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Reviewed by : Kelvin Ng.

“Happy is said to be the family who eats onions together. They are, for the time being, separate from the world, and have a harmony of aspiration.”Aspire is the baby of the “Low” family, inspired by a brood of enterprising and talented siblings, supported by their proud parents. A three-in-one stop comprising of a dance studio, skin care centre and café, Aspire provides a one stop solution of lifestyle needs in a quaint Joo Chiat shophouse.

You will need to climb a short flight of stairs to get to Aspire. Once inside, you may be pleasantly surprised to find clean white-washed walls, bathed in natural sunlight that shines through the floor to ceiling windows such that no lighting is needed in the day unless the blanket of dark clouds are pulled up in a storm. Those small but charmingly colourful tables on the platform at the windows make for a good place to laze around in comfort.

Aspire boasts a good range of light bites, beverages and desserts. It has an extensive variety of coffee and tea. Try out “Romance” ($4.30 Cup, $6.50 Pot), a tea brewed with a special selection of flowers and tea leaves. Not only is this drink uplifting and nerve soothing, it also helps to fight colds and boost immunity. Take a whiff and enjoy that light scent of chocolate with the Vietnamese coffee ($3.50). Indulge in Aspire’s Ultimate Brownie Challenge ($3.80), a rich chocolate brownie topped with a scoop of velvety white vanilla ice-cream. Generously drizzled with sinful chocolate sauce, and whipped cream stashed atop, the sprinkling of chocolate and nuts crowns this guilty treat. Yet, you will find the extra calories all worth this recommendation. The American Cheesecake ($3.80) is comparatively unexciting. An average tasting cheesecake, it fails to distinguish itself in both the presentation and taste. Nevertheless, it still serves well in this family concept café and goes well with a good cup of latte.

Being a family business, the employees of Aspire are closely knit and this translates into the way they serve their customers. Ernest and friendly, they are a joy to chat with. Aspire also provides free usage of their collection of board and card games, wireless internet, shelves of manga comics as well as DVD movies for your reading and viewing pleasure respectively. Feel free to ask for the movie you wish to watch.

Aspire Café three-in-one concept is indeed promising. One can enjoy a movie over coffee while waiting for their partners who are having their dance lessons or skin care treatments. Teenagers can also arrange to meet there for gatherings, play board games, sing karaoke or enjoying the expansive personal collection of manga comics. There is no shortage of activities you can do there. However, it may be a pity that because it is located in Joo Chiat, where the pubs and bars are just a stone’s throw away, families and teenagers may be discouraged from visiting Aspire, especially in the evenings.

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