Rangoon Road seems like the new spot where all the hipsters could converge, as more and more cafes start to line up along this particular enclave, such as the likes of La Coffee, Old Hen, GRUB noodle bar and Woodshed 204.
Jewel is not new to this scene as this outlet is its an extension of its successful artisanal coffee outlet, Jewel Coffee at 1 Shenton Way. Known for its coffee, Jewel aims to expand its menu to more than just coffee, serving up mains and brunch in this 2-storey outlet along Rangoon Road.
The Place
Despite multiple visits to Rangoon Road, I have never taken notice of the presence of Jewel, and was in fact taken aback when I realized that they were situated in this very happening area. Situated on the opposite side of the road from Old Hen, Founder’s BKT and Woodshed, it is no wonder why I haven’t realized their existence until I happened to be on the other side of the road one fine day.
Located just beside the new yogurt place, The Cold Pantry, Jewel Cafe takes on a chic and industrial look, which I thought separates them from their counterparts within this enclave. The main reason why we decided to walk into Jewel was because they had free wifi, and it happened to be a Thursday on that day. Why Thursday?
1 for 1 Pastas!!!! Who could possibly resist?!
Jewel Cafe occupies a rather large space, in fact it’s one of the more spacious cafes I’ve been to. In addition to its 2-storey high cafe, they also have outdoor seating where smoking is allowed! Pretty thoughtful and a good use of space.
The outdoor seating!
A communal table for sharing or to fit large groups of diners!
Pretty bronze hexagons on the ceiling, giving it a very rustic and industrial look.
Check out their pretty UPPER floor and the first floor here!
On Google Virtual Tours, contact The Red Marker
The Food
Besides serving coffee, the menu also includes mains, brunch and even desserts! Here’s a look at the menu! Their mains look really, really enticing, I would love to try them one day! Since it was a Thursday, we focused on the pasta menu instead! I didn’t know why nothing on the menu excited me on that day, maybe because I already had lunch, but looking at it now, just makes my tummy rumble. We eventually decided to order a Mushroom Medley Pasta and a Chili Crab Pasta!Mushroom Medley Pasta ($16++): Linguine tossed with garlic confit oil, topped with medley of FIVE mushrooms, truffle oil and aged parmesan cheese. What drew us to this dish were the words, MUSHROOM and TRUFFLE. 2 of the best things in this universe. And when they call this a mushroom medley, they were definitely serious about it because this dish is what all mushroom lovers dream of. The mushrooms were succulent and juicy, and went absolutely well with the garlic confit oil. The pasta was the textbook definition of al dente, and really, we were very impressed with this. I couldn’t stop myself from just having a few mouthfuls!
Chili Crab Pasta ($20++): Linguine tossed in homemade spicy chili crab sauce garnished with mantou. I thought the sauce tasted weird initially, but it kinda grew on me after awhile. I thought there was a gingery taste in the sauce on my first try, but it got pretty addictive towards the end. Not exactly a dish that’s worth $20 I would say, but a good try on the fusion dish. And here’s Rainbo on his virgin photoshoot with my food. Hahaha! I LOVE THE MUSHROOM MEDLEY PASTA!
Oh before I forget here’s my iced mocha, one of the better ones I’ve had. I have no idea what beans they used, or whatsoever, If you realized, I drink a lot of coffee, but I’m not an expert on describing the taste of coffee, or how different blends and beans taste like. All I can tell is, if it’s good or bad, and this cup of iced mocha was definitely on the point. A perfect blend of coffee and chocolate, and the flavor stayed strong even when the ice were melted. A good measure of the quality of coffee to me!
Closing Remarks
I thought Jewel cafe had quite a conducive space to chill and to get some work done. The ambience was laidback, they served amazing coffee and the free wifi was definitely a plus in my books! Besides, both pastas we had were more than satisfactory! I wonder what would the rest of their mains be like! Jewel cafe is definitely THE cafe to visit when you’re around the area of Rangoon Road. A pity that they don’t serve cakes, or else they would be just PERFECT.
How to get there?
129 Rangoon Road, Singapore 218407
Farrer Park MRT exit B, 5 minutes walk.
Opening Hours
Tue – Thu: 9:00 am – 10:00 pm
Fri – Sat: 9:00 am – 11:00 pm
Sun: 9:00 am – 10:00 pm
Reblogged this on LIFE in SE ASIA a daily magazine.