COCONUTS HOT SPOT — If you’re a huge fan of Korean drama Descendants of the Sun, you’ll have heard about dal.komm COFFEE, the Korean chain where certain scenes from the TV series was filmed. Well, the cafe just opened its first branch in Singapore over the weekend — to add to its 160 outlets across South Korea and Malaysia — and it’s nestled snugly at The Centrepoint in town.
The space itself is pretty chill — it’s got one of those ubiquitous industrial chic vibes, with the addition of framed music-themed ornaments and a wall of lush, Christmas-y foliage around the back. Apparently, all the furniture is custom-made, and there’s even a wall built with imported bricks from old houses in Korea.
Since music is at the core of the cafe, expect open mic nights and artist meet-and-greet sessions to be hosted here in the upcoming months. Oh, and keep the Music Card that you get when you make a purchase — not only is it a loyalty card, it’s also got a QR code that you can scan to stream a music video of the chosen singer’s current smash hit.
As for the coffee, you can customise your cuppa by choosing from a selection of three Arabica bean blends: K1 is a well-balanced mix with chocolate-y undertones that go well with milk; K2 is a light roast with citrusy notes; and K3 is creamy and well-suited to those who prefer something full-bodied. Once you’ve picked out your blend, you can get it in the form of an espresso ($4.50), cappuccino ($6 for hot, $6.50 for cold) or caffe latte ($6-$7 for hot, $6.50-$7.50 for cold).
For something with a kick, try the Cube ($8.50), which is made out of frozen K1 espresso ice cubes in milk — as the ice melts, the drink intensifies.
But if coffee isn’t your thing, try the Vitali-Tea series ($8 for hot, $8.50 for cold) — it comes in flavours like apple lemon, red elderberry and mojito black with lemongrass and mint. The zesty honey grapefruit ($8.50 for hot, $8.90 for cold) with chunks of fresh grapefruit and the milky strawberry cube ($8.50) with frozen strawberries won’t let you down either — especially if it’s a sunny day out.
While you’re there, snack on shareable bites such as the cruffin matcha ($11.50), which is sorta like a combination of a croissant and a muffin that’s spread with green tea curd and topped with whipped cream; or the red bean injeolmi toast ($8.50) that sandwiches chewy rice cake, red bean paste and soybean powder.
And don’t look down on the seemingly healthy dessert of cherry tomato bingsu ($10.90-$15.90) — even though we’ve never been fans of cherry tomatoes, we enjoyed every bite of the sweetened milk on shaved ice sprinkled with plum powder.
Here’s a look around the space.
If you can’t be bothered to get in line and check out the cafe, just wait your turn. The brand has plans to open a whopping 20 stores across the country over the next eight years.
dal.komm COFFEE is at #01-01/06 and #01-102/103 The Centrepoint, 176 Orchard Rd. Daily 9am-10pm.
