Copyright 2008 © All Rights Reserved. Highlander Coffee Pte Ltd
“FOR people who really know and appreciate their coffee, Highlander is the top gourmet coffee destination in town. The cafe and coffee machine business, founded four years ago by brothers Phil Ho and Cedric Ho, is now located slightly off the beaten path in a shophouse along Kampong Bahru Road, but it has become a regular meeting place among a clique of committed coffee drinkers...Highlander sells coffee machines to offices and also supplies beans from places like Kenya, Costa Rica and Ethiopia, then roasts and blends the coffee to order as well.”
BY GEOFFRY EU (THE BUSINESS TIMES, LIFESTYLE, “STRICTLY COFFEE”)
“Not so long ago, they drank only kopitiam brews. Today affable brothers Phil and Cedric Ho serve superb Italian-style coffees at their cafe, HIGHLANDER”
BY FLORENCE FONG (8 DAYS MAGAZINE, FOOD, “BEAN THERE DRUNK THAT”)
“Verdict: Off the beaten track, but the best coffee in town”
BY JULIE STEELE (EXPATLIVING, JULY 2008 “BEST BREWS”)
“But at cosy hole-in-the-wall cafe at Highlander in Kampong Bahru (not to be confused with Highlander Bar at Clarke Quay), brothers Phil, 42, and Cedric Ho, 34, mean business when they say they serve coffee. Their compact 30-seater shrouded in a heady haze of roasting beans is so warm and convivial that even customers who’ve gone on to open their own cafes remain regulars. The brothers conduct coffee making class behind the cafe...Arabica beans from places like Central America are roasted onsite and ground on demand so each cup is fresh. Machines are cleaned daily-something many other cafes don’t practice. Clogged machines compromised coffee quality. Milk is heated and aerated to the right temperature so it develops a silky froth and not bubble-bath lather. Phil reasons, ‘If you’re passionate about your coffee, you care about every single step. It’s a labour of love.’ Putting words to action, he lovingly prepares six brews the way they were meant to be made. Coping with crap coffee will be a bitch after this...You haven’t tasted true caffe latte till you’ve had one from Highlander. Lustrously thick, velvety milk caresses the toasty top notes of coffee in every sip”
BY FLORENCE FONG (8 DAYS MAGAZINE, FOOD, “THE FOODIE’S MANUAL- COFFEE”)
“HIGHLANDER COFFEE...Could this be the best deal in Singapore? Top notch coffee for less than $3 is no longer wishful thinking. This small, unassuming cafe is run by a team of brothers who fell in love with the Aussie cafe culture and took themselves off to barista courses both in Italy and Australia to learn the art of making coffee. They also run barista training courses for cafes and individuals, plus they stock a wide range of machines. They even roast their own coffee blend, which is available for sale. Best for: Text-book perfect coffees at the cheapest prices in town, plus freshly roasted beans and coffee machines galore”
AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE (ANZA), ARTICLE- “SHOPPING HOTSPOTS: COFFEE”
“Highlander Coffee started out primarily as a training center for coffee enthusiasts and would-be baristas. Now that their cafe is open,expect nothing less than creamy coffee with full flavored aroma and marshmallow-like frothed milk: These coffees are superbly brewed.”
BY AMBER OH (IS MAGAZINE)
"To the 'Greatest Coffee Shop in Singapore'. It has been a pleasure. We have enjoyed your coffee, food and company over the last year. We would have drunk more coffee but we had to fend for ourselves on Sundays when you're not opened. You have educated us in the world of coffee and Singapore- Lah! We are gone but you are not forgotten"
LOVE, REBECCA AND SHAUN FROM MELBOURNE
“Also try Highlander Coffee on Kampong Bahru road - run by a couple of brothers who are serious about their coffee and polished their knowledge in Australia so it's the style of coffee that we know and love. Worth the trip to that neck of the woods!
COFFEE IDEAS (HTTP://72.14.235.104/SEARCH?Q=CACHE:NG7-RLRLRHIJ:WWW.EXPATSINGAPORE.COM/FORUM/INDEX.PHP%3FTOPIC%3D43824.MSG1405872+HIGHLANDER+COFFEE+SIN GAPORE&HL=EN&CT=CLNK&CD=39)
“Hi Phil, Thanks for what is without doubt, the best coffee in Singapore. It was great to meet you and I look forward to seeing more of you......and drinking more of your coffee.”
MR DAVID COOPER (EMAIL: SYDNEY)
“Singapore is such a beautiful melting pot of cultures, with such a westernized feeling about it. I unfortunately found it very difficult to find an espresso let alone a descent one. The first thing i noticed about the coffee culture in Singapore was how much chain coffee their is, i could not walk into a new street without being met by a starbucks or coffee bean and tea leaf....Finally i found a descent coffee place in the form of highlander coffee. The first thing i saw was a nice shiny 2 grp replica vibemme. I was so relieved when the espresso i ordered actually looked like an espresso, with nice dark crema and served in an illy collection cup. The coffee was nicely balanced between the first notes of acidity and the back palate spice and nut. I had a great a chat to the owner Phil Ho who was a great friendly guy who was more than happy to show us around where they do their roasting and the diedrich ir 3 that they roast on.”
BRAD NIXON (A BARISTA FROM ADELAIDE ON HIS COFFEE QUEST TO THE WORLD BARISTA CHAMPIONSHIP IN DENMARK HTTP://COFFEETREK.BLOGSPOT.COM/2008/06/SINGAPORE.HTML)
"Once when Danny's friend, Phil (www.highlandercoffee.com) came over from Singapore and brought some really fresh roasted premium quality coffee beans, WOW! that was really GREAT espresso. Phil roasted them in Singapore and they were 2 days from roasting. It was such an excellent experience, I can't wait for Phil to come back for a visit :)"
HTTP://KFCHAN.WORDPRESS.COM/2007/08/16/MY-GOOD-ESPRESSO-ESPERIENCE/
“Hi there Phil. Thank you for the message. Your coffee is truly fantastic. Sure thing, you can expect us to drop in pretty often now:) Have a good day!
ZARYL TAN (SMS FROM: WWW.ONEFOODSOURCE.COM)
“Peaberry gets their supply from Highlander so might as well go straight to the source. Spinelli's @ Excelsior Shopping Center serves a pretty decent cup but that kinda depends who's pulling the shot at the time (look for Salleh)...Between the two, I would still head over to Highlander. I know I sound like a broken record but they do serve a better cup of joe. Every shot is a double over there and the flavors do come through a tad more”
LYZZARD (HTTP://WWW.COFFEEGEEK.COM/FORUMS/WORLDREGIONAL/AUSTRALASIA/374137#374137)
LYZZARD (HTTP://WWW.COFFEEGEEK.COM/FORUMS/WORLDREGIONAL/AUSTRALASIA/374147#374147)
“try Highlander coffee at 49 Kampong Bahru Road. think you'll like it. crema. great care. roast their own beans. courses. small cafe does some food but they're into their coffee as main priority. mmmmm look at highlandercoffee.com”
LUV COFFEE (HTTP://72.14.235.104/SEARCH?Q=CACHE:YEFMXDOSVKGJ:WWW.EXPATSINGAPORE.COM/FORUM/INDEX.PHP%3FTOPIC% 3D43824.MSG1405825+HIGHLANDER+COFFEE+SINGAPORE&HL=EN&CT=CLNK&CD=45)
“Been sitting in highlander all morning after a night of booze. Vibiemme replica, ditting/malhkoenig doserless grinder, diedrich roaster (IR3), milk steamed to order, clean equipment, passionate staff, no soy, no decaf available...Great! The owners and staff are friendly and (more importantly) tolerant of geeks...”
NIM N. (HTTP://WWW.COFFEEGEEK.COM/FORUMS/WORLDREGIONAL/AUSTRALASIA/374472?LASTVIEW=1213943806&PAGE=6)
“Went to have REAL coffee with ex-colleague, Wendy @ Highlander Coffee cafe.. Coffee is WAY better than Starbucks or Coffee bean or Mc Cafe.. Cheaper somemore.. only $3.50!”
PEILING’S SITE (HTTP://JASLYNKPL.MULTIPLY.COM/PHOTOS/ALBUM/40#)
“Singapore coffee lovers, I've found an espresso cafe worthy of our attention. I mentioned it earlier in this post, but at that time they didn't have a cafe. Now Highlander Coffee on Kampong Bahru Road has a small cafe and roasts their own in a small Diedrich roaster in the back. Wonderful espresso...They offer various classes on coffee and making espresso. Nice folks”
SINGAPOREKEITH (HTTP://COFFEEGEEK.COM/FORUMS/WORLDREGIONAL/AUSTRALASIA/261543#261543)
"That said...I have several friends who come through town from time time who won't drink anywhere but my home (Highlander beans almost always) and Highlander unless they are delusional !!! And there are those that I have to travel to see that always remind me they want Highlander beans before I leave town to visit"
MR PAUL CHATFIELD (NEW ZEALAND)
“Once you've tried Highlander's coffee, you won't want coffee from anywhere else! They are true coffee connoisseurs and they share their love and appreciation of coffee with customers like us. They are meticulous in their craft”
MS CATHERINE AND MARY (BRIDGES IN COMMUNICATION)
“Highlander Coffee - another great espresso & coffee experience”
READ IT AT HTTP://KFCHAN.WORDPRESS.COM/2008/05/29/HIGHLANDER-COFFEE/
“I wrote a little while ago about Highlander's soon-to-arrive Vibiemme Replica 2 group machine. Well, finally had a chance to pop down last week and Phil (owner of Highlander) pulled me one of the most delicious espresso shots I've had in a while. My vocabulary to describe the taste of the shot will not do it justice so I urge all you coffee lovers to go down to the cafe to try it out for yourselves. The machine is just wonderful to look at, and its steaming power is an awesome sight to behold...”
LYZZARD (HTTP://WWW.COFFEEGEEK.COM/FORUMS/WORLDREGIONAL/AUSTRALASIA/369259#369259)
“I can second or even third Highlander Coffee. Each time I return to Singapore, I visit them at least twice. NO OTHER coffee shop in Singapore even comes close to Highlander. Why? They take pride in how they prepare the coffee. They don't want to rush you out of the shop. They don't get distracted by having to make iced blends. They have good technique (cleaning out the portafilter after knocking out the puck, running water through the group head to get rid of gunk before they pull the shot etc). Their milk frothing is excellent with thick creamy foam. They're cheap too!”
MR SHAWN LOW (MELBOURNE/WWW.COFFEEGEEK.COM/FORUMS/WORLDREGIONAL/AUSTRALASIA/345711#345711)
“Really good expresso! Highlander coffee along Neil rd opp SGH. For those who need quick fixes in small doses, about $3 a shot! Just thought I'd share”
CERVANTIES (HTTP://TALKBACK.STOMP.COM.SG/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=29616)
“I love your Coffees. I am very particular about coffee and stay in Melb Australia x 1 yr and i just miss their coffee until i stepped into your shop,...& i knew both of you would make it big. Go Phil and Cedric!! GO!”
MS JUDY (EMAIL: SINGAPORE)
“Hi there, Someone mentioned my name (Keith Loh) in the search for good espresso in Singapore. Well so am I! I do second the guys at Highlander and they do a great job of elevating the coffee scene here. I'm there almost every other week anyway and end up getting something from them!...”
MR KEITH LOH (HTTP://WWW.COFFEEGEEK.COM/FORUMS/WORLDREGIONAL/AUSTRALASIA/375675#375675)
“Check out Highlander Cafe. They are doing the right things with coffee. It is away from the shopping areas and malls, but so worth the trip. Passionate owners & staff. A taxi from orchard rd is about S$7, bus available too...My first trip there and I spent half the day drinking espresso, using their free internet and talking with staff & the geeks that came in”
RICE (HTTP://COFFEESNOBS.COM.AU/YABB.PL?NUM=1215607795/10#10)
“I'll second the Highlander recommendation. Just had 5 cups there tonight and I'm bouncing off the ceiling... keep it coming though”
LYZZARD (HTTP://COFFEESNOBS.COM.AU/YABB.PL?NUM=1215607795/10#10)
“Yes, Highlander is definitely the best place in Singapore to have espresso coffee. Will vouch for them myself. In fact it is also the cheapest place to have a decent coffee in Singapore. Near Outram MRT station, opposite the Singapore General Hospital.They roast their own beans as well as sell domestic machines”
E-GENE (HTTP://COFFEESNOBS.COM.AU/YABB.PL?NUM=1215607795/10#10)
“I am very glad that Highlander has so many fans in Singapore. I will always steer people looking for an honest to goodness cup of espresso their way. I am a Alumni of their Barista class and I want them to continue be around to supply my half kilo of beans every 2 weeks for a long time to come. IMHO they have always served the best cup of espresso or cappucino in town. I hope they will continue to attract and introduce their quality of coffee to more people. It is about time for us to reject places that serve up crap in the name of coffee”
MR SPIKE SIM (HTTP://WWW.COFFEEGEEK.COM/FORUMS/WORLDREGIONAL/AUSTRALASIA/349372#349372)
“This is a place where you really feel at home. They remember your name and preferences. Great people, great food and coffee; a great home away from home!”
MR BENTLEY WILLIAMS (AUTHOR OF "WOW! GIVING YOUR CUSTOMERS THE WOW!"/WWW.BENTLEYWILLIAMS.COM.SG)
"...and Highlander Coffee is by far the best cafe that I have visited. No one else is even close, and, in fact, no one else is making anything that's worth drinking unless you're desperate... First sip, and I was in heaven... Highlander is the only place that I've found so far that is worth a special trip, and I expect to be a regular"
MR MARK CALLUM (SEATTLE/WWW.COFFEEGEEK.COM/FORUMS/WORLDREGIONAL/AUSTRALASIA/314073#314073)
“Dear Mr Cheoh...I would like to invite you to enjoy the best coffee in S’pore at Highlander Coffee Pte Ltd, 49 Kg Bahru Road, S’pore 169362. Tel: 6226-1686. I suspect that Phil and Cedric Ho will get you hooked… as they did to me!”
MR SZ RASHID (EMAIL: KUALA LUMPUR)
“...Unfortunately, when we arrived at your establishment we found it closed for renovation .. it was a disappointment...But the door opened and you invited us in for a coffee and a chat .. it was a most welcome and gracious gesture and was greatly appreciated. It was the kind of special, spontaneous event that just makes your day .. you didn't have to invite total strangers into your shop in the midst of chaos .. but you did. It was warm and welcoming and just added to the wonderful time I had in Singapore that week...I admire your passion in pursuing a dream in the face of the stiff competition that you must face in Singapore. I do believe that any coffee establishment that provides good coffee, a comfortable place to gather, and competent, friendly service can finds its own niche and secure a loyal clientele .. your welcoming gesture to me and my friend seems to indicate to me that you are on the right track”
MR PHILIP HISLEY (EMAIL: WASHINGTON D.C.)
“Hi TT, Thanks! Yups Highlander has everything! Phil & Cedric are so nice & gave us a couple of great items to start us off :)...”
COFFEEBLURMAID (HTTP://WWW.COFFEEGEEK.COM/FORUMS/ESPRESSO/MACHINES/360588?LASTVIEW=1212225633&PAGE=3)
"Unfortunately I will not be able to enjoy your good coffee, and neither your good beans, in the near future, as I have relocated to London last month. So if you are wondering why I am no longer coming around on my red Vespa to pick up beans and chat and enjoy your coffee making skills, this is the explanation! Am already missing yours and Cedric's enthusiasm about coffee, and have not yet found anything equivalent in London. Guess it does not exist..."
MR OLIVER SPARBER (EMAIL: LONDON)
“Hi Phil. Just happened to be here so I thought I should say Hi. Coffee here is simply great, and your service staff are warm and helpful. I will definitely be back. Cheers!”
MS GRACE (PAPER WRITTEN NOTE: SINGAPORE)
“Dude. The bag I got from you u last Sat is really good. Thanks”
MR LIU HONGDE (SMS: SINGAPORE)
“Highlander Coffee @ Kampung Baru Rd across from Spore General Hospital - my favourite
Saturday
9am to 6pm cafe! Aroma to die for and a cosy lil corner to snuggle into at the end
of the week...mmmmmm!”
MS TRACY TEOH (HTTP://WWW.TRACYTEOH.COM/TRACY/DEFAULT.ASP)
"Hi, thanks 4 everything. We've juz wrapped up our event. Several feedback the coffee's great!"
MS ELISABETH (SMS: CHURCH SPEED DATING EVENT@HIGHLANDER COFFEE)
"Hi phil, thanks for dropping off the coffee. Hope it wasn't too much trouble. The roast is delicious"
MR DARYL WANG (SMS: SINGAPORE)
"I am enjoying your coffee. Your beans are excellent"
MR JOHN RUSTRICK (SMS: SINGAPORE)
"Hi phil. just wanna thank cedric n U 4 delivering e last pack of coffee. am impressed with e very good service. appreciate it!"
MS JAIME@BATEY (SMS: SINGAPORE)
"Hey the premium coffee for espresso taste great! Enjoying my cup now. Have great day at work. Chat up again. Cheers!"
MR RAYMOND (SMS: SINGAPORE)
“After visiting the National Museum of Singapore, my friend took me to this cool little coffee place on Kampong Bahru Rd. This place serves wonderful coffee and the quality exceeded my expectation. The place is filled with the aroma of freshly grounded coffee. I am not a connoisseur, but I reckon they have made the best latte that I have ever tasted in Asia. It is here where the secrets revealed, it is here where I learned, leaped and moved”
(HTTP://LETSDOBRUNCH.BLOGSPOT.COM/2008/03/HIGHLANDER-COFFEE.HTML)
“Phil, I always have and still do have the highest regards for what you and Cedric do. Yes it is hard work, but always driven by passion and excellent customer relationship! Who else does what you do so effectively in S'pore?”
MR JEFFREY ONG (EMAIL: SINGAPORE)
“Dear Phil Thank you for talking to me and for giving me advice on the Rancilio Silvia and Rocky. I am in sales myself and value my customers dearly...Thank you, once again, and keep up the sterling job”
MR S Z RASHID (EMAIL: KUALA LUMPUR)
“I bought two 250-gram bags of Supreme Blend for 19 Singapore dollars after my barista workshop at Highlander Coffee last month. This blend definitely has an amazing taste, unlike the other blends I've tasted before. I couldn't quite figure out where the beans came from but I'm guessing that it has a good amount of Latin American coffees because of its pleasantly mild taste. Phil Ho, the owner of the cafe, told us that it came from different regions like Latin America, Africa, and Indonesia. But I failed to ask him the proportions. Anyway, if you're looking for a great breakfast coffee, this is for you. I've been looking forward to it every morning. Sadly, I only have one bag left and its in danger of deteriorating so I have to consume it at once. I applaud the uniformity of the roast and the size of the beans. Very high quality indeed. Masterfully roasted, very impressive! It gives an assurance to the drinker that he will get a quality cup just before grinding and brewing the beans!My mom enjoys the coffee blend too and when she asks me to make coffee she specifically asks for Highlander. I hope I can order for a regular supply. I would also like my friends to taste this blend. It's a different experience, unique but not overpowering and not too foreign. And one more thing, I don't usually put milk in my coffee but today I tried it with this blend and it was great”
MR JOSHUA JABEZ (PHILIPPINES/HTTP://THECOFFEEOFJABEZ.BLOGSPOT.COM/2007/08/HIGHLANDER-COFFEE-SUPREME.HTML)
“Speaking of which, Highlander Coffee does really nice coffee. There's a share of those fancy flavored lattes and there's the serious alternatives like the espresso con panna which I had that is just a little different from your regular cafe macchiato. It's not your regular coffee chain. There is just this outlet. The place sells coffee, provide cafe consultancy and conduct barista courses”
HTTP://SMALLPOTATOESMAKETHESTEAKLOOKBIGGER.BLOGSPOT.COM/2008/05/GREEN-TANDOORI-ROLL-FROM-HIGHLANDER.HTML
“Their beans are roasted in Singapore. Their associates from Highlander Coffee brought over some high quality fresh roasted blend. Only 2 days from roasting. Makes excellent espresso and just as good for cappuccinos. The espresso is the best I’ve tried. Smooth, pleasant acidity, detected some fruitiness, good body and a nice aftertaste...Wow, look at the crema. And this is from 100% arabica coffee beans, about 1 week from roasting. The taste is intense, mild acidity, full bodied with a tinge of sweetness and very slight bitterness. Please do note that a good espresso is not BITTER. But having a very slight bitterness is actually desirable. And more importantly, it does not have any bad after-taste”
MR KF CHAN (HTTP://KFCHAN.WORDPRESS.COM/2007/08/31/FHM2007/)
“If you want good coffee......you must visit those Highlander Coffee people. Not only do they roast some fabulous coffee beans, they also make creative art on your coffee. So far, I like their coffee best.
MR GENG WHYE
“For those who are love to have good coffee, maybe you can try Highlander Coffee across Singapore General Hospital. I have attended a coffee Barista workshop there and I personally think that the owners are geniune coffee lovers and therefore they are pretty strict with QC”
MR REMY RAT
“I just had 2 double ristrettos at Highlander. Both good. To be honest, I was relieved when the barista knew what I was after - not what I expected in Singapore. I highly recommend it”
MR ANTHONY IVEY (MELBOURNE/WWW.COFFEEGEEK.COM/FORUMS/WORLDREGIONAL/AUSTRALASIA/360574#360574)
“Top 3 pics are of the lovely, delectably cheap Highlander Coffee along Kampong Bahru
Road. Nav and I had our date there this morning. I ordered cafe mocha, Nav - cappuccino
- tastefully good, thick foam & lovingly served...I’m DEFINITELY coming back cos:
1.
The coffee & food is GOOD n CHEAP!
2. Their service is soooo from the heart!!!
3. It’s
10min walking distance from my house
4. There’s wireless internet access”
HTTP://BLUECOLANDER.WORDPRESS.COM/CATEGORY/OUT-ABOUT-CHINATOWN/
“”There Can Be Only One” During all his postings at SGH, J. had never known of the presence of Highlander Coffee, a small place directly opposite SGH. Pity. It’s a great place for coffee. Over the course of two weeks, J. has sampled three drinks from the place: a double shot espresso, a latte and a double-shot latte in a small cup. The friends enjoyed flavoured lattes such as hazelnut, etc. J. is happy! Having tasted the blandness of coffee from Spinelli’s in NUS, he’s finally tasted a latte from an outlet that he can really enjoy (the straight espresso was alright). Add to that some pretty good latte art (as compared to the artless bubbly foam dusted with chocolate from Spinelli’s), it’s not bad at all”
HTTP://PRACTICALITY.WORDPRESS.COM/2007/08/27/REVIEW-HIGHLANDER-COFFEE/
“...Reason 1: It's good espresso (S...b..s has crap espresso). Reason 2: It's half the price of S...b..s! Both the counter staff and the barista were friendly and helpful. The barista also seemed like he took a lot of care in the preparation of our drinks. Must Tries: espressos, espresso drinks”
KOPISIUDAI (HTTP://WWW.HUNGRYGOWHERE.COM/SINGAPORE/HIGHLANDER_COFFEE_BAR/)
“Your experience of highlander is comforting and i think that all of us singapore based 'coffee geeks' should support them and their pioneering spirit on this small island...I'm another Highlander fan. Great drinks, nice price, genuinely passionate about coffee”
MR STEVE CAIRNS (ENGLAND/WWW.COFFEEGEEK.COM/FORUMS/WORLDREGIONAL/AUSTRALASIA/347329#347329)
“Went to Highlanders on Saturday afternoon after a bit of trouble finding the place!...So I just went in for a coffee and a sandwich. Very happy with the place...Just want to say the coffee was very nice and the sandwich was yummy. Lets leave it at that, I think the others in SG know about this place. I will one day soon hopefully have time to have a chat with the owners and learn some more...OK I don’t want to run afoul of any rules, but seeing as you've asked, the price was really very decent. One long black, one latte (takeaway) and one good size sandwich for under 9 bucks (thats Singapore dollars)!! Yeah, we may have different standards, but I thought that that was really decent....they've got my support that’s for sure. For the folk at Highlander (if you read this forum), keep it the good work and I hope to get some time and introduce myself properly, hopefully have a tour out back and so on (do all the geek stuff!)”
MR BEN RUANE (NEW ZEALAND/WWW.COFFEEGEEK.COM/FORUMS/WORLDREGIONAL/AUSTRALASIA/347208#347208)
“I took your barista training last 2006, Just want to thank you for everything that you thought to me and my wife. We have already opened our coffee shop in Clark Pampanga, Philippines...I trained my staff like what you have taught us. It was so great to have learned from the best...Hopefully we will be coffee expert like you guys. You really help us a lot. Thanks!”
MR RICHARD EMIL T. LEGASPI (CLARK PAMPANGA, PHILIPPINES)
“Today I went to attend the Highlander Coffee Appreciation course at Safra. Signed up through Alvin's friend so didn't look at the details and didn't know it was Highlander Coffee Pte Ltd that was holding the course! Cool! Love Highlander after Nicole introduced it to me last year and now I know why their coffee tastes so good! At last I can appreciate coffee much better now...The 2 guys are really funny and were a good laugh. One was called Phil as I took his card and I can't remember the other guy's name”
MS SHIRIN PANG (HTTP://SHIRINPANG.BLOGSPOT.COM/2008/03/HIGHLANDER-COFFEE-APPRECIATION-WORKSHOP.HTML)
“Dearest Phil/Cedric, Hello!! :) How are you? ;) Thank You for the lesson today - I enjoyed myself thoroughly, and I believe I've learnt alot too! Heh ;)...Thank You once again for the lesson and your passion in coffee is really evident - I'm inspired!! :)...Thanks mates!! I'd love to meet up with ya in Perth if you're coming over!
MS SARAH LEE (EMAIL: PERTH, AUSTRALIA)
“Thanks So Much...Hello Phil and Cedric, Just want to appreciate and thank you for the training given on Saturday 26 July 2008. Many thanks again and have a great day. Regards,
MS PEARL OOI (EMAIL: SECRET RECIPE CAKES & CAFE SDN BHD, KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA)
“Coffee making techniques were detailed, looking forward to learning more about coffee and latte art especially”...”Hi, How are you guys doing in Singapore? I am Jean Chee, i just attended your barista workshop last weekend at Dankoff, Malaysia.I am truly passionate about coffee and beverages, it was really an interesting and knowledgeable workshop, especially the details of making a good cuppa. Well done, Phil and Cedric..!”
MR JEAN CHEE (KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA)
“It is actually much better than anything I imagined. It is wonderful that they are willing to share their knowledge. I learnt so much from this course and realised a lot more about coffee-making than before this”
MR CHEW VEE LYN VICKI (NEWCASTLE, AUSTRALIA)
“I like the attention & guidance given when extracting coffee, milk frothing annd latte art”
MS LIM SOK HOON (SINGAPORE)
“Interesting lessons and I am able to learn quite a fair bit about coffee. Good to have practical sessions to practise. Fun and informative. Good!! Latte art is fantastic. Excellent Instructors!!
MR JOEY LIM
“Cupping experience was very informative and fun”
MR BRIAN PEH (SINGAPORE)
“I am impressed with the generousity of sharing their knowledge and given lots of encouragement”
MS ANGIE NG (SINGAPORE)
“I am impressed with the detailed guidance in practice, good communication skills, friendly and obliging instructors”
MS CHRISTINE TAN KIM YAN (SINGAPORE)
“Helpful & Informative. The lessons are detailed and practical which gives lasting impression of the procedures”
MR RONALD YONG (SINGAPORE)
“The instructors knowledge are excellent and I know more about coffee. Been wanting to improve my skills in making coffee. It is also through you guys that I have reconfirmed that fresh milk is a must”
MR MICHAEL HAN (SINGAPORE)
“It's the technique of coffee making that really impressed me. Now I understand that the temperature and techniques will affect the taste of coffee”
MS IVY TAN (SINGAPORE)
“The passion and willingnes to introduce and share about knowledge and information on coffee impressed me. It really shows that there is still people in the F&B industry here in Singapore that is not all out to get money from your pockets but really mean what they do and I have never seen such coffee interest and passion. I will definitely come back for coffee and coffee chats/advice! Well done Phil & Cedric! Great Job and keep it up!”
MR MATTHEW NONIS (LES AMIS FRENCH CUISINE & FINE WINE, SINGAPORE)
“Super Outstanding”
MR HUGO KUA
“Very Good, Thanks!”
MR JASON TAN (SINGAPORE)
“It teaches everything that I want to know. They shared valuable experience with me”
MR LEE SAI MENG (SINGAPORE)
“We went down to Highlander Coffee(49 kampong bahru road) for a coffee appreciation workshop, where we learnt of the delights and various details of coffee...Very engaging! Thats why we give them our fullest attention...Happy culinarians after the coffee workshop. Who wouldn't be with such great presenters? (of course, the free flow of coffee did play a part...)”
HTTP://EATANDCOOK.BLOGSPOT.COM/
“This workshop teaches me a lot of techniques in making a good cup of coffee. Through this workshop, I know a lot about coffee and I will share my experiences and techniques to my fellow colleagues”
MS CHERYL LIM
“The passion of the instructors and the good blend of coffee impressed me”
MR EUGIN LIM
“The cupping experience was really interesting. I learnt a lot about coffee (especially when I am mostly a tea-drinker). More importantly, I have begun to appreciate the art of making a good cup of coffee and the effort put in by a good barista”
MS ANNE LIM
“The terms used in the barista training, the handling of machinery and to tasting of the different types of coffee has given me a clearer picture and better understanding about coffee”
MR DESMOND SONG
“I have learnt and knew a lot about Espresso now! Art of Latte is Excellent! I benefit a lot from this workshop especially the working system in a cafe which is very important”
MR RICHARD LOW
“It is actually an art in making a cup of coffee. It is more than just pouring hot water into a glass and adding sugar. And of course, this workshop has taught me how to go about in starting my own cafe at Jakarta”
MR RIZA ISHAR
“My husband and I are planning to open our own cafe back at our homeland, Jakarta. This course taught us how to make a good cup of coffee. It gave me whole new knowledge of coffee. Thank You!”
MS AISHA ISHAR
“The end-to-end process is the most beneficial! Most courses I have seen, focus a lot on espresso-making but understanding coffee's origin, history, roasting process and especially cupping is essential to know how to appreciate coffee better. Excellent job guys!”
MR DAVE CHEN
“Every aspect of the workshop impressed me. I like the practical sessions and how the instructors guided me through, making sure that I acquire the proper and correct skills”
MS MARIA ROWENA S. PARADO
“I loved the humour and anecdotes which made the learning experience so much more fun. Phil & Cedric are passionate about coffee and it's contagious!”
MS SHANI TAN
“The Latte art is very interesting. Besides that, the way of taking care coffee machines make me feel that you guys are really professional”
MR NGO TIEN DUNG
“The team is very patient and both instructors really have a very wide area of expertise. They are very open and very willing to share and exchange pointers. Go to the extra mile, even certain areas not included in the course objective. You guys are great!”
MS SHIRLEY MOH
“Real story, practical advice and suggestions”
MS BETSY TOH
“Practical, realistic and transparent”
MR EDWARD TOH
“Finally learned how to make a good cup of coffee!”
MS JENNIFER WONG
“The light humored way of bringing across the teachings break the monotony of the subject. Basics are well taught!”
MR TAN JWEE SIN (SINGAPORE)
“The art of espresso extraction, cupping and sharing on how to start a cafe were very useful and inspiring. The chance to try hands-on also makes the workshop interesting. Thank you!”
MS REGINE TAN (SINGAPORE)
“The “classroom” environment is very personal and conducive to learn. It’s a little loud outside at times but yet makes the course more real”
MS EVELYN CHIA (SINGAPORE)
“I am impressed with the passion and expertise of the team. Also, the insistence to do what is right. An overall very enjoyable experience. Thanks”
MS TAY HWEE LENG (SINGAPORE)
“A mix of theory followed by practical hands-on. Interesting sharing of experiences that could be valuable to cafe starters”
MS JEAN AUYONG (SINGAPORE)
“More hands-on than expected so that was great!”
MR MORGAN WEE (SINGAPORE)
“It is very informative even though the instructional period is about one day. What was taught was very practical too!”
MR CHIU CHAN PONG (SINGAPOREAN OPENING A CAFE IN XINGJIANG, CHINA)
“Comprehensive and simple to understand!”
MR MICHAEL NG (SINGAPORE)
“Phil and Cedric’s knowledge is solid. You guys have a lot of potential to grow”
MR BOYD AU (EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, 7 NOTES CAPITAL, 7 FISH/SINGAPORE)
“Very Professional!”
MR MERVYN LIN (KUALA LUMPUR/MALAYSIA)
“Impressed by the willingness of Phil and Cedric to share information rather than just lecture”
DATO SERI SYED ZAINOL RASHID (KUALA LUMPUR/MALAYSIA)
“I am impressed with the proper technique of preparing a good coffee, the proper way of steaming, foaming of milk and also the knowledge learnt about coffee. Thanks for the knowledge!!”
MS NUR SHAHIRAH BINTE MOHAMAD ABDULLAH (PRIVE LIFESTYLE PTE LTD/SINGAPORE)
“The workshop helps me make a better cup of coffee. I am impressed with latte art taught! REALLY FABULOUS! Barista cum Artist!”
MS MAGDELENE VENESSA SHANTHI D/O RENGAYAH BALASUBRAMANIAM (PRIVE LIFESTYLE PTE LTD/SINGAPORE)
“I am impressed with the very same dedication, consistency and concern shown towards participants to excel!”
MR BENEDICK CHEAH (PRIVE LIFESTYLE PTE LTD/SINGAPORE - TAKING A REFRESHER COURSE)
“I am impressed learning more about foaming milk properly and making coffee compared to my last experience. Thank you!”
MS STEPHANIE OLIVERO (PRIVE LIFESTYLE PTE LTD/SINGAPORE)
“I am impressed with emphasis on techniques and the step-by-step explanation on making a good espresso. It is repeatedly shown that if a step is missed out, quality and freshness will be compromised”
MR JAMES KHOR REN PEI (PRIVE LIFESTYLE PTE LTD/SINGAPORE)
“The passion and intensity of the trainers about coffee and making coffee rivals that of Anthony Robbins!
MS WONG PECK LIN (SINGAPORE)
“It’s a good refresher and training workshop”
MR ROSHAIZAT BIN BAKRI (A PROFESSIONAL COFFEE BARISTA WORKING IN AN GLOBAL INVESTMENT COMPANY)
“Its like learning the learning the whole coffee experience, from the actual hands-on to the all “in-depth” information. Despite my previous experience in coffee, I still learned so much more from this workshop. Truly a great experience!”
MS ANNAMAE S. CHUA (CEBU, PHILIPPINES)
“I am impressed by the practical aspects of making a good cup of coffee, cupping session and the knowledge learned about the different coffees”
MS CHOO WAN EE (SINGAPORE)
“The trainers were very friendly and opened about their profound knowledge of coffee. I was also impressed by their motto and drive of delivering high quality coffee”
MS MARIE LEE (SINGAPORE)
“Allow me to understand the art and knowledge behind coffee. Learned to appreciate good coffee and how it can be creatively served (for someone who doesn’t take coffee, it opens up my perception)!”
MS MAUREEN SIAH (SINGAPORE)
“Very comprehensive learning for the 2 days course”
MS LIAU EE YEN (SINGAPORE)
“Things that I have learned these 2 days not as simple and easy as I thought before. It has given me a very good foundation for my future plan when I am ready to start a cafe business”
MS FELICIA TJOENG (JAKARTA/INDONESIA)
“As a person with little initial knowledge about coffee, the 2 days workshop provided me with comprehensive knowledge and I enjoyed the practical aspects of making a good cup of caffe mocha!”
MR ALEX WEE (KUALA LUMPUR/MALAYSIA)
“Very enjoyable and its great how to learn to make great coffee. Maybe some more practice using the machines to make different drinks as I don’t feel I completely mastered it yet! But many thanks Phil & Cedric. You have great coffee - the best I have had in Singapore so far”
MS JANE PEMBERTON (MELBOURNE/AUSTRALIA)
“Thorough coverage and comprehension of coffee making. Hands-on practice were most fun and inspirational”
MS ALEXANDRA HSIEH (SINGAPORE)
“The workshop’s direction, focus and approach is very inspirational Delicious coffee! Passionate trainers”
MR EDWARD HARTY (UNITED KINGDOM)
“Latte art, the cleaning and maintenance process learned are useful. The financial aspect to open up a cafe taught was also very useful to me”
MR FOONG KIM PANG (SABAH/MALAYSIA)
“The coffee making process is really helpful and educational. The cupping session is very useful and we have gained more knowledge in tasting the different types of coffee”
MS EDITH ROSMARYATI (JAKARTA/INDONESIA)
“Beautiful presentation that the instructor taught is useful and impressive”