{"id":3304,"date":"2016-11-28T23:42:37","date_gmt":"2016-11-28T15:42:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thegallivantpost.com\/?p=3304"},"modified":"2017-03-10T14:54:01","modified_gmt":"2017-03-10T06:54:01","slug":"central-perk-from-friends-descends-upon-singapore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/thegallivantpost.com\/central-perk-from-friends-descends-upon-singapore\/","title":{"rendered":"Central Perk from Friends descends upon Singapore"},"content":{"rendered":"

$\"Central$ <\/p>\n

Who would have thought that 12 years after the popular series \u201cFriends\u201d ended that fans, not in the US, but halfway around the world in Singapore, get to relive the caf\u00e9-filled days of the six famous friends.<\/p>\n

I was a huge friend of the show. For ten years that the series ran, I felt I knew all six of them. They have accompanied me through school as a teenager all the way into my working world as a reluctant adult (just like them). It\u2019s a caf\u00e9 I had to visit.<\/p>\n

Located at Central Mall in central Singapore, the caf\u00e9 stays true to the atmosphere of its fictional namesake caf\u00e9 in the series. From the couch where the friends always hang out, to the coffee counter (Gunther not included) to the side window where you can see the Central Perks sign, it will all look too familiar to fans.<\/p>\n

$\"Central$ <\/p>\n

$\"The$ <\/p>\n

\"Too — Too bad there’s no Gunther here<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
$\"Central$ <\/p>\n
There\u2019s more. The caf\u00e9 features an alfresco dining area, where you can dine next to the fa\u00e7ade of the caf\u00e9, a mini merchandise section so you can grab Friends tees and mugs, and a tiny Friends museum where you can\u2019t stop being trigger-happy with familiar scenes you\u2019d recognise from the beloved series. There\u2019s Monica\u2019s kitchen, where the friends sometimes hang out, the foosball table from Chandler and Joey\u2019s apartment, and a tribute wall dedicated to Rachel, Ross and Phoebe, each with replica pieces from selected episodes. There are other things that fans might notice, like the \u201cAux buttes Chaumont\u201d poster hanging in Monica\u2019s living room and the Laurel and Hardy poster in Joey and Chandler\u2019s living room, among others (I\u2019ll leave you to uncover yourself).<\/p>\n
$\"The$ <\/p>\n
$\"Monica'$
Monica’ Kitchen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
$\"It's$
It’s like you’re in Joey and Chandler’s apartment<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
$\"Ross'$
This wall is dedicated to Ross.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
$\"Rachel$
Do you remember Rachel’s wedding gown?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
$\"Phoebe's$
Does Gladys look familiar?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Based on a style guide from Warner Brothers, the folks from Central Perks pain-stakingly had memorable items from the show replicated- like Rachel\u2019s wedding gown, that statue of the Pat the dog in Joey and Chandler\u2019s apartment, and the freaky doll-painting of Gladys, Phoebe\u2019s gift to the girls.<\/p>\n
$\"Pat$
Pat the ceramic Dog!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
$\"Monica's$
Do you remember this painting hanging in Monica’s living room?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
$\"Friends$ <\/p>\n
The staff are trained to be friendly and informative. Flashing wide grins and displaying great attitudes (customer service is not the best in Singapore), I was shown to my seat and given a comprehensive introduction of the menu. The coffee selection is all named after the characters from the series. The Rachel Green is a light frothy blend, much like the flighty but lovable friend herself. Phoebe Buffay gives off a nutty flavour, because Phoebe is often off-kilter and a little crazy. The Joey Tribianni blend is a strong Italian roast, while Ross Gellar is a medium blend, much like our average paleontologist friend. Then there\u2019s the Chandler Bing that gives us the smokey blend, because he\u2019s the only smoker amongst the friends. The most intense blend of them all, is of course, the high-strung Monica Gellar. You can order the different blends in expresso, Cappuccino and Latte form. The cups come in a gigantic size, just like from the show, but are only half-filled. For the price of S$8 (US$5.60), it\u2019s pricey.<\/p>\n
$\"The$
This is a nice innovative way to name your coffee blends.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The caf\u00e9 serves restaurant type food, with soups, salads, sandwiches and mains all named after select episodes from the show. There\u2019s Janice\u2019s Oh. My. God Baby Back Ribs, Phoebe\u2019s \u201cI can Eat\u201d Meat Steak, Joey\u2019s \u201cYou\u2019re My Everest\u201d Turkey and more, all of which were described to me by my young server, along with the gist of the episode each item of the menu was named after. She was probably still in diapers when the show ended its run, but it shows how much effort was put into the training of the staff to stay true to the brand.<\/p>\n
The food menu pricing is steep. A simple Joey\u2019s \u201cRide Along\u201d Sandwich-a six-inch meatballs with barbecue sauce sandwich and no sides costs S$18. Prices for mains goes up to around $70 (for steak). Dessert ranges from S$12 for simple ice cream to S$16 for The One Joey isn\u2019t Even Sorry for Eating- Heavy fudge chocolate mudcake.<\/p>\n
$\"The$ <\/p>\n
$\"Food$ <\/p>\n
Despite a tad put-off by the pricing and small serving size, I\u2019m glad to visit Central Perk. I\u2019ve watched every single episode of Friends and stepping into a place that dedicates itself fully to the show brings back fond memories of school days when I was busy cramming for exams and took to Friends to relieve stress.<\/p>\n
The cafe\u2019s devotion to the show is admirable. Apart from every single item on the menu, each nook and cranny of the caf\u00e9 also has the series in mind. There is a microphone stand next to the bay window sitting area, just like in Friends. Instead of Phoebe serenading the crowd with Smelly Cat, the owner shared that he\u2019s looking at aspiring singers to take the mike-stand soon, just like our cat-loving Friend.<\/p>\n
Central Perk is a great place to visit with your friends who love the series as much as you did. The spacious interior and all things Friends make for a great place to get-together and relive Friends nostalgia. Most importantly, it creates the perfect opportunity to bond or re-connect with your mates whom you shared *Friends<\/em> memories with all those years ago.<\/p>\n*
*$\"Chandler$ <\/p>\n*

Too bad there’s no Gunther here<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
$\"Central$ <\/p>\n
There\u2019s more. The caf\u00e9 features an alfresco dining area, where you can dine next to the fa\u00e7ade of the caf\u00e9, a mini merchandise section so you can grab Friends tees and mugs, and a tiny Friends museum where you can\u2019t stop being trigger-happy with familiar scenes you\u2019d recognise from the beloved series. There\u2019s Monica\u2019s kitchen, where the friends sometimes hang out, the foosball table from Chandler and Joey\u2019s apartment, and a tribute wall dedicated to Rachel, Ross and Phoebe, each with replica pieces from selected episodes. There are other things that fans might notice, like the \u201cAux buttes Chaumont\u201d poster hanging in Monica\u2019s living room and the Laurel and Hardy poster in Joey and Chandler\u2019s living room, among others (I\u2019ll leave you to uncover yourself).<\/p>\n
$\"The$ <\/p>\n
$\"Monica'$
Monica’ Kitchen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
$\"It's$
It’s like you’re in Joey and Chandler’s apartment<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
$\"Ross'$
This wall is dedicated to Ross.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
$\"Rachel$
Do you remember Rachel’s wedding gown?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
$\"Phoebe's$
Does Gladys look familiar?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Based on a style guide from Warner Brothers, the folks from Central Perks pain-stakingly had memorable items from the show replicated- like Rachel\u2019s wedding gown, that statue of the Pat the dog in Joey and Chandler\u2019s apartment, and the freaky doll-painting of Gladys, Phoebe\u2019s gift to the girls.<\/p>\n
$\"Pat$
Pat the ceramic Dog!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
$\"Monica's$
Do you remember this painting hanging in Monica’s living room?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
$\"Friends$ <\/p>\n
The staff are trained to be friendly and informative. Flashing wide grins and displaying great attitudes (customer service is not the best in Singapore), I was shown to my seat and given a comprehensive introduction of the menu. The coffee selection is all named after the characters from the series. The Rachel Green is a light frothy blend, much like the flighty but lovable friend herself. Phoebe Buffay gives off a nutty flavour, because Phoebe is often off-kilter and a little crazy. The Joey Tribianni blend is a strong Italian roast, while Ross Gellar is a medium blend, much like our average paleontologist friend. Then there\u2019s the Chandler Bing that gives us the smokey blend, because he\u2019s the only smoker amongst the friends. The most intense blend of them all, is of course, the high-strung Monica Gellar. You can order the different blends in expresso, Cappuccino and Latte form. The cups come in a gigantic size, just like from the show, but are only half-filled. For the price of S$8 (US$5.60), it\u2019s pricey.<\/p>\n
$\"The$
This is a nice innovative way to name your coffee blends.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The caf\u00e9 serves restaurant type food, with soups, salads, sandwiches and mains all named after select episodes from the show. There\u2019s Janice\u2019s Oh. My. God Baby Back Ribs, Phoebe\u2019s \u201cI can Eat\u201d Meat Steak, Joey\u2019s \u201cYou\u2019re My Everest\u201d Turkey and more, all of which were described to me by my young server, along with the gist of the episode each item of the menu was named after. She was probably still in diapers when the show ended its run, but it shows how much effort was put into the training of the staff to stay true to the brand.<\/p>\n
The food menu pricing is steep. A simple Joey\u2019s \u201cRide Along\u201d Sandwich-a six-inch meatballs with barbecue sauce sandwich and no sides costs S$18. Prices for mains goes up to around $70 (for steak). Dessert ranges from S$12 for simple ice cream to S$16 for The One Joey isn\u2019t Even Sorry for Eating- Heavy fudge chocolate mudcake.<\/p>\n
$\"The$ <\/p>\n
$\"Food$ <\/p>\n
Despite a tad put-off by the pricing and small serving size, I\u2019m glad to visit Central Perk. I\u2019ve watched every single episode of Friends and stepping into a place that dedicates itself fully to the show brings back fond memories of school days when I was busy cramming for exams and took to Friends to relieve stress.<\/p>\n
The cafe\u2019s devotion to the show is admirable. Apart from every single item on the menu, each nook and cranny of the caf\u00e9 also has the series in mind. There is a microphone stand next to the bay window sitting area, just like in Friends. Instead of Phoebe serenading the crowd with Smelly Cat, the owner shared that he\u2019s looking at aspiring singers to take the mike-stand soon, just like our cat-loving Friend.<\/p>\n
Central Perk is a great place to visit with your friends who love the series as much as you did. The spacious interior and all things Friends make for a great place to get-together and relive Friends nostalgia. Most importantly, it creates the perfect opportunity to bond or re-connect with your mates whom you shared *Friends<\/em> memories with all those years ago.<\/p>\n*
*$\"Chandler$ <\/p>\n*