I haven’t visited many cafes lately, mainly because all the cafe food just seems the same after awhile —Eggs Benedict, Big Breakfast, French Toast, you name it. I love some variation in my diet and found myself veering off the cafe trend.
When I came across Hei Kim Cafe, it was situated along Changi Road, just a seven-minute walk from Eunos MRT. My dad was driving past and it caught my eye. I did a quick Google search and was intrigued by their menu. Hence, I decided to take a trip down to the East to check if it’s any different from your regular cafe haunt.
From the outside, there was nothing extraordinary about its facade, with ‘Hei Kim’ plastered in bold on the monochrome signage. However, when I walked in I almost immediately changed my mind. There was a warm and cosy vibe of the place which I really liked.
The owner had just done a mini renovation to the place. I enjoyed the minimalistic touch to it, with just a pop of colour from the marbled tables and wooden chairs.
On the left corner of the cafe, there were some retail goodies for sale such as cards, paper flowers and grounded coffee. The owner told me they were all locally-designed and -made. They are really pretty too, and I even got one myself. I really like the idea of supporting local products and was glad the owner included this initiative.
Not gonna lie, the Furikado (S$12) was a sight to behold and I was pretty impressed. It was country bread generously slathered with avocado and sprinkled with a heap of seaweed furikake. We added on Ramen Eggs (S$3), which was totally worth it in my opinion.
The bread was nicely toasted, but a little too tough and chewy for my liking. The avocado was thick and creamy, with the furikake adding a nice touch of saltiness to it. The Ramen Eggs were very flavourful, props to the sweet and savoury marinade.
It was just slightly runny, although I personally prefer a much more gooey yolk. Nonetheless, it was still a very satisfying dish that had a nice Asian touch to the classic avocado on toast.
The Beetroot Pancakes (S$15) was very instagrammable as well. Beautifully plated, four bright red pancakes were stacked atop one another with a dollop of avocado dressing. Dukkah was scattered around the plate for a nice classy touch.
The pancakes were slightly denser and chewier than what you’d expect but in a good way. I was intrigued and asked the owner. I then found out she grates beetroot and carrots into the mixture, and add oats to them for a nice bite. Although alone they do not have a distinct taste, it went extremely well with the avocado dressing.
The avocado dressing had yoghurt mixed in, creating a light and tangy complement for the heavier pancakes. Don’t miss out on the dukkah, which is a mixture of herbs, nuts and spices. It had a unique flavour profile that enhances the dish.
As the desserts are all baked in-house, I had to get my hands on one. I had a hard time choosing as they were all so special like Chilli Chocolate Tart and Black Sesame Chocolate Banana Bread. I finally settled on the Sweet Potato Mont Blanc (S$6) as I personally really like the usual chestnut one.
The vibrant purple from the puréed sweet potatoes was a pleasant surprise. Cutting into it, I was surprised that there was more mashed sweet potato right in the core of the tart. Tastewise, there wasn’t much to it in my opinion.
I enjoyed the crunchy biscuit base, and the whipped cream did provide a little sweetness to the already-sweet sweet potatoes. The mousse-like texture contrasted with the tart and I liked the mouthfeel. Nothing I would shout about though. Perhaps the other desserts would be better!
The owner did mention to me that she doesn’t really like sweet stuff, so she cut down on the sugar in all her menu items.
We ordered some drinks as well, a Flat White (S$4) and a Butterfly Pea Lemon (S$5). The former was made with beans from Necessary Provisions. I enjoyed the coffee, which had a full body with a nice smooth finish.
The caffeine-free tea was pretty to look at, as butterfly pea flower tea has the ability to change its colour from blue to purple from the acidity of the lemon. However, it just tasted like lemon water. I didn’t mind though; it was refreshing and helped to cleanse my palate.
While they do have the usual cafe offerings as well, they differ slightly from the norm with their own twist. The owner is pretty health-centric and tries to make food that is both healthy and delicious. Pretty successful if you ask me from what I’ve tried. It is also humbling to note that she makes everything by herself.
Priced affordably, you can easily get a satisfying main and a drink until S$20. With no GST and service charge (plus WiFi!), I’ll definitely be back here again!
Expected Damage: S$4 – S$15 per pax
Price: $
Our Rating: 4 / 5
Hei Kim Cafe
285 Changi Road, Singapore 419764
Hei Kim Cafe
285 Changi Road, Singapore 419764