Baristart Coffee at Tras Street

Tanjong Pagar is home to a thriving coffee scene and there are so many cafes to discover in the area around the MRT Station. Among the conserved shophouses of Tras Street is a cafe with an understated shopfront. Baristart Coffee at 65 Tras Street has a small signboard and its windows and doors have darkened glass so you cannot see the inside. The doors, however, open up to a charming attractive space for a cup of good coffee or a light meal.

Baristart Coffee at Tras Street

Baristart Coffee started out as a simple coffee stand in Sapporo using rich Hokkaido milk products. Baristart Coffee Singapore opened in early 2019 with a full cafe menu. Their website says that from “coffee to desserts and savouries, Baristart Coffee prides itself on its use of pure uncompromising quality of Hokkaido dairy that is both rich and creamy with a tinge of sweetness”.

Walking along the narrow corridors of Tras Street shophouses, one can easily go past Baristart Coffee thinking that it is just another office space. Only the narrow bar counters facing the road tell you that it is likely an F&B establishment.

Behind the grey facade with white doors is a charming cafe. The design style of the interiors is hard to define. There are industrial elements with concrete floors and Edison bulbs. There are light wood bar counters and leather sofa sets. Faux black bricked walls, white marble slaps and plants are used as part of the palette. Perhaps, that is just the quirky Japanese cafe style. In any case, the long narrow space of Baristart Coffee at Tras Street has an unpretentious allure and a relaxed atmosphere.

Baristart Coffee Menu

Notwithstanding its name, the food menu of Baristart Coffee is actually much longer than its coffee menu. Besides sweets like puddings, cakes and cream puffs, there are savoury items like eggs benedict, pasta and rice bowls. Below are pictures of the Baristart Coffee’s menu and drinks list.

There are also attractive items on the display in the chiller at the cashier’s counter and you can just go up there to select what you like.

Waffle & Coffee at Baristart

We visited Baristart Coffee recently and had waffle and coffee there.

Mixed Berry Waffle

The Mixed Berry Waffle ($14.80) looked colourful and luscious. The waffle was topped with strawberries, blueberries, fruit compote, almond and pistachio. A cookie sat in the middle of the waffle and on the cookie was a swirl of vanilla ice cream. The sweetness of the crisp and flavorrful waffle combined well with the tanginess of the berries. Add the delectable ice cream into the mix and we had a real indulgent treat. We would have the Mixed Berry Waffle as often as our dietician would permit us to.

Americano & Latte

We had an Americano ($4.50) and a Latte ($6.70). The black coffee was a well-brewed cuppa with nice aroma. It was smooth and creamy. The star of the house in Baristart Coffee is the imported Hokkaido BIEI Jersey Milk, used to make their white coffee and other items requiring milk as an ingredient. The milk from Brown Jersey Cows is said to be “rich and creamy with a tinge of sweetness” and “includes a high butterfat and protein”. We have not quite developed the discerning palate that could tell the difference between coffee with decent quality milk and coffee made with ultra-premium milk like Hokkaido BIEI Jersey Milk. All we can say is that the latte at Baristart Coffee was very good.

We would certainly be visiting Baristart Coffee at Tras Street more often. We like their coffee and the cafe also has a selection of savoury dishes for a light meal, so that we can leave some room for their tempting range of Japanese sweets. We also want to try their Shiro Kuma – Hokkaido shaved ice in the shape of a bear.

Ratings:
Food: 4
Service: 4
Value: 3
Atmosphere: 4
Overall Rating: 4 TOPs 

Baristart Coffee
65 Tras Street
Singapore 079004

Tel: +65 6904 3168

Opening Hours: 10:00 to 22:00

Website

The Ordinary Patrons | Real Dining Experience of Ordinary People
an independent Singapore food blog