If you have been travelling along Orchard Road, you would most probably notice this building.
For starters, that is Design Orchard. It is across the road from The Heeren on one side and H&M on the other.
If you have never been to Design Orchard, it has a retail store on the ground level.
Design Orchard is a 3-level building with a cafe on the 3rd level. That cafe is NOWAFTER Cafe.
And do not be fazed by the stairs leading up to the cafe from the front. There is actually a lift which you can access from the back of the building that will bring you up to the 3rd level.
This is the drop-off point, and the lift to the 3rd level is just ahead.
Honestly, the front of the cafe is rather unassuming. But then such hidden cafes and bars are all the rave these days so perhaps this works.
The view from the 3rd level is stunning though. You can sit here and gaze at the traffic below while having a cup of coffee. Late afternoons would be ideal. We were there at about 2 pm and the midday sun was unbearable to remain outdoors for too long.
The cafe is huge and spacious and there was this clear minimalist industrial look going on.
Somehow I found the theme of the cafe rather cold and unwelcoming. But perhaps that is just me. I am assuming it was just in tune with the whole theme of the Design Orchard building to use such furniture.
The cafe was not crowded at all and had a lot of available seating just after lunch on a weekday. I can see this as a possible place for someone to come here and work on his or her laptop over a cup of coffee.
The
I think the food is reasonably priced considering that this cafe is located in the heart of Orchard Road.
The Charkey Bun was supposedly their signature item. It is a charcoal bun with mozzarella, garlic herb butter and truffle sour cream. It just tasted very different. The garlic and truffle taste was overpowering and it was not particularly fluffy and parts of it were hard. I do not think this was worth the $13.
The drinks were also just decent and nothing to shout about. In this day and age where food has to be Instagrammable, I find it perplexing that they served The Beauty Blend tea and the Dark Cocoa Vanilla Latte in disposable paper cups despite the fact that we did not have them to go. Perhaps the cafe should take into account sustainability considerations.
Like why? Should this not be served in a proper cup?
I fail to understand the type of client that this cafe is trying to attract. The Charkey Bun was passable at best and the drinks were items that could be gotten from other cafes in the area and were served in disposable cups.
Well, at least I got some exercise in walking up to the 3rd level to get to the cafe.
NOWAFTER
Address: 250 Orchard Rd, #03-01, Singapore 238905
Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, 9 am to 6 pm
