Nevertheless, I have an immense admiration for the Anfield fan that started this business of traditional coffee and toast despite coming from a totally different field.
Byron originally wanted to start a more Western styled cafe, but because he could only find a place in the previous incarnation of Chinatown Point, he made a decision to produce fare that catered more to the locale.
And that was how Good Morning Nanyang Cafe (GMNC) started, and once he made that call, he poured his heart and soul into learning the art of classic kaya making and making coffee the old "socks" way.
At the same time, he also had a notion of trying something new and came up with the idea of introducing ciabatta bread to go with his homemade kaya. That has triggered off a mini sensation in the kopi toast arena and since then, his orange ciabatta kaya toast has been the talk of the town.
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| Fresh Kaya in the Making |
Byron insists on making fresh kaya, which is a break from the norm as a lot of kopi toast joints tend to buy from factory outlets and such. And the difference is quite palpable.
Eggs, pandan leaves, sugar and coconut. That is all there is to it. The key is in the cooking process and the care and attention one pays to it. Like all great cooking really. And the result is a very aromatic tasting kaya paste that is slightly grainy but tastes authentic and very homemade.
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| Orange Ciabatta Kaya Toast |
By including zesty orange peelings into the bread and kaya, the end result is a refreshing take on an old classic. As his kaya is already not too sweet, the extra citrus rcuts through the coconut flavors really well and brings down the richness a couple of notches.
Coupled with the texture of a ciabatta bread, the final combination is a gastronomic delight. The first bite you ever have of this will leave you coming back for more. And subsequent tastings will only linger in your food memory for a long time.
And washing all the kaya and toast down with a cup of Byron's fragrant coffee is perhaps one of the simplest pleasures in life. And one of the best.
Currently GMNC has 4 branches, ranging from Hong Lim CC to Pagoda Street to Far East Square and finally one at the turf club. I highly suggest you check out one of these little gems of Byron's when you are near one of those locations.
If nothing else, you might come out of GMNC feeling refreshed and comforted at the same time. It is also a great way to savor a taste of classic and new as well. And if you happen to be a Liverpool FC fan and catch Byron there, you might just have something to talk about.
Like one great Liverpool coach once said, "Some people believe that football is a matter of life and death. No, its not. It's much more important than that".
Food is about life. And no, it's not more important than life or death. It's the people that is far, far more important than that. Byron is one such person.
Good Morning Nanyang Cafe
20 Upper Pickering Street
Inside Hong Lim Community Centre
Click here to read Johor Kaki's warm review of GMNC.
Click here to read Bonding Tool's captivating story of the same place.
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