Food For Thought: One Man Coffee

by Joyce Er (15A01A)
Photos courtesy of Gabrielle Jeyaseelan (15S06A)

Considering its proximity to the likes of Habitat Coffee and Old School Delights, I was surprised to realise that we hadn’t already done a review of One Man Coffee. Conveniently located along Upper Thomson Road, it’s a great place to get your coffee fix after school without burning a hole in your pocket.

I dropped by One Man with Gaby for a casual Sunday brunch – perfect company, considering how photogenic the vintage-inspired interior is. Its rustic wood tables and benches, garnished with flowers and photogenic glass jars, just cry out to be Instagrammed. Little wonder that One Man Coffee has been making the rounds on social media for some time, ironically receiving rave reviews less for its coffee and more for its dishes.

It being a hot day, Gaby ordered an iced chocolate ($6) while I ordered my usual iced mocha ($6.50). The iced chocolate had a distinct bittersweet chocolate flavour, which unfortunately was not to Gaby’s taste but should please all dark chocolate lovers. She enjoyed her drink with a side of vanilla ice cream ($3) mixed in, which added a milky richness that made it far more enjoyable. I found this iced mocha slightly too watery for my liking, although the flavour profile was certainly there.

For our mains, my baby spinach salad with feta and roasted pumpkin ($12) came first. I was impressed with the hearty portion size, and we greatly enjoyed the tender chunks of flavourful, just-charred pumpkin, as well as the slightly sweet feta that provided a counterbalance to the vinaigrette’s acidic bite. However, I did think the salad could have benefited from a more generous portion of the promised toasted pine nuts, and (thankfully for me, as I’m a vegetarian) the candied bacon was virtually nonexistent.

Gaby ordered the famous brioche french toast with caramelised banana, salted caramel and fresh cream ($10). She and I enthused about the bananas, which hit the sweet spot just shy of cloying and had a melt-in-your-mouth texture. The french toast itself was perfectly charred on the outside and fluffy on the inside. She did think it could have been thicker and more thoroughly soaked with batter, and found the caramel a little burnt for her liking.

Although we didn’t try any of their pastries and cakes that day, Gaby assured me that the Salted Caramel Danish ($4.50) was sufficiently pleasing, with a thick, rich caramel filling. On the whole, One Man Coffee’s quaint interior and decently-priced mains make it the perfect getaway from school stress for a nice catch up with friends. Just be sure to drop by before it transforms into Crust Gourmet Pizza Bar at 5pm daily.