Hvala CHIJMES

After my first visit to Hvala at Keong Siak Street, I was pretty interested to try other drinks they have on the menu and when I was around the area, I decided to pop by the CHIJMES outlet. Since this outlet is in town, it is definitely more crowded compared to the other outlet

After queuing for about 8 to 10 mins, we managed to get seats at the counter where we can watch the staff whip up the delicious beverages. Unlike the Keong Siak outlet, it is much more spacious here and there is no fixed theme here

While the overall decor consists of minimalistic clean lines with mostly warm wood furnishings, I feel that this outlet is just slightly messier with random calligraphy and much Japanese pottery display on open shelves throughout the cafe. Customers can choose between the low seats for a more layback session or the proper dining table

The ordering system is also fully automated via these self-help order kiosks right next to the beverage counter

The cake selection available here is mostly tea flavoured like the Hojicha Petit Gateau, Honey Earl Grey, Matcha Petit Gateau and more. Some of the non-tea flavoured ones but pretty interesting ones include the Goma ( black sesame) and sweet potato

The Hojicha Petit Gateau has a nice roasted green tea flavour with a slightly bitter aftertaste you get from the Hojicha. The bittersweet note balances very well with the overall cream and chiffon cake so this is perfect for people who do not like sweet cakes

Layered with layers of black sesame sponge and cream, the Goma cake has a very nice and soft texture with a nice sesame flavour. Not as sweet as the usual black sesame ice cream, you can taste the smooth flavour of the black sesame and this is definitely for black sesame lovers

Personally, I really like the honey earl grey as the sweetness of the honey tasted like natural honey where you get from the honeycomb and the earl grey infused the cake with a light fragrance to balance out the honey and cream. The chiffon was also very light and fluffy

For drinks, we had the Matcha Hojicha latte ice blend which is a blend of Matcha and Hojicha with milk and ice as well as the Orchid’s breath cold brew. Compared to the usual Matcha latte elsewhere, this one was less sweet and has a nice roasted flavour from the Hojicha which surprising combined very well with the Matcha. On its own, it was a nice light beverage but when taken together with the cakes, it was a perfect match. The cold brew was very refreshing with light notes of honey but the cup size is kinda small to quench your thirst

Overall, Hvala does not disappoint with their beverages and cakes as their variety is considered unique and the flavours very delightful. For the price point, I do wish the cup sizes were bigger although you could tell the tea used were of quality standards. One point to note in particular was about the seats at the beverage counter where the drinks were made. During this period, the store might want to reconsider placing customers at the open counter as customers have their masks down and have conversations so it is not very hygienic as the drinks are made right in front of them for other customers

Address: 30 Victoria St, #01-04/05, Singapore 187996

Operating hours: 12 pm to 9.30 pm