Kampong Glam has long become synonymous with trendy and tasty cafes. The Lab on Jalan Pisang is no different, offering a vast menu from bagels and baos to salads and soups.
Getting in on the action, we went to visit The Lab on a Saturday afternoon, in the hope to avoid the lunch and dinner crowd. Although it was still packed with people, we managed to get the last two seats.
The staff was great, being very friendly and patient with me – as I take my time ordering, even when it’s busy. The first thing I noticed was the staff efficiency. Sometimes one encounters cafes that are filled with waiters not doing anything. At the Lab everything is running smoothly – no bored waiters bothering anyone.
The Lab | Let The Feast Begin
Their signature slushies caught my immediate attention. Feeling healthy, I went for the kiwi, watermelon, and green apple mix. To my surprise it came refined with some lemon sorbet, which brought some extra taste and icy texture. When it comes to coffee, a standard latte is always my go-to drink. Although there is a lot one can mess up, this one I enjoyed without complains.
I have to say that even though the Lab was filled with people, we only waited a few minutes until our drinks arrived. Just a few minutes more and our food was on the table as well.
Both of our two baos were properly filled, making them an ideal starter or snack. One was filled with eggplant and zucchini – both blanched with a nice texture and soft at the same time. Being a big fan of aioli sauce, I was delighted with the rich but still subtle garlic sauce. Presented beautifully, the bao was spiked with a small skewer and topped with a fresh and fleshy cocktail tomato. Bao number two was fuelled with two Thai shrimps that had a nice and strong taste, as they were marinated with a spicy peanut sauce, giving the bao a light and fresh taste. Red onion slices and coriander leafs made it all nice and crunchy.
The other dish was a true classic – a salmon dill cucumber bagel. Fresh cream cheese, dill mayo, and topped with not too thinly sliced salmon is a hell of a good combo. The toasted onion bagel was soft and its texture consistently fluffy. The crunchy fresh greens combined well with the tender salmon. Both the bao and the bagel also come with flavoured and homemade crisps on the side.
The Lab | The Bomb In The End
The best comes always in the end. Having been totally satisfied with both baos and bagel, we had almost forgotten about the churros apple waffle. The crafted waffle with ice cream and topping was a sugary taste bomb with flavourful explosions of cinnamon, caramel sauce, cold walnut maple ice cream, topped with thin crunchy, and caramelised apple pieces as well as a gently spread powdery sugar garnish.
The waffle was not only a tasty delight, but also a visual treat. The Lab really puts an emphasis on presentation and has gotten me interested in their signature milkshakes and the many vegan options in the menu. If you can’t make it to Kampong Glam, you can also order via foodpanda.sg and do your own The Lab review at home.
The Lab Singapore
Address: 1 Jln Pisang, Singapore, 199069
Opening hours: Mon-Sun 13:00am-21.00pm
Follow this link to order online.