Was looking forward to the opening of Hoshino Coffee, the more upmarket and artisanal sister café of Doutor Coffee. Both are managed by D&N Singapore, part of parent company Doutor Nichires Holdings in Japan, who also runs Japanese style spaghetti restaurant chain Yomenya Goemon and Chinese restaurant chain The Asian Kitchen. Presence of Japanese brands in the local coffee scene booming with both chains and home-grown independent joints meant caffeine junkies like me are spoilt for choice. Mild versus strong java, flat or full-bodied, from the usual American ones to recent additions such as Australian's Jamaica Blue and English's Costa Coffee with their 2nd and 3rd branches at The Star Vista and Vivocity respectively. At the revamped Atrium@Orchard next to Plaza Singapura, there is Starbucks on the 1st floor as well as Dome and Hoshino on the 3rd. Note that escalator from the 1st floor seemed to lead to the 2nd when it actually leads to the 3rd.
