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Brunches Cafe
this really came up randomly when we just searched for "brunch" and "rainbow cakes"; more interestingly the name of this eatery is pretty much in-your-face, they've called themselves Brunches Cafe. Located along Rangoon Road, where there's alot of competition from established local joints such as Ng Ah Sio Bak Kut Teh and Lam's prawn and crab noodle, as well as ice-cream and cafe joints, Brunches Cafe stands out with its thematic vintage setup and story-book-like decor.
one highlight of this place is dining inside "the car". there's only one such table in the whole place, where up to four people can cosy up inside a vintage mini-cooper. do make a reservation if you'd like this to be part of your visit experience. the cafe also has some vintage collectible items that are up for sale, adding some character to the restaurant. besides an all-day brunch menu, they offer a unique high-tea set daily (limited to 10 sets per day) served in a very instagrammable bird-cage. 
i guess a visit to Brunches Cafe should come with at least one order of brunch food, so we went for this D.I.Y breakfast set called Pimp My Brekkie. consumers get to assemble their own big breakfast by selecting their choice of eggs, 2 breakfast mains - such as smoked salmon, bacon or sausages or even 1 large main dish like a ribeye steak. it'd then be accompanied by tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms, potatoes and lettuce. 
moving on to the other main dishes, we tried this Moroccan Lamb Burger set, which was essentially a herb-infused lamb patty with cheese, tomatoes, lettuce and cucumber sandwiched between a black-sesame bun. the dish comes with fries and salad to top off a very hearty meal. another popular main that people order was the Crispy Duck Leg Confit with Balsamic Glaze served with tomatoes, mashed potatoes and greens. the lamb was pretty good, though the duck confit turned out rather normal. 
i guess one of the highlights of this cafe would be their dessert spread. from their rainbow cheesecakes to pistachio cakes being signature choices, they have this 4-flavoured waffle combination topped with Movenpick ice-cream and fruits. i personally like the pairing of chocolate ice-cream with charcoal waffles. in all, Brunches Cafe is a very quirky and casual diner that makes for good photography and group catch-ups. the dessert and brunch menu is probably stronger, and if you visit, do make it a point to sit inside the car.. 
Brunches Cafe 96 Rangoon Road Singapore 21838 Opening Hours Mondays to Fridays: 10.30 am to 9 pm (closed on Tuesdays) Saturdays and Sundays: 9.30 am to 9 pm Everything with a price tag in our shop are for sale.. Labels: #brunchcafe, #brunchescafe, #brunchfood, #familyfriendly, #lambburger, #minicooperseat, #rangoonroad The Masses Singapore
one of the folks behind the successful Saveur brand have come up with another affordable experiential dining concept. The Masses is located along Beach Road, where the store comes to life through its almost full height glass facade, vibrant crowds and of course backed by its strong social media following. the place is not very large to begin with, so reservations are strongly encouraged in order to avoid disappointment. similar to their past creations, dinner times and weekends tend to be the busiest and a short wait is expected.
The Masses' theme revolves around dishes of tapas-styled starters that replicate a fusion-European feel. they come in well-presented portions and are priced affordably, which probably encourages groups of patrons to order a few more dishes for good variety. the mains are designed with a slight fine-dining edge to it (akin to underground restaurant Maggie Joan's) but is definitely more competitive to reach out to the masses. 
This C n C pasta is one of the signature dishes, it can come both as a starter (small portion) or as a main dish itself. it's actually a cold dish of pasta with caviar and crabmeat, served in a lobster sauce. along with other highly Instagrammable dishes like The Egg, a chawan-mushi like dish served with Ikura, Tobiko (types of fish roe) and potato chips, the starter menu listing for this restaurant rates high on taste and talkability. 
probably quite high-risk and exotic at the same time, working on octopus dishes can go very wrong if not done appropriately. The Masses hit the right buttons with their interpretation of their Aus Frementle octopus tentacle, well-presented, grilled to the right tenderness and going well with a Mediterranean aioli sauce, this dish is one of the must-trys when coming to this place. we also tried the salmon confit, that is served with tomatoes, fish skin and pineapples - a pretty refreshing combination. 
on to the mains and this simplistic dish surprisingly came out tops. The much reviewed honey garlic miso chicken breast has been featured by most food bloggers and praised for its tenderness and clever food pairing with the honey garlic miso sauce for a tinge of sweetness. and if even chicken breast can be made to taste good, i guess this is a high accolade to be given to a very creative food entrepreneur. We expect greater things to come from The Masses and truly enjoyed our dining experience here. 
The Masses Singapore 85 Beach Road, #01-02 Singapore 189694 Opening Hours Mondays to Thursdays: 12 pm to 9.30 pm Fridays & Saturdays: 12 pm to 12 am Sundays: 12 pm to 9 pm using fresh, seasonal produce and allowing recipes to be simple yet dynamic.. Labels: #affordablefinedining, #beachroad, #fusionfood, #themasses, #themassessingapore En Sakaba (Capital Tower)
this Japanese tapas bar has been drawing the crowds at its first outlet at Orchard Central. focusing on its sashimi, small japanese bites and its sakae, the restaurant fuses the Izakaya concept (Japanese bar-top concept) with that of a full-fledged sashimi joint. A couple of other outlets at JEM and Clarke Quay later, En Sakaba opened its Singapore flagship at Capital Tower in Tanjong Pagar recently. being located near the office, we went to check out this increasingly popular concept by the EN Group.
the fit-out of this outlet is in chic gold, a very attractive proposition from the outside and since its opening, always bustling with activity from the CBD faithful. the offerings range from the conventional Donburi and sashimi sets, to the recommended pairings of tapas and their wide selection of sakae. we had a big group on the day and managed to try several of their popular dishes. 
The litmus test of all sashimi-grade seafood would probably be the salmon sashimi. We tried the Sokyu Salmon Don where the fish was proven to be fresh and sweet. served with ikura and on vinegared rice, it would be no question that this ought to be a safe and regular choice for most patrons. we tried other interpretations such as the Buri Sashimi Don (yellowtail sashimi rice bowl) and enjoyed the same quality of freshness. 
for those who preferred cooked rice sets, the Wakatori Teriyaki Don stood out for its generous portions, well-marinated chicken thighs and poached tamago egg. all rice sets came with salad and a bowl of miso soup to complete the dish, making each set a pretty hearty offering. also with grilled freshwater eel being all the rage these days, En Sakaba has their own Tororo Unagi Kinsi Tamago Don or grilled eel with shredded egg and grated yam rice bowl, which was very good as well. 
there are several Japanese tapas dishes available that would make good wine and beer pairings, particularly popular at their Clarke Quay outlet. the more popular one includes this deep fried camembert or breaded cheese bits. other well-received dishes include chicken wings, scallops and the Okinawa pork belly skewers. these options bring about good variety for patrons who would like to enjoy their sakae with different Japanese small bites and against the backdrop of En Sakaba's setting, makes it a very pleasurable experience indeed. 
En Sakaba (Capital Tower) 168 Robinson Road #01-10 Capital Tower Singapore 068912 Opening Hours Mondays to Saturdays: 11 am to 11 pm (closed on Sundays) offering a variety of Japanese influenced tapas that are best paired with sake and beer.. Labels: #capitaltower, #donburi, #ensakaba, #ensakaba.sg, #japanesefood, #japanesetapas, #sashimi The Coffee Academics (Raffles City)
in preparation for an upcoming trip to Hong Kong, we decided to visit a Hong Kong inspired cafe to get into the mood. The Coffee Academics which started out at Causeway Bay, is somewhat of an institution for the coffee drinking experience. We were hence pretty excited when it ventured beyond Hong Kong to set up in Singapore in 2015. Interestingly, we didn't quite get to visit it when the cafe first opened at Scotts Square, until now that is, when it opened its second Singapore outlet at Raffles City Singapore.
located at basement 1 just under the void, The Coffee Academics has taken up the space vacated by a previously bigger Tiong Bahru Bakery and Aerin's Cafe. even though it was past lunch time, the crowds were still streaming into the outlet at regular intervals underlining the cafe's popularity as a place where people would visit to rest their feet, have a cuppa and probably a meal or a dessert. similar to the stores in Hong Kong, this place emphasizes on being the purveyor and roaster of coffee. 
the food served as supposed to be inspired from places with a rich coffee culture, hence alot of the dishes will have influences from Mexico, The Mediterranean, Indonesia amongst others. we tried the Le Smoke Salmon, which is a beetroot potato rosti dish topped with smoked salmon, fish roe, mango tzatziki and poached egg. it's a very colourful dish with the savoury beetroot rosti (it's literally red rosti) and salmon blending pretty interestingly with the sweetness and tangy taste of the mango and ikura. there are a few other unique all-day-breakfast options to choose from and we're already thinking of trying the others on the next visit. 
for the more conventional choices, there is a selection of fusion pastas served here as well. we went for a Prawn Arrabiata that was topped with chopped tomatoes and ground chilli. there was a very generous serving of prawns and the dish brought out the spicy kick needed from all Arrabiatas. Other signature dishes that are popular here would include the crispy fish fillet tacos and the Umami Pasta. 
but of course, everyone comes here to experience their award-winning blends of coffee. from their signature expresso based coffees to their specialty regional brews, The Coffee Academics endeavours to bring out the most experiential flavours. we tried a hot Jawa latte macchiato that has a rich Asian taste, sweetened by Gula-Melaka and served with warm, well frothed milk. the latte has a very unique taste that we don't get at the usual coffee joints. for the hot tropical climate, another specialty is the cold brews that are handcrafted, bottled and steeped for 8 hours before serving, extremely refreshing. in all, The Coffee Academics brings about a very different coffee experience, the meals a somewhat pricey - a common trait in Singapore for concepts that are imported from overseas to have a price mark-up. but judging from the crowds, many are prepared to pay abit more for quality coffee. 
The Coffee Academics (Raffles City) 252 North Bridge Road Raffles City Shopping Centre, #B1-12 Singapore 179103 Opening Hours Mondays to Thursdays: 8 am to 9 pm Fridays: 8 am to 9.30 pm Saturdays: 9 am to 9.30 pm Sundays: 9 am to 8.30 pm Purveyor and roaster of specialty coffee in Hong Kong since 2012.. Labels: #brunchcafe, #coldbrew, #rafflescitysingapore, #specialtycoffee, #thecoffeeacademicssg Cafe Melba (Mediapolis)
when people discuss Cafe Melba that originated from the Goodman Arts Centre, the main hallmall of this place stems from its spacious, family-friendly environment. there are yards of open spaces for kids and pets to run around outside, and even play features to keep the children busy over meals. The new store at Mediapolis follows the same vein, with emphasis on space, ample car-parking and colours. the bouncing inflatable castle outside is enough motivation to get your kids to quickly finish up their food..
one interesting note however, is that you'd find more mentions of Cafe Melba in parenting blogs than on food reviews, haha, go figure.. having said that, the menu spread at this eatery offers really good variety, from all-day breakfast, to sandwiches & burgers, to pastas and pizzas together with meat-based mains. the chef behind the Mediapolis outlet came under the tutelage of celebrity chefs and have worked in some famous kitchens before. perhaps that carried a little too much expectation coming in here for the food. 
their pan pizzas come in various sizes from 9 inches to 16 inches, we ordered a Chilli crab pizza (9 inch) which came out rather light in flavour without much evidence of it going through a wood-fired stove. we believe this interpretation of the dish is probably done healthier, with less of the original chilli crab spices, in order to cater to the children. nonetheless, i wouldn't call pizzas this restaurant's specialty. 
the duck confit came on the back of many online reviews and is one of this place's signature dishes. served with braised lentils and roasted baby potatoes, this dish is highly Instagrammable and popular amongst the visitors here. another dish to look out for was the Mozzarella stuffed potato Rosti served with poached eggs, French cream, salmon or pork sausages. the rosti was fried to perfection and the cheese spread evenly when you cut the rosti up, very crispy and flavourful. 
in all, the visit to Cafe Melba was a dining experience. we had a good spread of food, great conversations in a very open and colourful environment. A visit here can be somewhat pricey though, proving that parents these days are willing to splurge on family gatherings and their little ones. 
Cafe Melba (Mediapolis) 1 Stars Avenue, #03-01 Singapore, 138507 Opening Hours Daily: 8 am to 10 pm an oasis away from hectic city life.. Labels: #breakfast, #brunchcafe, #cafemelba, #familyfriendly #onenorth, #mediapolis, #sgbrunchfood Kaisen Tei
in the small country of ours, when a little trend catches on, it gets replicated pretty quickly. of late, many stores have sprung up selling poke-bowls or the similar Japanese donburi bowls with sashimi cubes. Kaisen Tei is a new concept brought in by the folks behind Ministry of Food (MOF), it specialises in Kaisendon (rice bowls with seafood sashimi) and also allows customers to create their own DIY pokebowl.
taking an open-concept space within 313@Somerset, Kaisen Tei brings the fun of designing your own bowl of chirashi don. patrons can customise everything from their bowl size (affects the number of allowable toppings), their base of rice or salad, their seafood toppings and the sauce to go with it. if this becomes too much of a hassle for some, the restaurant also offers some default bowl combinations where you could order off the menu. with the bowls being affordably priced, this store will give other sashimi outlets a run for their money. 
a DIY rice bowl can actually have quite a varied range of combinations, depending on whether you'd like to go healthy or if you're a sashimi lover. with 6 types of sashimi cubes to choose from, be it the ever-popular salmon sashimi to mini hotate (scallops), the typical sashimi offerings are all present for selection. some cooked toppings are available at a slightly premium price if one would like to add on some salmon roe, jelly fish, eels or the like. the more health conscious ones amongst us would have gone for the salad bowls. 
the default signature Kaisendon, will come with a mixture of eggs, salmon and tuna sashimi cubes, together with a sprinkling of greens. whilst the food and colours make the dishes very Instagrammable, the plastic bowls and plates does tend to make this appear somewhat 'low budget' and unlike most sashimi bars where the cold cuts are only prepared when you've ordered, the food here seems to be prepared earlier. no big issues on freshness, and we still managed to enjoy some wholesome bowls. not the best chirashi dons we've eaten nonetheless. 
if raw food is totally not your thing, Kaisen Tei offers curry rice sets as well. now, the white disposable plates does make this appear pretty make-shift and the tempura choices being served separately from the curry does make the dishes somewhat dry. we're not too big fans of this selection and would recommend that visitors stick to the sashimi rice bowls. in all, this concept is synonymous with other MOF restaurants, offering quick, simple and affordable Japanese meals. the chain was once very popular in the early 2000s and this could allow them to spark a mini-revival again. 
Kaisen Tei 313 Orchard Road #03-41 313@Somerset Singapore Opening Hours Daily: 11.30 am to 10 pm perfect as a healthy takeaway meal for diners on the go.. Labels: #313somerset, #chirashidon, #japanesefood, #kaisendon, #kaisentei, #pokebowl |
..ThE lEgEnD..
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Golden Village, Singpost Centre 
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