Moroccan luxury arrives on our sunny shores with a coffeehouse that boasts over 200 brews
As a mid-week treat, we were pleased to spend our afternoon at Bacha Coffee, the new coffeehouse in Ion Orchard. This 30-seater cafe has a storied past… it all began in 1901, in Marrakesh, the former imperial city in Morocco. Housed in the majestic Dar el Bacha palace, the place has seen illustrious guests like Winston Churchill, Charlie Chaplin and Franklin Roosevelt coming through its doors over the decades. And now, we’ve got the chance to experience it (we’re feeling special already!).
As the brand’s first international outpost, the Ion boutique has managed to capture that opulent Morrocan aesthetic. From the black-and-white marble floors and wooden shelves with saffron linings to the accents of blue, brass and chrome draped in the space, it’s almost like you’re transported to the finery of Dal el Bacha. Take a minute to soak the elegance in before you browse through a selection of more than 200 single-origin coffees, fine flavoured coffees, fine blended coffees and even naturally decaffeinated coffees. To make the whole experience even more luxurious, all brews are served in a golden gooseneck coffee pot.
Coffee fit for a king (or queen)
While we may not have had the stomach to sample all 200 varieties in one sitting (more reason to return!), we did try three types of coffee. First off: Sidamo Mountain Coffee. Originating from Ethiopia, it’s a strong single-origin coffee that we recommend you to have with a dollop of chantilly cream and a sprinkle of cracked vanilla bean to mellow the acidity. For something slightly less full-bodied, Montecristo Coffee is a good choice. It’s a combination of Central American and Oceanian beans with notes of chocolate and butterscotch and a floral aftertaste. Our favourite, however, has to be the fine-flavoured 1910 Coffee, which pleasantly surprised us with hints of strawberry.
Make way for exotic flavours of the Middle East
Veering away from the standard brunch fare, Middle Eastern flavours take precedence here, and we’re not complaining. The chicken pastilla was the highlight of our session, with all the goodness of spicy and flavourful meat wrapped in a crispy filo pastry. For something lighter, we recommend the refreshing watermelon salad that comes with creamy cucumber tzatziki.
Fancy a little snack? Choose from a wide array of freshly baked pastries and desserts in various flavours such as pistachio, cheese and lemon. Psst… pick the raspberry and cinnamon croissant for a tart treat, or try the pandan cheesecake, a layered beauty (perfect for the ‘gram) that comes in three shades – yellow, green and brown. Scrumptious!
If you’d like to recreate the unique Bacha Coffee experience, grab a couple coffee beans or coffee bags at the retail area to take home with you.
Bacha Coffee, #01-15/16 ION Orchard Mall, 2 Orchard Turn, Singapore 238801
