Tucked at the residential estate of 1 North, this little cafe sparkles with the enthusiasm of the owner...who hails from Melbourne - Michael Ryan.
Passionate about coffee as they come, Michael spent two months at the Seatle factory and actually helped build the Slayer espresso machine which takes place of pride behind the bar. The machine, the first in Singapore, is a beautiful piece of machinery...
Massive, wonderfully made, this is the espresso machine to behold:
The gruppa, all three of them are made very large and heavy to ensure temperature consistency. The pump is external to this huge machine, ensures good pressure at the heads on demand. A PID device controls the temperature which is measured at the head.
And the barista...
But how's the coffee? I had a double ristretto:
The extraction looks beautiful. Thick, creama, molted. On the nose, it was aromatic, dark...perhaps a touch foreboding. On the palate, it was a bit bright...this made from Jimmy Monkey's house blend, a touch sour...but fully characteristic of the beans. The mouthfeel was deep, viscous, full body. Nice.
The latte art could do with a bit more definition. I didn't taste it, but as we know, milk will mask the taste of the espresso, making it milder, more rounded, taking the edges off. I began a discussion with Michael...and we talked at length about roasting, blending and pulling shots. How some shots are better suited for straight up espresso, some ristretto, and others need a touch of milk.
A 1.5kg sample roaster stood at one side...
We also tried the chocolate lava cake...
Superb. I recommend this as well....the molten lava oozes out at the most agreeable viscosity...
Jimmy Monkey wears my badge of approval for espresso. Highly recommended.
Jimmy Monkey Cafe & Bar
9 One North Gateway
#01-51 One-North Residences
1 comment:
try their french toasts the next time u visit. recommended!
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