Tiong Hoe Specialty Coffee

21 October 2014

Tiong Hoe is a place that I would love to visit more often, not only because of the smooth and full-bodied coffee (the way I like it), but also because of the friendly service.

I first heard about Tiong Hoe from W whose boyfriend enjoys the coffee very much there. Then when I went to The Klatch, I was told that they get their beans from Tiong Hoe. W said that the coffee was much better at Tiong Hoe. This really piqued my interest – how good can it be?

I later found out that Tiong Hoe is managed by a second-generation local coffee roaster. The founder, Mr Tan Tiong Hoe, has been roasting coffee beans from the 1960s. That is more than 50 years of experience! That being said, Tiong Hoe is not exactly a café; they are more like a coffee roaster and supplier to the cafés in Singapore, with The Klatch being one of them. There is also a retail rack that sells coffee-making tools.

The décor reflects the rich history that Tiong Hoe has; some furniture, I believe, are from the olden days. You can also see the coffee bean sacks and other coffee making equipment as part of the furnishings.  This place is definitely not like the other vintage/hipster-wannabe cafés; this is the real deal!

I had a Cappuccino on my first visit. By the way, they do not set a price for their coffee; it is on a tipping basis. It was the best Capp I have had in a very long while; it was strong and creamy, very much to my liking. Other Capps that I had previously were lacking in body and tasted like Lattes instead. The Capp at Tiong Hoe was definitely a thumbs-up for me!

And since we were there in the morning, we were the only patrons other than a gentleman who came all the way from Jurong to have his cup of coffee while buying coffee beans. We talked to him about coffee drinking in general. He was having the hand-brew coffee and suggested that we gave it a try. Juliana, the barista, actually made us a cup without us asking for it. She offered not one, but two cups of hand-brewed coffee. Though they were still too strong for my liking, but I was very impressed by this gesture. She also shared a bit on the different coffee profiles. This is exactly the kind of café experience that I like; good coffee, nice ambience and an experienced barista who is willing to share his/her knowledge with their visitors.

The second time I was there, Juliana was flanked by Bryan, another barista. Once we were seated, he offered us ice water and asked what we wanted. I had the latte and E, who is not a coffee drinker, asked for a Mocha. Again, I liked what I had. By now, Tiong Hoe has won me over with stamped mark of approval for delivering consistently good coffee. I didn’t try E’s mocha, but she didn’t complain, so I guess it was good as well.

J prefers black coffee, so Bryan suggested the hand-brew coffee. This time, I took a sip, and I actually thought it was alright! I didn’t ask what blend that was, but I was sure that it tasted fruity. It was the first time that I actually enjoyed hand-brewed coffee. Level up, maybe? 😉

All this while, Bryan was stealing glances at us to ensure that we liked our drinks. This is again, a very nice “after-sale service” from the staff. Unfortunately, we were not able to hold long conversations with them as they were closing.

The next time I am there, I will make sure I go there in the morning, when it is not crowded, so I can converse with the knowledgeable baristas and learn a little more on coffees. It may not have the best location, but the quality coffee and learning opportunities definitely make up for it. Coffee aficionados, do check out Tiong Hoe! Remember to bring cash and tip according to your experience 🙂

Tiong Hoe Specialty Coffee
Blk 170 Stirling Road #01-1133
Singapore 140170

Mon – Fri: 8:30am – 5:30pm
Sat: 9am – 4pm

https://www.facebook.com/tionghoesc