Kissa Kalm's Japanese Cafe

Kissa Kalm's Japanese Cafe
1 Esplanade Drive
#02-13 Esplanade Mall

https://business.facebook.com/KalmsSg/

Yaki Soba With Chicken Karaage (SGD $2.75)

Self-Serve, 24/7 Automated Cafe

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 5
Ambience & Setting: 4
Food & Beverage: 6
Service: 1
Value for Money: 5
Spent about SGD $9 per person.


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Many Singaporeans would be familiar with Kalm's, a retail brand known for their gifts and greetings cards. However, not many know that Kalm's has since gone out of this line of business, having closed all its gift stores. Since November 2016, Kalm's has transitioned into the food and beverage industry, but decided to go the fully automated, e-commerce route - setting up food and beverage vending machines across Singapore, culminating in the opening of their fully automated, self-service cafe; the Kissa Kalm's Japanese Cafe, in September 2018.

Ambience at Kissa Kalm's Japanese Cafe is functional minimalist. There are no seats, just light wooden standing tables, and minimal decor with artwork of Japanese kanji characters. The bright, warm spot lights and the quiet hum of the many vending machines here are slightly disconcerting. The only human presence are curious passerbys, who walk in to look around.

Service at Kissa Kalm's Japanese Cafe is completely self-service. Everything is electronic, there are no human staff around, though there are numbers to call for troubleshooting if necessary. Basically, you select your food or drink from the many vending machines, then pay electronically. Hot water dispensers and microwave ovens are provided for cooking and heating. You're also expected to clear your own waste after a meal.

Food at Kissa Kalm's Japanese Cafe features processed, packaged, ready-to-eat Japanese cuisine. Don't expect gastronomic wonders here, but the quality is at least decently passable in taste. Portions are sized for individuals, and prices are affordable. Budget about SGD $9 per person for a meal here. Beyond the novelty of the experience, and the convenience it offers, I can't see why someone would choose to dine here instead of elsewhere.

While I commend the use of technology, there is a problem if the vending machine doesn't dispense your order, yet still charges you for it. There's a 1 in 4 chance, or 25% chance, of this happening, as I experienced it on 3 separate occasions, when my order didn't dispense, yet my card was charged. Getting a refund is a hassle. Because of this high failure rate, I cannot recommend this at all, it's best avoided until they fix or improve on it.


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Kissa Kalm's Japanese Cafe Exterior

Kissa Kalm's Japanese Cafe Interior

The vending machines all have clear instructions, and guide customers step-by-step, so it's easy to operate and purchase something.

Hot Water Dispenser & Vending Machine Coffee

Vending Machine Instant Noodles

Vending Machine Drinks

Vending Machine Bento Boxes

Microwave Oven

The Soft Drink Calpis / Calpico (SGD $2) is a Japanese uncarbonated milk-based soft drink beverage. Produced by lactic acid fermentation of water, non-fat dry milk, and lactic acid, this drink has a creamy smooth texture, with a lovely milky fruity sweet flavour.

Soft Drink Calpis / Calpico (SGD $2)

Tried the default setting for the Latte (SGD $2.50). The resulting drink has a nice roasted coffee bean undertone, but the primary top notes are milk and sweetness. Love the generous portion though.

Latte (SGD $2.50)

Latte

There's only 2 sizes for their bento boxes, small and large, all of which are served with a pair of wooden chopsticks. The Bento Box Large is actually of a moderate, decent size, and suitable for an individual meal. In contrast, the Bento Box Small, is more like a snack, and usually isn't sufficient for a normal meal.

Bento Box Large

The Pork Buta Donburi (SGD $5.50) features Japanese white rice, ginger marinated sliced pork, carrots, and caramelised onions. Overall soft textures throughout, with the exception of a slight chew from the carrots. Decent savoury salty flavour, an alright meal.

Pork Buta Donburi (SGD $5.50)

Pork Buta Donburi

Pork Buta Donburi

The Wagyu Beef Donburi (SGD $6.80) features Japanese white rice, sliced wagyu beef (marinated in mirin rice wine, sugar, light soy sauce, dashi seaweed stock), black sesame seeds, white sesame seeds, and caramelised onions. Overall tender chewy textures throughout, with bold meaty savoury salty flavour. This was better than I expected, and I don't mind having it again.

Wagyu Beef Donburi (SGD $6.80)

Wagyu Beef Donburi

Wagyu Beef Donburi

The Yaki Soba With Chicken Karaage (SGD $2.75) is a decent meal with good variety. It features sauced yaki soba / stir-fried buckwheat noodles, chicken karaage, cabbage, ginger marinated sliced pork, carrots, caramelised onions, string beans, and shimeji mushrooms. The noodles have a bouncy chewy texture, the vegetables have a soft juicy crunch, the pork is tender, and the chicken is slightly firm and oily. Overall flavours of savoury salty vegetal sweet, nice. I felt it would be more accurate to name this 'Pork Yaki Soba With Chicken Karaage', so people are aware that it consists of 2 types of meat.

Yaki Soba With Chicken Karaage (SGD $2.75)

Yaki Soba With Chicken Karaage

Yaki Soba With Chicken Karaage

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