Foodography: A Singapore Food Blog

Occupying a small and cosy unit along the ground floor of the WIS@Changi building is Komunal, a café which I first came to know as a café with a cause. The café employs a neurodivergent crew, allowing them to hone skills such as barista skills while fostering inclusivity.

On a clear morning, sunlight pours into the café for the first couple of hours from opening, and the café basks in strong golden hues which enliven it.    

On my first 2 visits, the food menu was unfortunately limited, and desserts were out of stock, so I went with just coffee and scones. I had the White coffee ($6, +$1 for oat milk) made using the Vanta espresso blend from Colombia and Brazil. This came with tasting notes of milk chocolate, pecan, vanilla cream. I also tried the Tasting Flight ($9) which came with the White and an espresso shot.

Their Scones ($6.5), served with housemade strawberry jam and rich clotted cream, were on the flaky side, somewhat different from the classic British scones which tend to be fluffy on the inside.

There were 2 types of matcha on the menu – the Shinpeki ($8) and Sora ($7). I had the Shinpeki on my first visit as a latte, but I later found out from their updated menu that it should be drank pure as usucha instead. The Sora, a matcha latte ceremonial blend from Shizuoka, Japan, which I had on my subsequent visits, was more suitable to be drank as a latte, with a rich, creamy and smooth texture.

When I went back to try the food menu, I had the Turkish Eggs ($7). The soft-boiled eggs, with runny yolks, were served on creamy yogurt, drizzled with chili oil, and accompanied with white bread. It was a simple and satisfying dish.

To end, I had the recommended Tiramisu ($8.5) – made inhouse with layers of mascarpone, espresso-soaked ladyfingers brewed from their house blend, dusted with cocoa on top. It was rich and creamy, with a good ratio of mascarpone to sponge.

I loved that the café exuded warm, friendly, kind vibes, and I felt at ease whenever I dropped by.

116 Changi Road, #01-11, Singapore 419718

Mon 8am – 4pm

Tue to Sun 8am – 6pm

Having previously moved out of NEWest mall to Crawford Lane, folks living in the west are lucky that Simple Café has now shifted back to their original location. They have retained their original concept and philosophy of keeping things “簡單”, or simple, with a minimalistic interior and homely atmosphere that would seemingly transport you to a café in Taiwan. There were also pet-friendly outdoor seats.

Since its reopening, the menu has expanded to offer a wider variety of items, and changes on a seasonal basis. When I went, I had the Jul – Aug menu which has now been refreshed to their Sep – Oct menu. I noted that the prices were on the lower side for a typical café in Singapore.

On the drinks menu were some unique drinks such as the Osmanthus Latte and Pineapple Topic, however I stuck with my usual Hot White ($5). If you’re a matcha fan, there are the Uji Matcha Latte, Dirty Macha and Matcha Lemonade for you to choose from.

Amongst the dishes I tried, my top pick would be the Pink Guava Salad with Saba Fish ($14). The colourful and aesthetically pleasing dish came with a variety of vegetables such as pumpkin, kale, baby carrot, baby corn, baby tomatoes, broccoli. Surprisingly, the saba paired well with the pink guava sauce and partly masked its fishiness. It was overall a very well-balanced dish, with a suitable amount of vegetables, carbs, and protein.

I also had the Sweet Potato Apple Soup with their Seasonal Sweet Potato Bread ($12). Interestingly, the soup had a combination of sweet and savoury flavours. The bread was a tad dry on its own but satisfying when dipped in the soup.  

Sadly, I only had space for 1 dessert after having the salad and soup – I selected what looked to be the most interesting and pretty option – the Guava Cheesecake ($9). The cheesecake was light enough for me to finish it on my own, with the subtle sweetness and tanginess from the pink guava.  

Despite its location in the far west, it was well worth the commute time for the unpretentious fare and vibes.

1 West Coast Dr, #01-92, Singapore 128020

9am – 6pm Tue to Sun (closed on Mon)

Helmed by a Korean baker from the famed Tartine Bakery in Seoul, Lean and Rich Bakery opened in UE Square last year as a Northern European, minimalistic style bakery. The bakery café occupies a modest space on the first floor of UE Square, with a bold red branding for their name/logo and storefront. The interior is kept minimal with cement floors, exposed ceilings and simple wooden tables and stools.

On the weekends, the indoor area got filled up quickly about an hour into their opening and patrons started to take up seats in the outdoor area where more tables were placed.

“Lean and Rich” refers to the type of dough used in the menu items. Lean dough, made with basic ingredients, is used to bake bread such as their signature sourdough and focaccia; Rich dough, made with additional ingredients like eggs, butter, sugar and milk, is used in the pastries.

From the “Rich” menu, I tried both the Vanilla ($7) and Pistachio ($7). My pick would be the Vanilla – I thought the smooth and creamy vanilla filling with vanilla beans paired better with the flaky and buttery croissant layers. On the other hand, I felt that the Pistachio custard was a tad too sweet and lacked the distinct nuttiness I was expecting.

For drinks, I tried the Vanilla Bean Latte ($7), Vanilla Bean Milk ($5.5), White ($5.7, +$1 for oat milk) and Matcha Latte ($7). The vanilla drinks and matcha latte were too sweet for my liking and I would stick with the White.

Post-opening, the café also launched breakfast/brunch dishes. Reminiscent of the Scandinavian breakfast was the Morning Platter ($11) which came with sourdough, soft-boiled egg, cheese, whipped butter and fig jam. I enjoyed the simple yet classic dish.

The Apple and Brie ($12) was a good surprise – I particularly liked the balance between the subtly sweet apple, candied pecan and honey and the savoury brie cheese, wild rocket and pastry layers. The mix of textures was also commendable.                                                                  

Perhaps the most luxurious item on the menu, the Caponata and Burrata ($21) came with sourdough, a goulash-like mixture of eggplant, tomato, onion, celery, pine nuts, and burrata cheese. The burrata unveiled a soft and creamy filling, which when spread on the vegetables topped on the crispy, toasted sourdough, made a scrumptious open-faced sandwich.

With the emphasis and focus on serving consistently quality bread and pastries, I could see why the bakery gets crowded right from the early morning.

81 Clemenceau Ave, UE Square, #01-14, Singapore 239917

Tues to Fri 8.30am – 5pm

Sat and Sun 8.30am – 4pm