Quite possibly the hottest café in town now, POUT is a newly opened rooftop café perched on the 6th floor of the CMO building along Boat Quay. As soon as I stepped out of the elevator into the café, I felt like I got transported out of the hustle of the CBD into a vibey lounge in NYC.
In the morning, sunlight filtered through the front windows, naturally lighting up the otherwise dimly lit interior of the café, and casting angular shadows. One of the highlights here is the view. Despite the café being located on a relatively low rooftop, the skyline view of some of our iconic landmarks – Singapore Flyer, Marina Bay Sands, the Merlion – is still partially unobstructed. There are outdoor seats from where you can directly enjoy the view, though I prefer the much more comfortable and cooling indoor seating.
Order directly from the front counter – the menu is compact with classic coffee options (Black and White), interesting iced drinks (Honeycomb Latte, Salted Caramel Mocha, Peanut Butter Mocha, Strawberry Matcha, Coconut Matcha Cloud), homemade desserts (Cheesecake, Tiramisu) and sweet and savoury pastries (Brown Sugar Kouign Amann, Sticky Cinnamon Bun with Pecan, Matcha Croissant, Matcha Cruffin, Smoked Chicken Pain Suisse).
I had the Classic White ($5.90, +$1 for oat milk), using the Sunbird espresso blend which was recommended by the barista as a lighter option vs. the alternative option, Apache. A full-bodied medium roast blend of Ethiopia, Brazil and Laos beans, the coffee was indeed on the lighter side, with very mild acidity.
I also tried their Matcha Latte ($6.90), which was just lightly sweetened.
Though the viennoiseries in the glass display on the coffee counter were tempting, I decided to go for their homemade Brulee Basque Cheesecake ($9.90). The slice of cheesecake was brûléed with a layer of caramelized sugar and served with a dollop of yogurt on the side. The tartness of the yogurt helped balance the density and sweetness of the cake, which I felt could have a creamier, lava core.
Apart from the atmosphere and coffee, I found the service here to be very welcoming, warm and friendly – a missing element in many cafes these days. I heard that queues are snaking on the weekday afternoons, so I highly recommend to visit early in the morning for the uninterrupted chill moment.
50 South Bridge Rd, Unit 06-00, Singapore 058682
Mon – Fri 8am to 5pm
Foodography: A Singapore Food Blog 