There has been quite a bit of changes to the F&B establishments that are situated along Joo Chiat Road in recent times — one of them being Homeground Coffee Roasters which had since vacated their previous space here, and is now located at Teo Hong Road. Their neighbours, C Cafe, has also since been re-branded as Nimbus as well. Going for an entire overhaul, the rebranding exercise not only sees the establishment adopting a new name; the space also has been through a major revamp — gone are the days where the cafe is decked in a minimalistic, white interior with wooden furniture and fittings and plants for a look that is close to nature. Now, the interior of Nimbus has taken on a look that is more in-line with that of cafes that are decked with a more contemporary design; think a dark green facade that leads to an interior featuring furniture and fittings with a darker wooden accent — a little more European-inspired and also somewhat more dimly-lit than what it was previously to exude a classier vibe. Nimbus also ditched on the “magic” concept that C Cafe previously had as well. The menu at Nimbus is being split into four different sections — Breakfast (available 8am to 3pm), Lunch / Dinner (available from 11am to closing), Sides and Desserts (available all day), and Beverages. Whilst some of the items (especially those from the Starters section of the menu) were carried over from C Cafe’s menu, there are some interesting additions that are newly-introduced with their rebranding as Nimbus.

Having skimmed through the menu whilst seated in the cafe, the Tuna Steak was a dish from the Lunch / Dinner section of the menu that caught our attention amongst the other more conventional items which they have to offer. The Tuna Steak is described as “Seared Ahi Tuna steak served medium rare with a sweet soy glaze, rustic potatoes and side salad” on the menu. On first look, we were quite impressed with how the Tuna Steak came in a rather sizeable slab for a dish that costs $28++. Slicing up the Tuna Steak, while we note that it was done medium rare, we felt the Tuna Steak felt a tad dry within — seemingly lacking moisture after being seared on the pan. That being said, we did like the briny, savoury flavours that the slab of tuna carried; the sweet soy glaze providing that sweet-savoury flavour combination that was utterly delicious. The rustic potatoes were also especially well-executed; coming in bite-sized chunks, the potatoes came with a crispy crust on the outside, whilst the interior is soft and fluffy; pretty on-point. The garden salad served on the side attempts to keep things refreshing here from the fish and the potatoes; the greens providing a good crunch while the tomatoes provides a burst of tanginess. Overall, a pretty decently executed item which we would least expect to have found in a cafe like Nimbus.

Having also tried the Classic Churros here, as well as the Piccolo and Flat White, we must say that we were really impressed with the effort from the folks of C Cafe in their transformation of the space into Nimbus. Not only does the space look drastically different from before and in a good way, but we also really liked how they have tried to introduce a few new dishes that are lesser seen in cafes in general — provides not only for a cosier feel, but also somewhat of a character unique to its own. Sure, there may be some room for improvement where their food is of concern, however we do think that it still hits the spot somewhat; just minor tweaks that they would probably want to look into. Our Piccolo and Flat White are both well-pulled; smooth and creamy with a medium body and an earthy flavour profile. Prices at Nimbus are a little high for some of the items; the price of the dishes in the Breakfast and the Lunch / Dinner section ranges between. $19 to $32 depending on the dish ordered — that being said, the prices are still relatively in line with what other specialty coffee establishments are charging these days. With so many specialty coffee joints being situated along Joo Chiat Road and East Coast Road, Nimbus does finally seem to be able to differentiate themselves from the others in the same neighbourhood; somewhere that avid cafe-hoppers should check out at least once to see what they have to offer.