By Dishi Gautam
Opened in May 2015, Aria is a music and arts themed café that stands proud amidst the bustling SUTD (Singapore University of Technology and Design) campus. This hip café not only provides the cosy and comfortable ambience for visitors to enjoy their meal, it also hosts a variety of live performances and other events that can keep one entertained for hours.
Food:
Thai Ice Tea $5.00
One mug full of the wonderful Thai ice tea is perfect company to any cuisine you decide to try here. Drawing you in with a slightly spicy aroma, the tea delights you with its smooth texture and rich flavour. It leaves your taste buds lingering with its subtly creamy texture.
Aria also offers a wide variety of mocktails and alcoholic beverages at an affordable cost.
Chilli Con Carne: $4.90
The Con Carne made with ground beef and sautéed onions and garnished with spicy jalapeños make for an extremely appetising starter dish. Served with hot and crispy corn chips (topped with melted cheese for just an additional $1), the dish is pretty filling in itself. The chips are garnished with herbs that give it a peculiar Mexican flavour that is just delicious.
Seafood Risotto: $13.90
The seafood risotto is one of the pricier items on the menu. But with a character of its own, this risotto makes for a delightful entrée. The subtle taste of the risotto is complemented well by the impeccably prepared seafood.
Coconut Cake: $5.90
The coconut cake was a great way to end this lovely meal. Complete with coconut shavings as a topping, the smell strongly recalls coconut-lined beaches, giving this dessert a coastal yet elegant feel. The filling cream was rich and it had just the right amount of sweet.
The dessert menu at Aria ranges all the way from cakes and puddings to cookies and brownies. All on display, looking fabulous and rich, this section has visitors coming back for more. Aria also bakes custom cakes on request at a three day notice.
Price:
Competing with other eateries on the college campus, Aria is a slightly pricier option for students. The variety it offers in its menu and the ambience of the café make up for it. Especially with the regular offers they have for students, Aria has people coming back for more.
Ambience:
One of the few music & art-based cafés in the Changi area, Aria has created a niche for itself. The café displays artists’ work (paintings and handicrafts) regularly. It has a weekly schedule of events including song requests and shout outs, acoustic and soulful covers live, open mics, writing workshops and soccer telecasts. The graffiti on the walls and the beautifully designed counter create a homely feel. The café also houses a foosball table and a bookshelf for unwinding on those weekend evenings.
Since it was a Wednesday, we had the additional pleasure of enjoying a live performance by Shak. He played acoustic covers of popular songs and some of his own compositions as well. He was full of surprises throughout the act and even started freestyle rapping in the middle of a verse! The performance was about an hour long including short breaks. One could see visitors swaying to his beats while having their meals. These live acts add greatly to the artsy vibe of Aria.
If you’re looking for a café with a creative, free-flowing vibe and sumptuous food, drop by Aria (especially on performance nights; every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday) to be serenaded by an evening of Food, Music and Arts.
Aria
SUTD Building 2
8 Somapah Road
#01-204, S487372
Monday to Thursday: 11.30am – 10pm
Friday: 11.30am – 1am
Saturday: 11.30am – 10pm
Saturday Brunch:
11.30am – 3pm
Kitchen closes 1 hour before indicated closing time.
