Nested in Sembawang Hills estate, this charming, quaint yet cosy café has been making waves ever since its debut on the local scene back in 2017. Interiors were modern industrial with wood accents, accessorised with Edison bulbs and giant clear windows to allow for lots of natural light to flood the space during the day. We think that it’s a pretty lovely spot for weekend brunches with a couple of bosom buddies or just a quiet mid-afternoon coffee with a book while the world passes by.
Coffee aromas fill the air as soon as you enter as speciality coffee is roasted in-house to produce quality coffee blends to offer black ($3.50), white ($4.50) and cold brews ($7). To appease non-coffee drinkers, they also have honourable offerings such as the chai latte ($6.50), matcha latte ($6), a range of Kombuchas ($8) and local craft beers ($12).
Known to serve up warm and comforting nosh, we came hungry and were excited to revisit this spot. The Smoked Pulled Pork and Scrambled Croissant ($19) is touted to be the must-order item on the brunch menu and so we did. The signature oak-smoked pulled pork was juicy and well seasoned as it was packed with smoky meaty flavours while the homemade BBQ sauce introduced an acidic tang that helps to balance out each bite. Coupled with a flaky buttery croissant and creamy luscious scrambled eggs, this plate is a solid contender for the breakfast of champions.
Cafes and carbonaras are quite the synonym in Singapore but unfortunately, they usually fall short in terms of execution. Cue in the Garlic Carbonara where al-dente linguine is tossed in addictive roasted garlic-infused cream sauce with salty bacon, delicate yet plump globules of ikura and umami flakes of bonito. Topped off with a sous-vide egg to bind it all together, each mouthful is an explosion of rich savoury flavours and textures that would turn any bad day around. Fair disclaimer for carbonara purists, this is definitely a twist of a carbonara dish so please hold your breath on the “this isn’t how carbonara should be done” debate.
While the spot boasts an extensive menu with the likes of the famous Thus breakfast, katsu sandos and many more mains that will leave you spoilt for choice, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to revisit the Hearty Chicken Stew ($17) that was the evergreen dish since the beginning. Expect a generous serving of fork-tender chicken leg that sits on a bed of velvety stew with herbaceous root vegetables. Accompanied with toasted multigrain bread that’s perfect for sopping up all that leftover juice, the homely stew instantly reminded us of a warm hug with our first bite in.
While this may cause quite the controversy with all the half-assed stews and oddly appropriated jambalayas attempted by cafés across the years that we’ve witnessed, what surprised us was the fact was that we unanimously agreed that the Hearty Chicken Stew was our favourite dish out of all that we had – clearly no regrets.
It is pretty clear that Thus Coffee has managed to remain consistent with their quality offerings from perhaps running a tight ship amongst passionate individuals. But whatever they are doing, we’re here to reassure you that it works and is still working. So if you're tired of jostling at CBD cafés but want some hearty grub and good coffee, this gem is the place to be.
Time Out Singapore reviews anonymously and pays for all meals. Read our restaurant review policy here.
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