I am currently in the city of Bandung, Indonesia to research for my globe-trotting story. My host has led me to discover this gem in the quaint little corner of the capital of West Java. It started off from the usual after-lunch question of “where shall we go after lunch?” and come my usual reply of “a coffee would be nice.” We all know how vicious the Zzz monsters are after a very filling lunch. I was really hoping that my host would bring me to Starbucks. Because that’s where I get my fast fix of coffee in Singapore. Instead, he took the effort to an unusual place in Bandung city, away from the hustle and bustle of the city center. What struck me when I first enter Noah’s Barn is the uplifting coffee aroma that surrounds the cafe. The cafe itself is cozy with a colorful melange of tiles, marble, brick and wood elements. The soothing Jazz music playing on the background instantly made me fell in love with this place. Rightly so, this cafe is already featured in the latest edition of Coffee t&i magazine gracing the front cover!
It turns out that this cafe was started by two young entrepreneurs Hank and Guido who have spent a number of years in Australia (Sydney and Melbourne to be exact), studying for their degree and absorbing Australia’s best coffee culture. Rightly so, their local house blend espresso (Toraja & Aceh), which I ordered, is very sweet, fruity and has the right balance. It was neither overpowering or acidic. This tempts me to try out their manual brew bar with their premium beans. The unique thing about this place is it offers microbatch coffee beans selections from famous roasters from all over the world such as Japan, Canada, Australia, USA and Singapore. I was informed by Hank that they are in discussion to obtain some beans from Brazil and Colombia. Their recommendations is for me to try out their Panama ‘Geisha’ Don Pochi beans with V-drip brewing method. I was reluctant at first, because I was not a fan of drip coffee. But I was wrong. The ‘Geisha’ is phenomenal. The golden-colored liquid is easy on the palate. It has a bright aroma of ginger at the same time it is very floral. The wonderful note of orange, and with just the right amount of acid at the back of your tongue is orgasmic. It made me think that this is not just a cup of coffee, this is a masterpiece! it is absolutely one of the best coffee that I have ever drunk. My last cup for the day is the latte. There is no question about the espresso base which I had tried earlier. The steaming of the milk is expertly done with just the right temperature with micro bubbles. The pouring is done competently to produce a latte art, which I have not encountered before in Singapore. So it left me with rather deep impression.
Worth to visit? If you are a coffee lover, YES! This is the place to visit for coffee when in Bandung for a great cup of coffee. And I am thrilled to learn that they are planning an expansion in Singapore. So I am looking forward to that. The must-try (s) as recommended by the host is as follow:
- Coffees are great. Try the premiums if it meets your budget.
- Azuki matcha ice blend
- Ghana hot chocolate
- Mango/Passionfruit ice blend
- For cakes: Hokkaido rolls, orange cake, chocolate avocado
Where and how much? Noah’s Barn Jalan Laks. M. Nurtanio (Garuda) No. 39 Bandung 40184, Indonesia Espresso starts at Rp. 13000 (SGD 1.65) Latte starts at Rp. 20000 (SGD 2.55) Cakes starts at Rp. 20000 (SGD 2.55 )