Keith Loh: Coffee break with the best barista in Singapore

Keith Loh, the publisher turned food entrepreneur, has been credited for creating the modish Whitebait & Kale at Camden (it closed in 2009) and, subsequently, Aerin at Raffles City as well as Bedrock Bar & Grill and Oriole Café & Bar at Pan Pacific Serviced Suites. At 36 years old, Keith recently topped the Singapore National Barista Championship and is on his way to participating in the World Barista Championship in London this April.

Before Keith packs off again, CNNGo gets the hunky barista to spill his secrets on making a perfect cuppa. 

CNNGo: You were a publisher before, why did you get your hands dirty in the highly competitive restaurant scene? 

Keith Loh: Yes I did start out in publishing years back, but as the saying goes, ‘out of the frying pan and into the fire!' Seriously, I've always wanted to learn how to wash dishes, to taste twenty dishes all at once, to put out kitchen fires, unclog grease traps, handle demanding customers, for example. Looking back eight years on, I just didn't have the time to ask 'why' but now that you made me think, it might be just the simple pleasure of making an honest living of providing a decent meal and drinks that makes me smile deep inside. In our group of restaurants, we serve an average of 1,000 customers a day. Being relevant to my customers and serving them what they want -- consistently and at the right value -- is what gives me the drive to keep going.

CNNGo: We heard that you are quite the foodie. What are your top three food haunts in Singapore and in Asia?

Loh: (Smiles) The Number One spot goes to my mom's kitchen. Every Wednesday night and Sunday lunch, my mom cooks up a storm and I try to inhale everything in sight. Number two is Tai Wah Bak Chor Mee at Crawford Lane. My dad ate at the original stall and now it's the son that's running it. Number three is the freshly roasted specialty coffee served at Oriole Cafe & Bar. Coffee really is food to me, without which I would not be able to last 48 hours.

CNNGo: We (and all the doctors at Camden Medical Center) loved Whitebait & Kale (WBK). What inspired you to start this restaurant in Singapore? And why did you close it in 2009?

Loh: In 2003, I realized that a concept like WBK would fit neatly between the gap of casual and fine dining with fresh produce and seafood wrapped around modern Australian cuisine. Sadly we did not renew our lease and are currently looking for a new location (fingers crossed!). But some WBK favorites have made appearances at Oriole Cafe & Bar, and many of our WBK waiters are now plying their trade at Bedrock Bar & Grill.

CNNGo: What are some of the most bizarre requests you’ve had from Whitebait & Kale customers then?

Loh: Steamed rice and sambal belachan (a hot chili condiment with shrimp paste) have been requested by different people on more than one occasion -- maybe they are taking turns to trip up my waiters.

CNNGo: At the moment, we’ve got Morton’s of Chicago, Lawry’s and a few others jostling in the steak market. Why did you choose to join this bandwagon when you opened Bedrock? Has it been a tough chew?

Loh: A year after the opening of Whitebait & Kale I'd wanted to open a grill restaurant, one based on classic grilled meats and a complete opposite to the modern Australian cuisine served at Whitebait & Kale, yet business wise it made complimentary sense. I saw a gap in the market for a small, intimate, sexy and casual bar & grill. I looked at numerous locations and I almost committed to a few earlier locations but when I found this place at Pan Pacific Serviced Suites, everything fell into place and looking back I'm pretty sure I've made the right decision. The chew in fact has not been tough as our customers are really enjoying what we have to offer.

CNNGo: There’s the ubiquitous Starbucks and TCC chains brewing out there too -- what sets Oriole apart from them?

Loh: We train highly experienced baristas to make a consistent and quality cuppa, from our espresso-based drinks to our newest single-origin single-cup filter coffee offerings. We also source the best beans from all over the world, including special auction lot reserve coffees. By boutique roasting specialty coffees in-house (come see "Ella," our bright orange shop roaster at Oriole), we focus on individualizing each order to maximize the freshest taste experience in each cup. We cannot hope to compete with the size and variety that other coffee chains can offer, so we are trying to offer a completely different taste experience to our customers.

CNNGo: Finally, what is your recommendation to making the perfect cup of joe for CNNGo’s readers?

Loh: Here's my process.
Step 1: Use the freshest possible coffee you can find, preferably one with a date of roast printed, make sure it's not the expiry date (brew coffee within one month of roast date).
Step 2: Don't over brew your coffee, overextraction will always result in bitter and bad tasting coffee, no matter how good it is.
Step 3: Always taste the coffee first before you add milk and sugar, good coffee should taste good even without milk and sugar (it's also much healthier).
Step 4: Take the time to slow down and enjoy the delicate and complex aromas of well brewed coffee, rather than knocking one back for the caffeine fix!

getting there

Oriole Café & Bar
96 Somerset Road, #01-01, Pan Pacific Serviced Suites, Singapore
tel +65 6238 8348
11.30am to 11pm daily. Last food order at 9.30pm.
www.oriole.com.sg