The Duxton area is one of the areas that is teeming with cafes now, serving various cuisines and catering to different dining experiences. Just a stone's throw away from the bustling Chinatown district (especially during this Chinese New Year period), the Duxton area provides a good hideaway for those who prefer to stay away from the thronging crowds. One of the more popular/highly-rated cafes in the area is the Department of Caffeine. It had a rather unassuming storefront and you would certainly miss it if you weren't looking out for it. The cafe itself is long and narrow, and I have to say that seating here is quite tight, that is, your personal space can be quite limited especially during peak hours. That being said, it's nice to have a noisy environment so that you can meet up with friends without it being too awkward. The interior looks classy, with wooden panels visible around the cafe and sharp edges. I got a swivel stool so I was pretty happy spinning around in that.
With a name like the Department of Caffeine, one would expect a high quality of coffee served. Is the coffee on par with its name? More on that later.
The barista hard at work
Five Senses Hand-drip Coffee
Cute blocks to display on your table while waiting for your order (:
Hotcakes ($16)
Served with maple syrup and honey, dusted with icing and homemade blueberry compote, and comes with butterscotch ice cream.
Just look at how pretty it looks in the picture (: The taste did not disappoint either, especially with the fresh blueberries. They were extremely juicy and went well with the plain hotcakes. The maple syrup and honey ensures that those with a sweet tooth will be satisfied. The pancakes were light and fluffy, and it's good that the batter did not have any contrasting tastes (i.e salty) that would ruin the dish. In my opinion, having the maple syrup is completely optional as the compote and the ice cream already make it a very wholesome serving. However, having only 3 relatively small pancakes means that this might not be the most filling choice on the menu.
Buttermilk Waffles ($13)
Served with rum bananas, maple syrup, New Zealand Vanilla ice cream and dusted with icing.
Another salivating picture for you guys to enjoy (: I LOVED THIS. The waffles had a much stronger taste as compared to the above featured hotcakes, and I like how the waffle traps little pockets of melted ice cream with every bite. The rum taste was present, but not overpowering in the bananas and I had to control myself not to finish all the bananas before my waffles. I also shared the blueberry compote with my friend so i was able to have like the taste of blueberries, rum bananas, vanilla ice cream and maple syrup in every bite. Heavenly. A must order, especially for its price.
Cappuccino
Time for the Coffee Test! I was pleasantly surprised that my Cappuccino didn't have as much foam as I expected, and the latte art is fairly pretty as well. However, I have to admit that I was slightly disappointed with the coffee overall. It's good, yes, but I'm relieved that I did not order a latte, or I would have been hard-pressed to taste the coffee. That being said, the drink as a whole is smooth, especially since Meiji milk was used in its preparation. It also wasn't as roasty as I'd hoped it would be (still comapring coffees with that served in Chye Seng Huat and Tiong Bahru Bakery) and it lacked a bit of the coffee aroma that coffee lovers love.
The Weekday Menu
I spoke to the staff and apparently the weekday menu doesn't differ much from its weekend counterpart, except that they focus on their all-day breakfast items on weekends.
In conclusion, it was a great experience at Department of Caffeine. I would definitely come back, especially since they do their customers a great service by accepting reservations. That means no needless waiting is necessary. I didn't get to try their food items on this visit, but I look forward to trying their salads, Pulled Pork burger and Cordon Bleu chicken in future visits as they have been highly rated by others. The cafe can easily accommodate up to parties of 6 per group, but for larger groups, it might be better to call in. For their desserts, stick to their buttermilk waffles! Super delicious and probably the only thing you should order if you have only room for one item.
Expect to pay: $20 for food and drinks
15 Duxton Road
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