On the set of Friends

It was like a day out on the set of Friends, bunch of six people; three guys and three girls meeting up for dinner and coffee. Even the setting was similar - a couch and three armchairs at a caf� (in this case, my favorite hangout, Starbucks�). It was complete with a very enlightening coffee tasting session, hosted by my friends at Starbucks�.

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There was so much to catch up. We haven't been able to sit together in a casual environment and talk about the little stuff that's been going on in our lives; James and his practicum, our final semester and exams and how are all looking forward to our postings to a real school and teaching life.

The things that the so-called experienced teachers tell us about how we will miss our university days just don't seem to apply to us now. Those prophecies either come from false-gods or some other deep, unresolved emotions somewhere in those people. From what I experienced when I was actually teaching, having been thrown into the deep end and survived it, I don't think I will ever miss university days. When I ever do consider going back to school, it will possibly for my Masters and subsequent Doctorate.

That is whenever I choose to consider it. Right now, I am looking forward to having my own cubicle, which is luxury considering what I have at home.

Going back to the evening out with friends. We had dinner at Sakae Sushi at Suntec City, which by the way I do NOT recommend. I made reservations for six persons and they promptly showed us to a table next to the steamer display of Chawanmushi (savory steamed egg).

Just to make matters worse, there was virtually NO air-conditioning in the restaurant. There were vents for the aircon ducts apparently, but they seem more like decorative grilles than air diffusers. In the end, my friends and I ended up sweating profusely in the sweltering heat of our booth.

Service wise, it was worse! We were not offered any cold refreshments despite our complaint to the maitre'd about the heat; instead it was by chance that we discovered that they serve iced water. When we asked for it, the waiter put on a face to glum and reluctant, you thought he wasn't paid to do it. As if that wasn't enough, our subsequent refills were self-serviced!

I seriously do not recommend the restaurant. The next time I arrange for a dinner gathering with my friends, I will arrange it at Caf� Cartel. Definitely Caf� Cartel.

We ended up filling ourselves quickly and leaving as soon as the gang had had our fill of food to venture across the street for coffee and dessert... as well as cool relief from the heat.

I was greeted with a warm and welcoming smile and �Hi, Vincent!� when I entered the caf�. �Why don't you take a seat first and I'll be right with you...� Zun is the store manager of the cafe, together with Su and their crew of 'partners'.

Zun was shorthanded that night, no thanks to the flu bug that's been going around. So those on the nightshift that day were Val, Bryan and herself. The group of us hung round the caf� till when it was quieter and she could peel away from the barista counter. It was worth the wait. The �Muan Jai� (�deep satisfaction� in a Northern Thai-tribe dialect) blend of coffee is a deeply intoxicating brew. An aroma of smoky mist of burnt local woods first hits you, which is followed by a sweet smell reminiscent of butterscotch caramel - thick, smooth and creamy.

The taste of the coffee follows the lead of the aroma and does not disappoint. It's a wonderfully well-bodied brew that is low on the acid and goes down velvety-smooth. When we paired it with almond butter cake, the buttery note of the coffee was pronounced in a creamy redolence. But when we tried it with spicy beef pie, the velvet smooth coffee complemented the spiciness of the beef and the two items synergized into a sexy m�lange that created a sensational experience on the tongue.

Ultimately, I'll have to say, the coffee sits very well with me, a person who loves his coffee bold and complex. The host had very graciously offered a complementary bag of the Muan Jai coffee for my own tasting, unavailable elsewhere, which I should collect on my next visit. But how special is this particular bag of beans?

It was roasted at the grounds of the plantation where they were harvested (as opposed to the imported ones from the States.

When I got home, I started thinking about when I first got serious about tasting gourmet coffees. That was more than 10 years ago, when I first got my coffee making kit from an outlet at SOGO, Raffles City (now defunct). Caf� 21 specialised in UCC coffee and I was hooked on their Blue Mountain coffee. I was only 16 then.

I then took out my first Coffee Passport from Starbucks�. I got it from their first outlet when it opened at Liat Towers (below Hermes). I noticed the changes in the illustrations on the various blends of coffee and would you believe it? The previous passport is almost ten years old!