The 3 P.M. Senior Test: How Lantine Cafe Won Us Over

You know you’re onto something when you see a group of seniors waltzing into a "fancy" looking cafe at 3 pm on a weekday.

A blend of modern and traditionalism in this Neo-Chinese cafe

Walking up to Lantine Cafe, the first thing you’ll notice is the oriental seating options right outside the storefront. If Singapore were cooler, we would be fulfilling our Chinese drama fantasy, sipping tea under the giant bamboo umbrella.

If you’re anything like me, you’ve always loved milk teas but wished for a little more from the tea leaves in terms of flavour profile. Spoiler alert: this cafe did not disappoint.

The interior features a cohesive blend of Chinese centre pieces from oriental windows to Chinese calligraphy artwork paired with contemporary wood tables and chairs. Think modern orientalism, that's what embodies Lantine Cafe in both design and gastronomy. 

An almost apothecary-like blend of tea leaves 🫖

We scanned through the menu, spoilt for choice, but decided to settle on their best sellers. From their famous Roasted Milk Tea selection, we settled on the Rock Roasted Milk Tea 岩茶烤奶茶 ($13.90). Served in a ceramic teapot with our personal teapot warmer, we could smell the aromatics of the tea blend even before the teapot touched our table.

At a glance, you can see just how curated the tea blends are with a wonderful display of colour floating atop our fragrant tea. The staff kindly informed us that the blend we selected contained: Rock Tea Leaves, Goji Berries, Dates, Oolong Tea Leaves, Jasmine Flowers and Rock Sugar.

This tea serves 2 people for a total of 6-7 cups.

Upon first sip, my colleague and I locked eyes, albeit awkwardly, and both went “ooo”. The warm cup of milk tea had an initial roasted nutty taste, and as you continue savouring, the floral notes of the tea and flowers start to surface on your palate and into your nose. The milk complemented the tea extremely well while not overpowering the aromatics of the tea.

The act of 品茶 (pǐn chá) or tea tasting is the act of appreciating the tea in small batches.

Taking our time to drink the tea and connect with the people we’re with, or in our case, the work we were doing. I loved the slowed pace and the feeling of not being rushed to leave the cafe. Sometimes in busy Singapore, even times of relaxation at cafes can feel rushed.

Light, airy and jiggly soufflé

For our dessert, we decided on their soufflé pancakes that we’ve seen all over their social media. Being Gen-Zs with a sweet tooth, we obviously had to go with the Nutella Chocolate Soufflé ($15.90), but hear us out, we may have unlocked a hidden combination…

Decadent, indulgent Nutella slathered atop light and fluffy soufflé pancakes was the ultimate sweet treat. Surprisingly, the rich dessert paired extremely well when washed down with the complex Roasted Milk Tea.

This setup is *.*

If decadent sweet treats are not your thing, opt for their traditional Chinese desserts like Taro Balls with Peach Gum & Grass Jelly ($6.90) or Waxberry Konjac Ball ($6.00). We realised that our senior seat neighbours opted for these desserts, and they looked just as satisfied with their picks. 

Overall, every detail at Lantine Cafe felt like it was carefully thought out, from the desserts to the dining experience. Just like a romantic Chinese Poem, hidden meanings scattered throughout the dishes and dining experience had us just drawn in for more.

P.S. Power plugs and wifi are available at Lantine Cafe, so head on down for a tranquil WFH day! 

Location: Lantine Cafe, 103 Rangoon Rd, #01-01, Singapore 218386