Third-wave cafes are still popping up despite fierce competition but its nice that we still get new places to check out. I had the opportunity to try Botanist at the Tanjong Pagar/Duxton area that was opened by the folks of Pacamara at Upper Thomson one weekend. I had high expectations since Pacamara had really decent coffee and food.
The main entrance is actually through the side door of the row of shophouses and the one along the main road has a chalkboard to direct patrons.
Here's the espresso machine they are using. Not kidding around!
And the white coffee (S$4.5) that I had from the Cotton Candy blend was excellent. I don't really like Dark Matter, which was the default house blend, but they happened to have the CC beans. All their beans are supplied by the Knockhouse Supply Co. in the same building. My coffee was uber-smooth, creamy and full-bodied.
Most people choose to sit at the idyllic outdoor area as indoor seating was limited and the ventilation was a bit weak as well. It could get a bit warm outside on crazy sunny days in Singaland though. I read somewhere that when its warm people tend to make more irrational decisions.
Here's the menu, which is similar to Pacamara's, and also priced similarly (on the higher side). Coffee prices are still acceptable.
My friend ordered a Guac Smash (S$18) which looked pretty enough with an average amount of avocado (maybe just half?) and cherry tomatoes and feta cheese, pine nuts on top of very thick bread. It's just a really simple thing to assemble... the price is definitely the most difficult part to stomach. 2/5
I had the Egg Florentine (S$19) which had spinach and a portobello mushroom sandwiched between the poached eggs and toast. Big mistake. Even though the dish looks pretty too, the toast turned soggy really fast after just a few minutes with the juices from the vegetables, make the entire dish just wet and watery. I wouldn't recommend this. Perhaps their Maple Pancake would have been better. 1/5
In summary, don't eat here if you intend to save up for a house or invest in property because these avocado things will bankrupt you. However, if you are in the area and just have a hankering for good coffee during the weekends, go for Botanist.
Botanist
74 Neil Road, Singapore 088839
Tuesdays to Sundays 8am to 6pm
Closed on Mondays
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