Coffee
my vietnamese coffee, with small bananas behind
OK, everyone talks about Singapore’s food, so I’ll start with the first thing I reach for in the morning. Singapore of course can get you Starbucks and espresso, but the locals drink small cups of Kopi, which is a very dark, even sludgelike brew, poured into a cup that contains a few spoonfuls of sweetened condensed milk, and diluted (thank god) with hot water. It’s good – with all that sugar, who cares what the actual coffee tastes like? But you can also get it without sugar or cream, in which case your chest is hairier than mine.
My birthday present this year was two Vietnamese coffee filters, with nice cups, saucers and spoons to match, and 250 grams of “Creative” coffee from Cafe Truong Nguyen. Never heard of it, you say? Well, it’s Vietnam’s riposte to Starbucks, says the proprietor, Jack Yu. Since we live on the far western side of Singapore he delivers it himself, in a Camry with his wife at his side and a baby carseat in the back. Ram loves ordering from Jack as he gets to refer mysteriously to “the shipment” and talk about payment arrangements, meeting points and dropoffs. This is as close to dealing in illicit goods as we’re ever likely to get, so let the man enjoy his thrills. The coffee is really good, too, nice and dark, with a hazelnutty flavor. It drips through the filter into the elegant glass cup, landing gently on its bed of (what else?) sweetened condensed milk, making a hot strong bicolored work of art that you stir up and drink. You sip it if you’re Ram, and kind of gurgle it down if you’re me, since I am unrefined, have no self-control, and am generally desperate for caffeine.
October 1st, 2008 at 11:20 am
We demand pictures! Of the coffee! And of the new celebrity Jack Yu!
Seriously, the Vietnamese coffees are always good, even in the restaurants in the Bay Area. You’ll be totally spoiled once you get used to them. They are the best example of fusion cuisine, and a fusion of two great cuisines, Asian and French.
I like the voice of your writing. You don’t sound ill at all — hopefully that means your ears are fully cured!
October 1st, 2008 at 11:26 am
PS I got a picture of mooncakes on your blog header when I came by to visit just now. The words on the cakes said “Love Beans”, and “Love Birds” (well, “missing-each-other red beans” and Mandarin Duck, to be precise). Where did you get those cakes? They are hilarious!
October 1st, 2008 at 2:09 pm
For those of you looking for Vietnamese coffee in Singapore, check out Jack’s website at
http://www.mycafeadventures.com/
I don’t mind sharing my dealer
October 1st, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Ah, the Love Beans and Love Birds moon cakes come from a shop at the MRT station called “Cake History,” also a pretty funny title. I’m glad those mooncakes showed up on your screen – I have yet to see them on mine, nor the Deepavali picture I uploaded. Anyway, I don’t recall what flavor those cakes were, probably red bean (of course) and maybe pandan and raspberry combined. No mandarin ducks were harmed in the making of those mooncakes!
Pictures of coffee – I have to wait to drink it until I snap its picture? As if that’s going to happen! And as for Jack Yu, Ram’s dealer, only Ram has ever seen him, so we’ll have to wait until Ram orders another “shipment.” I only have Ram’s word for it that Jack exists, come to think of it. That and three of his business cards sticking to the fridge.
October 1st, 2008 at 4:29 pm
See Jack’s webpage (above) for pictures of coffee parties, and a picture of Jack too. And the courier: http://quickdeliveryservice.blogspot.com. This service is too good to keep secret
October 1st, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Check out Jack’s blog. It has great pictures of Vietnam, including some wonderful coffee photos.
http://jackyu.vox.com/
October 2nd, 2008 at 5:45 am
Jack Yu mentioned (and linked to) Lara’s post on his blog! Looks like someone who really enjoys his work.
October 2nd, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Photo supplied, as requested, Mei. Bon Appetite!
Does anyone want to help Jack expand his empire into the U.S.?