Black And Gold Coffee Stop: Cosy CBD Cafe With $4 Cold Brew, Prawn Mentaiko Shokupan And More

Black and Gold Coffee Stop in Clarke Quay

There has been a fair number of restaurants and bakeries popping up in Clarke Quay lately. The list includes IG-famous bakery Whiskdom for their lava brownies, and Minion Cafe’s return. While not exactly new, Black and Gold Coffee Stop is one cute cafe that caught our attention while we were browsing in Havelock 2 a couple of weeks back.

Discreetly tucked in the basement of the mall, the small coffee house is run by a young and lovely couple. They were previously at Hong Lim Food Centre before moving to People’s Park for a while, and thereafter settling into their cosy space at the nearby Havelock 2.

There’s a narrow aisle with seats along the side entrance of the cafe, and a few more at the counter, so I’d say this is more of an eat-and-go spot, or takeaway kiosk instead. I do love the layout and simple decor though, as I think they add to the cafe’s homey charm.

Black and Gold Coffee Stop’s menu sees a mix of drinks, as well as cakes, cookies, and toasts that are specially made in their tiny kitchen behind. It’s amazing how they manage to utilise their space to offer a decent selection of bites and beverages under one roof.

A must-try is the Mentaiko Prawn Toast ($8.90), which features a thick slice of house-baked shokupan toast piled with a creamy mish-mash of scrambled eggs, mentaiko sauce, and prawns. Topped with microgreens to lighten the palate, and a parmesan crisp for additional texture, the dish is rich and savoury. The portion is just nice for breakfast or a light lunch, so you won’t find it too jelak.

The star of the show is the shokupan—soft and fluffy, balanced by a firm and chewy crust. As the bread is freshly baked in-house and toasted to order, its taste and texture are on par with the ones served at many brunch cafes on the market. Other flavours on the menu include the Truffle Mushroom Medley ($7.50), which highlights seasonal mushrooms and a truffle mayo, and the Classic ($4.50), a no-frills version with only scrambled eggs on toast.

For a sweet treat, order a slice of gluten-free Chocolate Almond Cake in the Original ($4.80) or Rum & Raisin ($6) flavour. The latter features a dense and fudgy chocolate centre, spiked with potent rum and rum-soaked raisins. You get the sweetness and richness of the dark chocolate, paired with a hit of booze for a well-rounded flavour profile.

In addition to cakes, Black and Gold Coffee Stop also does a small selection of cookies. The Eggless Almond Cookie ($4.50 for 100g) is a crumbly cookie with a distinct almond flavour that remind me of a CNY goodie, sans the jelak buttery notes. As it’s light and not too sweet, it goes well with your choice of beverage.

One of their best-selling drinks is the Flash ($6), a slow-dripped coffee that’s full-bodied and strong, yet smooth, Alternatively, Black and Gold Coffee Stop also offers a Cold Brew of the Week, priced at an affordable $4.

Those who prefer tea will be pleased with the options served here, which are all reasonably priced at $3.50 for the hot version, and $4 for cold. The Vanilla Chai, a fragrant blend of black tea with ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and nutmeg, is a must-try. Another strong brew is the Russian Earl Grey, an orange and lemongrass twist to the classic bergamot-forward tea.

Do note that the cafe is only open on weekdays during working hours. Seats are limited here, so if you want to snag one, make sure you drop by during non-peak hours. Alternatively, grab a cuppa to-go and have a walk around the mall to discover more foodie gems!

For more eats in Havelock 2, check out Mother-In-Law Egg Tart for freshly baked egg tarts in flavours such as Yam & Purple Potato. Then, take a leisure walk to Keong Saik to check out popular danish bakery Leckerbaer‘s second outlet!

Address: 2 Havelock Road #B1-27, Havelock 2, Singapore 059763
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am to 5pm
Tel: 90051219
Website

Photos taken by Tan Zi Hui.