Cafe Crema - Could've Done Better

On days when the need arises (a.k.a the need-writing-inspiration-but-lazy-to-go-far feeling), I'll fall back on Cafe Crema for my teatime fix. Crema refers to the layer of foam on the surface of an espresso - an apt name for a cafe.

They put forth an impressive front. Shiny large signboard? Check. Calming greenery all around? Check. Strategic seating arrangements? Check.

Wait, perhaps I spoke too hastily for the last one. The slightly-over-50 seater cafe seems a tad small with most seats geared towards a larger group. Combine this with customers' tendency to hog seats here, and it is almost impossible to grab a spot on weekend afternoons. 

All hot drinks come with a sweet cinnamon-flavored biscuit to dunk. The Hot Chocolate ($6.00) is prepared with a large dose of milk, rendering it more creamy than chocolatey. Hardcore fans of this drink might expect something thicker, but I enjoyed its smoothness. 

The Hazelnut Latte ($6.50), a chef's recommendation, contained a pleasant tinge of hazelnut and acidity was kept to a bare minimum. 

I wasn't wowed by the Tandoori Chicken Ciabatta ($12.00), which had a sparse smattering of side greens and potato chips that tasted like they came from a Lay's packet. The best feature was its thin chicken slices, aromatically infused with curry. The garlic spread applied to the bread did not distract from the dry, tough top half that lacked the trademark crispiness of ciabatta. Thankfully the base tasted better, being more moist and not as difficult to bite into. 

Dotted with raisins, bite-sized apple chunks that were juicy enough, and nuts with a hint of tea, the slice of Apple Crumble ($6.50) was adequate and sufficiently sweet. 

Most unfortunately, service was barely passable - the crew were slow to take charge of the counter and smiles were as rare as rain in June. And even though I requested for my drink to be "extra hot", the temperature was still lukewarm. 

I had higher hopes for Cafe Crema. Ironically, it looks like the cafe, whose slogan is "handcrafted coffee and sandwiches", needs to work harder on their craftsmanship if they want to continue drawing the crowd.

Halal Certified: No

Westgate Mall 
3 Gateway Drive, #01-06

Website: http://www.cafecrema.com.sg/


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