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2014-11-05
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The Alley Cafe is so aptly named because it's really right up my alley. Located at the relatively inconvenient Keong Saik road, it would take you about a 7-10 minutes walk from Chinatown MRT, just enough to work up an appetite! I believe it may be closer if you were to take Exit H from Outram Park MRT, something I figured out while visiting The Lokal the past weekend. I decided to visit The Alley on a Saturday afternoon, after gym, because I heard about their protein packed salad, damn good coff
Located just further down from the popular Potato Head Folk!
The Ambience
The design of the cafe was indeed the perfect depiction of its name. Dark and looming vibes, I personally would not take notice of this cafe, or would find it too dodgy to enter if I haven't heard of it. However, once I entered the cafe, the cosy atmosphere and comfortable sofa seats, made the cafe exude a very homely feel, and time seemed to just slow down, because it feels so laidback and nice. The sofa seats made me feel like lounging on them the entire day and I suppose it's pretty convenient to host big groups of diners with that as well! Besides, one thing I love about this place, is the available power points around that makes it easier for diners to work on their computers or fuel their phones while having their meals, and not forgetting the complimentary wifi.
The Food
I very much wanted to try out their Truffle Mac and Cheese, but I was feeling quite sinful for all the rubbish I've been eating these days, so I opted for the salad instead. I went for the Macho Salad ($15++), which was basically a salad of meats with vegetable toppings. Hahaha! It is worth every single cent paid!
The Macho Salad ($15++): consisted of a generous serving of smoked salmon, grilled chicken, bacon and mesclun salad. This was the first time I finished my greens with proteins still left over, despite having them with every mouthful of vegetables. Besides, what elevated this dish was not the generous heap of proteins, but the scoop of guacamole with diced tomatoes served atop of the greens. It gave the salad a creamier feel, and the combination of guacamole with greens and a protein, was just perfect. This is possibly the best salad I've had in a while! Non-meat lovers may want to steer away from this dish!
I would definitely come back for their truffle mac and cheese and other truffled items on the menu. Since I was being very conscious about my diet that day, and also stressed over some work, that was all that I've tried from the food menu. I ordered an iced mocha ($6++), to go along with my salad.
At first glance, I was quite disappointed because the drink did not look chocolatey enough, and there was a layer of melted ice floating above the coffee. However, after I took my first sip, I began to realize the meaning of not judging a book by its cover. The mocha was thick, and not overly sweet. It was indeed really satisfying and I immediately isolated the drink just to take a picture of it. I daresay it's the BEST mocha I've had, compared to all the other cafes I've been to. And I can't imagine any would be able to top this.
Closing Remarks
Despite the relatively ulu location of The Alley, I wouldn't mind paying them a visit every weekend just to get my mocha fix, and a quick bite. The food may be a little pricey, as compared to the other cafes, but the quality makes up for it. Besides, it's a good place to get some work done too. Many cafes tend to be overcrowded during the weekends, and as much as I want the goodness of this cafe to be known, at the same time, I want to keep this little gem a secret to myself, so that I can have a quiet retreat here after a hectic week.
The entire stretch of Keong Saik houses a couple of good eats as well, including Tong Ah Eating House, for some traditional kaya bread, and cafes like, Potato Head Folk, The Study, Muchachos and Bread & Hearth! So go and visit these places instead! Haha!
Other Info. :
Full review up on fatassbean.wordpress.com
(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)
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