Located outside The Alps Residences in Tampines, Around is a cafe with a unique glasshouse setting. While cafes like this aren’t a new concept in Singapore, they are a pretty rare sight.
(Runes at Biopolis and the eponymous Glasshouse at CHIJMES are the only other two I can think of.)
The menu is more familiar, mainly consisting of cakes, cookies, beverages, acai dessert bowls and, of course, waffles and ice cream.
Around’s Waffle is the kind that’s crispy outside and fluffy inside. The taste and texture made me think of a McDonald’s hotcake in waffle form, which you may love or hate. It’s also very thick, making it big enough for two to share. I generally prefer my waffles thinner and crispier, but still found this one quite nice – though you had better bring your appetite if you’re eating it alone. 3.5/5
The Dark Chocolate Gelato was very bitter, with a noticeable hint of saltiness and only a tiny tinge of sweetness. As a fan of bitter chocolate, I enjoyed this a lot and I’m sure others like me will too. The texture of the ice cream at Around is a bit denser and harder than I prefer, though. I needed to wait awhile for it to soften before I could properly eat it, so maybe they could consider adjusting their freezer so it keeps at a slightly higher temperature. 3.5/5
The Matcha Gelato was something I was really looking forward to as a fan of matcha, but it turned out be be rather un-matcha-y. After three bites, I could still hardly taste any green tea and wondered if I’d accidentally been given a diluted version of this ice cream. With cafes like Hvala offering such superb options for matcha ice cream, I think Around needs to up their game and retool theirs to be as similarly intense as their dark chocolate. 2.5/5
The Peanut Cookie was a pleasant surprise. It didn’t look that tasty at first and at $4.90 seemed a little pricey for a cookie. But upon cutting into it and seeing the generous amount of peanut butter ‘lava’ oozing out, I realised this is a rich cookie with a lot of filling and flavour. It was good enough that I’d definitely consider trying the other cookies if I’m here again. 4/5
I have saved the worst in this review for last: the Latte was the low point of my otherwise enjoyable experience at this cafe. There was way too much milk in it and too little coffee. It sucked so bad, in fact, that I didn’t even remember to take a pic of it. Avoid! 1/5
Ultimately, Around isn’t located in the most accessible of locations and I wouldn’t go out of my way to come back here. If you live in the area, though, its unique setting and soothingly beautiful ambience makes it a good chillout spot – and since it opens till 2AM, a great hangout for nighthawks.
Address: 117 Tampines Street 86, The Alps Residences, Singapore 528538
FB: facebook.com/comearoundsg
-This review was written in collaboration with Pauline Liang
