If you think Nanyang coffee is a “bean there, done that” beverage, wait till you try Butter Bean!
Nanyang coffee, or simply “kopi”, is Singapore’s traditional roasted coffee that is served in almost all coffee shops and food courts islandwide. It has a strong roasted flavour with a relatively high acidity and mild bitterness. It is also usually roasted with butter to give it a smoother consistency.
There are several classic ways to enjoy your kopi — with evaporated milk or condensed milk, or even mixed with tea. However, kopi is not all that popular with the youth in Singapore.
Hence, BreadTalk Group has come up with a new concept — Butter Bean — that seeks to redefine the traditional Nanyang coffee experience for the younger generation through its contemporary and inventive iterations of local favourites. “We aim to present traditional Nanyang coffee in an engaging manner that appeals to the younger generation’s evolving lifestyle. Our outlets are also designed as social spaces centred on good vibes, conversations and connections,” says Vincent Lim, regional general manager of BreadTalk.
Walk into a Butter Bean outlet (in Funan and VivoCity), and you will be greeted with a bright yellow interior and the smell of coffee in the air. The must-try at any Butter Bean outlet is the BBrulee Kopi Latte ($3.20), which comprises three distinct layers of fresh milk, Nanyang coffee and salted cream foam on top, sprinkled with some sugar and then torched to give it that brulee touch.
Also enticing is the GM Kopi BBliss ($3.50), with its icy and gratifying blend of coffee, home-cooked gula melaka and fresh milk. It is topped with a generous amount of whipped cream and gula melaka drizzle. Fret not, non-coffee drinkers, the two drinks above come in tea (or teh) versions too. Those looking for something different can opt for some of the recommended drinks, such as the Dino Milo, Lime Aiyu, Lychee Orange Tea and BB Rose.
Options sampled the BBrulee Kopi and Teh Lattes and found that the salted cream foam nicely complemented the sweetness of the drinks while tempering their bitterness. Definitely a must-try. If you need something more filling, Butter Bread serves up delectable thick toasts to pair with your drink. At traditional coffee shops, toast usually comes with just coconut jam (kaya) and butter. But at Butter Bean, the classic toasts are re-imagined with eight sweet and savoury toppings on an inch-thick Butter Bean signature loaf.
To achieve a crispy exterior with soft and fluffy interior, the bread is toasted on a flat iron grill. The eight toast toppings include the sweet PB&J, Milky Milo, BB’s Kaya, Butter Sugar and Cheeky Choco (from $2.00 each) and the savoury Flossy Chick, Say Cheese and Omu Cheese (from $2.80). Butter Bean also offers a selection of sandwiches (from $4.20 onwards).
Craving a hearty meal instead? Check out Butter Bean’s rendition of some local favourites, including the crowd-pleaser, Curry On Sunshine ($6.80) — a juicy fried chicken thigh served with steamed rice cloaked in luscious creamy scrambled eggs and a side of curry potatoes. Do watch out though, the curry is spicy!
Don’t forget to also try out the Hey You Hae Mee ($6.80). Since Butter Bean is pork- and lard-free, this classic prawn noodle dish has been remade with a combination of chicken broth (instead of pork broth), prawn heads and dried shrimps. This broth is served with yellow noodles and bee hoon, topped with braised chicken and crispy fried Dahfa fish bits for that added crunch
BUTTER BEAN
VivoCity, #01-207
Funan, #01-01
