For those with a sweet tooth and a fan of chocolate and nuts, you’ll love taking the Ultimate Brownie Challenge ($3.80). Topped with vanilla ice cream, this delicacy comes with chocolate sauce generously drizzled across it. With a stash of whipped cream and love letters [thin baked coconut-flavoured batter rolls], at the side, the Ultimate Brownie Challenge brings a whole new level of meaning to the word ‘sinful’.

You will never be bored at Aspire Café and that’s already putting it across lightly. Stacked neatly at one corner is an expansive collection of board games, dart boards, puzzles and cards that rivals that of game cafes such as Settlers and Minds.

In addition, Aspire offers shelves of manga for your reading pleasure. Or perhaps, you simply feel like chilling out and watching movies. Just bring your own DVDs or you could pick one from their collection. Not only this, if you happen to have your laptop with you, you can approach the friendly counter staff for the password to the café’s wireless connection. And the best part of it: It’s all complimentary.

Is Aspire a dream come true for the bored teens of today? Not just them. A first-time venture by 2 sisters, Kane and Jessica Low who are in their mid 20s, Aspire has “always been a childhood dream”.

“The café is also a place for our customers to rest once they have finished their dance lessons or skin care sessions.” Kane, the elder of the 2, said, referring to the other two arms of Aspire. “We have professional instructors who conduct these sessions. Students and Full Time National Servicemen (NSFs) are welcome to check us out as we have a 10% discount for them.”

Despite being so new, the café has recently extended its arm into the arena of babysitting services. “Our baby care centre helps you look after your baby, so that you can have ample time to attend to your leisure, personal or even official needs,” Wilson said.

Aspire is located at 169 Joo Chiat Road #02-01 and is open every day, save for Mondays. The opening hours are noon to midnight on Fridays, Saturdays and the eve of public holidays and noon to 10 pm on other days.

UrbanWire rates it 3 out of 5 stars.

Food Editor’s note

1 star: Dreadful! What they serve, if you even call it that, is barely edible. Their interior decorator has even less taste and the price is exorbitant. While UrbanWire will not recommend it, Fear Factor might.

2 stars: The food is below average, you’re invisible to the staff and the price is slightly steep. Stop here only if you’re driven up the wall.

3 stars: Food’s tasty, service is good, the ambience is satisfactory and the price is reasonable. The average Joe’s establishment.

4 stars: Delightful experience! Now that’s what we’re talking, the fare makes your taste buds jump for joy, you’ll feeling like tipping the wait staff, the ambience is cosy and most importantly, the price is right.

5 stars: Outstanding, no qualms about it. You’ll return again and again with friends, for cuisine that is more than pleasurable, excellent service and a sense of ease in this establishment. Price is a non-issue.