Oh, ANOTHER new cafe at Neil Road? This time, not a totally unfamiliar name.
ToMo Cafe with an original outlet at Joo Chiat, has opened at 57 Neil Road – a short walk from Maxwell MRT station.
Named after the Japanese word “tomodachi” meaning friend, ToMo’s slogan is “Come as you are, leave as a friend”.
However, I did note that this ToMo offers a less-Japanese-style décor compared to the first outlet though.
My curiosity about their “Chuffles” led me to try the Fried Chicken Chuffles ($19) – a combination of churros waffles and fried chicken thigh with spicy smoked honey.
Though if I did a blind-taste test, I wouldn’t have been able to tell how ‘churros’ this was, but the chicken was tasty and juicy.
The menu extends to various pasta and udon dishes, including Crab Linguine ($24), Wagyu Beef Ragout ($21), Shiso Pesto Udon ($22), Squid Ink Udon ($24), and Duck Rose Udon ($21).
For those looking to share, options include Honey Soy Wings ($12), Mentaiko Scallop ($13), Red Wine Char Siew ($16), Tater Tots ($7, $13) with truffle or mentaiko.
These Honey Soy Wings ($12) were coated in a rich blend of garlic and shoyu (soy) sauce, following a Korean-style recipe.
The wing were juicy and tender, absorbing the rich flavours of the honey soy glaze – sweet yet savoury, with the garlic adding a subtle depth.
ToMo’s coffee are prepared with Cowpresso Coffee Roasters’ Golden Cup Blend.
The blend has a dominant milk chocolate flavour, enhanced by caramel and macadamia sweetness, and a bold dried fruit aftertaste.
If you would like something more instagrammable, then there is the Matcha Strawberry Cloud Latte ($8) – a visual treat with its layers of green matcha and pink strawberry puree, exuding earthy tea notes.
For a refreshing choice, the ToMo Fresca offers Lychee Flora Fresca ($7), Yuzuri Apple Fresca ($7) and Rose Lemonade Fresca ($7).
I had the Lychee Flora Fresca ($7) which was a cooling blend of flower blossom, elderflower, lychee puree, and sparkling water.
ToMo Cafe offers a decent culinary experience with attentive service. The cafe food was indeed not bad.
The menu featuring a mix of dishes, shows promise but may lack a distinct identity that is necessary to stand out in the competitive cafe scene along Neil Road.
To truly make its mark, ToMo might benefit from refining its menu to showcase more unique or cohesive offerings that resonate better with discerning café goers.
ToMo Cafe & Bar
57 Neil Road, Singapore 088893
Opening Hours: 10am – 9pm (Tues – Sat), 10am – 6pm (Sun), Closed Mon
ToMo Cafe
189 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427460
Opening Hours: 9am – 6pm (Tues – Thurs, Sun), 9am – 9pm (Fri – Sat), Closed Mon
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