Another occupant in the Pearl’s Hill Terrace enclave that is getting our attention for its stripped-down aesthetic is the newly-opened, Japanese-inspired cafe Paaru, whose exterior is reminiscent of wooden guesthouses in the Japanese countryside. Not surprisingly, though, the people behind this calm oasis in the city are the same folks behind Asaru – the experiential retail studio that is located a few doors down (see snippet in Gallery 2). Co-founder Laura Phay explains that “Paaru allows a more accessible & casual avenue to experience the Asaru way of living” without having to worry about not being able to book an available slot that Asaru requires.
Phay adds that the cafe was envisioned to be like a “home that reveals itself” to wandering visitors. She adds: “The raw space was first visualised as a house before each zone was assigned its function – such as the open kitchen, living, and dining rooms. It is inspired by century-old Japanese guest houses with their Machiya-style entrances.” Within the dark and muted space, visitors will get large window-framed viewings of the stone wall outside the building.
Freshly-baked bread is a heavy feature on the menu, and crowd favourites include Eggs on Shokupan (Japanese milk bread) or the very Instagrammable Fresh Toast Shokupan (pictured, on top right). “Customers have been loving our French Toast Shokupan with Kuromitsu (a type of Japanese syrup). Imminently we will be opening up our tearoom and also offering rotating lunch sets,” Phay says.
Address: 195 Pearl’s Hill Terrace, #01-61
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 7pm; Saturday & Sunday, 8am to 6pm; closed on Wednesday
