This CBD-area café is as serious about its coffee as it is with its food. Run by premium coffee importers, JBM (Just Beautiful Moments) Coffee Works, Coffee & Dining’s 106-seater dining room is dominated by a two-metre tall, German-made Probat Roaster and coffee grinders placed artfully on shelves against the wall. The allday dining menu of French-Italian dishes here falls under the purview of former Au Petit Salut chef Chamara Fonseska.
The food
The cream of the crop here is pan-fried crispy frog legs, simply seasoned with salt and pepper and served alongside mushroom ravioli ($24). The Alfred ($16), an alfredo sauce loaded with chicken and wild mushrooms tossed in tagliatelle pasta, is a rich and creamy dish – the servings are big, so if you’re dying to try a range of dishes, bring troops to share your meal with. The traditionally chunky French cassoulet at JBM eschews meat in favour of seafood ($32), and each pot comes enriched with lobster, mussels, prawns and scallops – given the heft and hearty portions of the dish, we recommend sharing this between two and three diners. Fresh invention is also injected into the plate of jazzed up bolognese ($17), which comes with Japanese kurobuta pork and tagliatelle. The menu is packed with over 40 items on the menu, ranging from snacks to salads and pastas. For dessert, the espresso crème brûlée ($8) showcases JBM’s coffee smarts. The strident espresso notes gives the sweet custard and burnt sugar dessert
The drinks
The coffees here are brewed using beans from Brazil and Ethiopia. To really taste the flavours of this special blend, go for a solo ($3.50) or doppio ($4.50) shot of expresso. For a tamer option, try the JBM Special Lattes (from $6), laced with flavors like vanilla, salted caramel, caramel or hazelnut or the mocha on ice ($7).
Verdict
Priced a little higher than other cafés, but pretty reasonable as far as CBD prices go. The food here is hearty, and the space suitable for hosting large groups during lunch. Overall, JBM is a great mid-day pleaser with their strong gourmet coffee. For this café, food means business so just as their coffee is good, the food is even better. Just remember to avoid lunch times, or be prepared for a long wait. Madihah Hamid