Had a really chillaxed one too, opting to spend the afternoon at Tiong Bahru in shorts and flip-flops. This place is tranquil. Away from the hustle and bustle of the urban jungle, the physical set-up also gives a laid back and relaxed feel. Low rise flats, wooden flip-open kind of windows, preserved stairways and back alleys, even spotting a few vintage vehicles, made me picture how this place used to look like when images on tv were still in monotone. Everything seems to move at a snail's pace here.
Forty Hands is a quaint little cafe located dismatchingly amongst the old buildings. It is strangely crowded at 3 plus, the staff busy attending to tables in the snuggly cosy shophouse. The front door is pulled open and immediately the aroma of freshly ground coffee beans wafts to your nasal sensors and lifts up your mood. Is that how they hook you inside, to want to explore the cosy interior and indulge in a cuppa?
Iced latte, cappucino and salted cod mash sandwich we enjoyed.
Their toasted sandwiches, at $11 each, might not sound the most value for money but the price is justified by the freshness of the ingredients and crispiness of the bread. Topped with a generous amount of greens, the garlic and herbs are a perfect match for the cod mash. Every mouthful strangely makes me wanna sip some of the iced latte to coax it down my oesophagus. The combination is nothing short of delightful.
A pity the place is too popular and we had to leave the cosy cafe prematurely . The weather was just fine, cloudy and cool, we explored the neighbourhood on foot and found ourselves walking through alleys, peering into the interior of vintage cars, browsing at coffeeshop signboards designed in big, red Chinese characters that resemble the aftermath of toiling through decades of storm and wind.
Tiong Bahru is Singapore we have left behind.
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I yearn for more of such relaxing days for the mind, body and soul. =)
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