Kristie NgCafe Review: Froth Cafe
Froth Café occupies half the basement of BIG Hotel, beside the reception. Glass panels allow natural light to filter in while the whitewashed walls are decorated with metal framing in the minimalist industrial chic interior.
A new kid on the block, Froth Café opened last December 2014 and has amassed a decent following of over 1,000 on its Instagram over a mere 4 months. A considerable feat compared to what most of us have achieved with our Instagram careers.
Social media presence aside, how does Froth Café stand out from the overly saturated café scene in Singapore?
Marketing manager Sharon Lin, 29, quips about their over 40-item menu, “We have a really extensive menu compared to other cafes… of soups, salads, sides, pastas, a whole range of risottos. Burgers, sandwiches – we actually have covered [the] spectrum.”
The picture framed menu reveals an assortment of dishes. There is the ambitious-sounding Seafood Tom Yum Risotto, Chilli Crab Spaghetti and of course– Taro Waffles to name a few. The reason for the bizarre combinations relates to its location. As part of BIG Hotel’s compound, many tourists frequent the café.
Sharon says, “We want tourists to taste a bit of Singapore, and for Singaporeans to be a bit more adventurous with their palates.”
A dish that encapsulates Froth Café is the Siobak Aglio Olio. The beloved hawker dish is tossed into Aglio Olio in hopes that something clicks. But alas, it doesn’t. While the Siobak is tender and delightfully chunky; the Aglio Olio lacks olive oil, leaving the pasta stripped dry off any opportunities to match up with its juicier complement. It ends up as 2 separate dishes instead of 1.
The Doritos Crust Winglets ($11.90), a customer favourite, is simple yet ingenious. Thoughtfully deboned, you’ll bite into the winglets and find that it bites back with a fiery ferocity.
The Taro Waffles ($12.90), are meticulously stacked with generous dollops of Taro paste drizzled all over the dessert, complementing the waffles that were infused with taro too. The dish is topped with a scoop of Earl Grey ice cream and a biscuit wafer, lightly dusted with Oreo bits.
Each mouthful is a balance of floral notes from the Earl Grey, drawing out the flavourful but not overwhelming taro. We are more convinced that odd pairings might actually work with every bite of this unconventional dish.
Froth Café’s beverage menu is equally comprehensive, with Arabica bean coffee and teas from local supplier, Allerines. Standouts include the espresso cube inspired Coffee Jelly ($7.50). Froth Café’s spin on it elevates the idea by layering milk on top of the jelly, and serving it in café-standard mason jars. Be warned, the coffee jelly is anything but weak.
We love the inventiveness and hospitality of Froth Café though some dishes are better than others. If you appreciate the versatility of fusion cuisine, head down to Froth Café. You’re guaranteed to leave fuelled up and inspired to whip up some of your own Asian fusion.
Rating: 4/5
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Information:
Address: 200 Middle Road B1-02 Big Hotel
Contact Details: (+65) 6336 1228
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frothsg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/froth.sg
Opening Hours: 11:30am –10pm (Closed on every first Monday of the month)
Photos courtesy of Bryan Chua and Where To Goh