Jungle Chic
There are times when you wish to be surrounded by lush greenery but cannot handle the inconveniences of actually being in nature. In the equatorial tropics, the heat, the humidity, the mosquitoes, the sweat that leaves you unpleasantly sticky can all become overwhelming. This is when you head to a café specialising in what I’m calling ‘jungle chic.’
You opt to sit outside under the ceiling fans, gratefully gulp down the ice cold water brought to the table, and feast your eyes on the frenzied tangle of vegetation before you. There are no buildings close by and barely any traffic noise. You relax, order your meal, and unwind. If only your fellow diners could be whisked away leaving you in complete solitude, but never mind, you will simply stare into the green and lose yourself in it.
This is the kind of experience that Bali does so well. You can breakfast looking out onto terraced rice fields so vividly green you cannot help but feel reinvigorated. What makes this cafe in Singapore so special is that you look upon a patch of relatively mature secondary forest, and its textured wildness is a relief after the skyscrapers and manicured landscaping that dominate the urban environment. Just nature going its own way, and as you look upon it you feel like you have been granted permission to do the same…
You leave wistfully. One last backward glance to remind yourself there is a sanctuary to return to when you need it again.
For those who need the jungle’s message to just be, head to P.S. Cafe at Harding Road. The café is located in a former British colonial army barracks that has been repurposed and gentrified. The buildings now house restaurants, delis, and boutiques. As a whole, the Dempsey Hill area is relaxed and makes for a good break from urban Singapore. For those looking for a good Peranakan restaurant nearby, I would highly recommend Candlenut.
