New to the Tanjong Pagar ‘hood is a new joint called Five Oars Coffee Roasters, another one of those laidback Aussie-style cafes with minimalistic decor and a very brunch-focused menu.
At first glance, the space — a welcome change from the cluster of Korean eateries and bridal salons on Tanjong Pagar Road — recreates those chill Melbourne vibes that every serious cafe-hopper loves to soak in, especially with its spacious alfresco seating, lush pockets of greenery, and ample light filtering in from the street. But step through the doors, and things become a tad bit… clinical.
Sure, it’s got the usual hanging lights, wood-topped tables, and the odd mini cactus to spruce up the space — but something feels amiss. Maybe it’s the unforgiving glare of fluorescent lighting from the coffee bar or the lack of furnishings, but there seems to be an absence of some kind of ambience that gives a cafe its character. Or, perhaps Five Oars is targeting working peeps who simply want a space to get stuff done in, without the frills or distractions.
Anyway, if you can get past the sudden switch to a very stark atmosphere, the cafe has quite a decent range of offerings on its menu — from egg-centric brunch plates to pastas and rice bowls for lunch, and heartier mains for dinner.
On our mid-afternoon visit, the place was already packed with an office lunch crowd — but still, the kitchen was efficient in whipping up our order. The Mentaiko Royale ($21) came with poached eggs, salmon chunks, avocado slices, asparagus, and mentaiko on an English muffin — pretty standard breakfast stuff with a dash of mentaiko, but creamy and tasty nonetheless.
If you order the Croque Madame ($21), you’ll get three thick, fluffy slices of brioche with slivers of duck confit and gruyere cheese in between, and all of that rests on spinach greens and splashes of lemon vinaigrette with a fried egg. But it’s perhaps best enjoyed in moderation — after all, three entire slices of bread for lunch almost guarantees you a post-meal food coma back at your desk.
As for the Corn Fritters ($18) — they make for an addictive fried snack nicely paired with cauliflower hummus, salsa, guacamole, a poached egg, and fried halloumi cheese for a nice, salty kick.
Also on the menu, you’ll find healthier eats like the Trio of Quinoa ($16.50) with feta, pomegranate, avocado, and spinach leaves, as well as sweet treats such as the Valrhona chocolate pancake ($19.50) with mixed berries and strawberry ice cream.
Rice bowls come in salmon ikura ($20) and wagyu foie gras ($25) options, while pastas range from prawn aglio olio ($18.50) to mentaiko mac and cheese ($20.50) and pancetta carbonara ($17).
And since the cafe’s got “coffee” in its name, you probably can’t go wrong getting a cup of joe to go before you head out. The drinks menu includes espresso ($3), iced mocha ($6.50), hot chocolate ($6), teas ($6.50/pot), fruit juices ($5.50), and craft beers on tap (prices vary, as there will be a rotating selection of beers).
FIND IT:
Five Oars Coffee Roasters is at 39 Tanjong Pagar Rd.
Daily 8am-10pm.
MRT: Tanjong Pagar
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