Despite only having opened in October, Forty Hands is already drawing a steady crowd of caffeine addicts. Located in an old shophouse in the serene realms of Tiong Bahru, the cafe's name is derived from the mean number of people required in coffee production, from the plant to cup.
Drinks on the menu, brewed from certified Fair Trade coffee beans, range from $2.50 for a single shot of espresso to $8.50 for a large mocha. The iced latte ($7.50) certainly lived up to my expectations of a cuppa from a specialty coffee joint. Strong, rich and full-bodied, this definitely kept me buzzing for the rest of the day!
Aside from a variety of sandwiches, Forty Hands also offers a spread of croissants, ranging from pain du chocolat to almond croissants. Longing for a savory nibble at lunchtime, I opted for the ham and cheese croissant ($4.50). Sadly, the ham and cheese were simply sandwiched into the croissant, instead of being baked with the pastry. Better quality cheese could have also been used instead of processed slices. Nevertheless, the crisp-shelled croissant satisfied with its light and fluffy interiors, though it can't compare to its fabulously buttery counterpart at Mirabelle Patisserie.
Carrot cake, lemon ricotta cheesecake and scones (which looked more like rock cakes) were just some of the tempting sweet options. It wasn't an easy decision, but I eventually settled on the beautifully-assembled chocolate tart ($5) for dessert. Rich without being cloying, the lush-looking chocolate filling did not betray its appearance with its luxurious silky smoothness. If only the tart crust could have been more crunchy- or even better, replaced with a buttery pate sucree base!
78 Yong Siak St #01-12
8am-6.30pm daily