As if Jalan Besar isn’t already swamped with cafés, VXX Cooperative – a combination of the Roman numerals for five and 20 – is the latest to join the ’hood. And it’s probably one of the few ‘Muslim-friendly’ joints in the area. While not certified Halal, co-owner Aslam Yusoff claims the café only uses Halal ingredients.
On to the food, VXX incorporates its own spin on all your café standard fare. So instead of pairing eggs Benedict with salmon or ham, smoked duck makes an appearance alongside homemade shallot hotcake and hollandaise sauce ($17). For a meatier meal, go for the pulled beef bowl ($17): it stars tender braised beef brisket, lemon brown butter sauce, baby potatoes and wild rocket. Feeling spontaneous? Try the Staff Meal, which is kinda like VXX’s take on omakase – it’s completely up to the chef. The menu changes every three to four months, so you can look forward to a new experience each time.
And don’t forget to stop for a cuppa. VXX Cooperative carefully curates beans from a clutch of internationally renowned roasters. Sip on some Joe from Malaysia’s Cloud Catcher, Norway’s Tim Wendelboe, Sweden’s Koppi and, for something closer to home, Singapore’s very own Nylon Coffee Roasters.