Brunches Cafe

Brunches Cafe
96 Rangoon Road

https://brunches.sg/

Duo-Flavoured Original & Chocolate Waffle, With Hokkaido Lavender With Chocolate Bark Ice Cream (SGD $14.90)

Old-School, Cool School

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 7
Ambience & Setting: 8
Food & Beverage: 7
Service: 6
Value for Money: 7
Spent about SGD $24 per person.


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Established in October 2014, Brunches Cafe is pure old-school cool. A retro / vintage themed cafe packed to the brim with knick-knacks (the majority of which are for sale), Brunches Cafe is also known for, what else? Their hearty all-day breakfast and brunch plates, made to order and featuring an eclectic mix of international flavours, rather like the cafe itself.

Ambience at Brunches Cafe is retro themed, filled to the brim with genuine vintage collectables (which can be purchased) serving as decor. It's like stepping through a doorway into a small, cozy store, the musky smell of old wood in the air. Warmly lit with an eclectic mix of metal and wooden furnishings, most of which are passably comfortable, the star highlight here is the 4-seater sofa set converted from an actual vintage Mini Cooper.

Service at Brunches Cafe is warm and friendly, with staff greeting and seating guests after taking their temperature (as part of covid-19 measures). Orders are taken tableside, and staff display cursory product knowledge, able to offer basic recommendations. Orders are fulfilled after a short while and served to the table, and I note staff clean up efficiently when diners are finished. The place tends to fill up quickly, creating short queues during peak periods.

Food at Brunches Cafe is a mish-mash of international cuisine, I spot American, British, French, Italian, Spanish, and Moroccan influences. Quality of dishes is decent, generally featuring fresh ingredients prepared simply. Pastries and bakes are freshly made daily. Portions are large and hearty, and are best shared. Their coffee is a highlight here, along with their house-made coolers. Prices are slightly higher compared to other cafes, budget about SGD $24 per person.


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Brunches Cafe Exterior

Brunches Cafe Interior

Counter

Seating

Seating

Seating

The Kiwi Soda With Butterfly Pea Tea (SGD $7) is vibrant and eye-catching, with the infusion of kiwi fruit and butterfly pea flower tea giving this a fruity earthy sour sweet flavour. Rather refreshing.

Kiwi Soda With Butterfly Pea Tea (SGD $7)

The Piccolo Latte (SGD $4.50) has a robust body with medium acidity, and a fragrant aroma of roasted coffee beans.

Piccolo Latte (SGD $4.50)

A straightforward Cappuccino (SGD $4.50), with precise coffee art. Good strength of body, with a light fragrant aroma. Served with a crumbly butter cookie with grainy buttery sweet flavour on the side.

Cappuccino (SGD $4.50)

The Bailey's Coffee On The Rocks (SGD $8.50) is a unique beverage. It features an ice ball, made of frozen coffee infused with Bailey's, over which is poured chilled milk. The ice ball slowly melts, releasing its toasty boozy sweet flavour into the milk. Takes some time to infuse though, so you'll have to keep pouring milk over to gradually melt it. A rather fun experience!

Bailey's Coffee On The Rocks (SGD $8.50)

Bailey's Coffee On The Rocks

Bailey's Coffee On The Rocks

Bailey's Coffee On The Rocks

The Älska Strawberry & Lime Cider (SGD $9) is lively, refreshing, and fruity sweet sour in flavour. The infusion of strawberry and lime is nicely balanced, making this a joy to drink.

Älska Strawberry & Lime Cider (SGD $9)

Älska Strawberry & Lime Cider

The Portobello Mushroom Fritters (SGD $8.90) are among the best versions I've had. Piping hot, the crumb-battered crust gives way with a light satisfying crunch, releasing the juicy tender portobello mushroom within, with its deep vegetal earthy sweet savoury flavour. Good on its own, better with creamy mayonnaise or rich tomato ketchup. Loved every bite of it, so addictive. Will return just for this. Highly recommended!

Portobello Mushroom Fritters (SGD $8.90)

Portobello Mushroom Fritters

Portobello Mushroom Fritters

Loved the Vegetarian Salad From The Grill (SGD $12.90), which features large, fresh slices of zucchini, aubergine / eggplant, tomato, asparagus, portobello mushroom, baby spinach, and rocket leaves / arugula, grilled to perfection and dressed with rich balsamic vinaigrette. The vegetables are properly juicy tender crunchy, with bold smoky vegetal earthy sweet sour flavour. So yummy. Highly recommended!

Vegetarian Salad From The Grill (SGD $12.90)

Vegetarian Salad From The Grill

Vegetarian Salad From The Grill

The Lobster Bisque (SGD $10.90) has a rich deep flavour of crustaceans, with bits of deshelled prawns / shrimp within, and the use of cream makes it thick and creamy in texture. The robust savoury salty sweet briny flavour hints of old prawns / shrimp though. Served with a fluffy soft bread bun on the side, whose porous nature picks up the soup / broth so well. Worth ordering!

Lobster Bisque (SGD $10.90)

Lobster Bisque

The Eggs Royale (SGD $17.50) features a decent duo of wobbly poached eggs, whose golden yolk oozes out when cut, and has bright eggy sweet flavour. While the smoked salmon slices were tender, they were intensely smoky salty in taste, and it helps that the crisp toasted wholemeal bread offsets the flavour with its bready grainy sweet notes. The bouncy sauteed button mushrooms were lovely with bright earthy savoury flavour, while the crisp mesclun salad (rocket leaves / arugula, mizuna, sorrel, lettuce) has bright vegetal earthy bitter sweet flavour. Worth ordering!

Eggs Royale (SGD $17.50)

Eggs Royale

The Brioche French Toast (SGD $14.50) was disappointing, because rather than the soft airy texture of brioche bread, it's closer to a wet spongy bread pudding instead, with bready milky sweet flavour. At least the juicy seasonal mixed fruits (green grapes, blackberry, strawberry, raspberry, dragon fruit) had lovely fruity sweet flavour, and the thick maple syrup lent a lovely floral sweet note. The overall texture and taste was a let-down though. Could be improved.

Brioche French Toast (SGD $14.50)

Brioche French Toast

Loved the Pimp My Brekkie (SGD $20.90), where each component was well-executed. The eggs were fluffy with eggy sweet flavour, the toasted sourdough bread was crisp with grainy sour sweet flavour, the juicy grilled tomato held smoky vegetal sweet flavour, and the crisp mesclun salad (rocket leaves / arugula, mizuna, sorrel, lettuce) has bright vegetal earthy bitter sweet flavour. Completed with tender roasted baby potatoes with smoky starchy sweet flavour, bouncy button mushrooms with deep vegetal earthy savoury flavour, wispy streaky pork bacon with fatty savoury salty flavour, and a snappy pork cumberland sausage which burst with savoury salty herbal meaty flavour. There's also an option for a tender juicy minute beef ribeye steak (replacing the sausage), done to medium rare, which has robust meaty savoury salty flavour. Good!

Pimp My Brekkie (SGD $20.90)

Pimp My Brekkie

Pimp My Brekkie

Pimp My Brekkie

Loved the Duck Leg Confit With Balsamic Glaze (SGD $19.90), which features a large duck leg, confit till the duck meat turns tender, coming easily off the bone, yet remains moist and chewy in texture, with bold meaty salty savoury flavour. The base of smooth mashed potato holds starchy sweet flavour, while the salad of rocket leaves and baby spinach is crunchy and crisp with vegetal bitter sweet flavour. A juicy roasted tomato with smoky vegetal sweet flavour accompanies, and the whole dish is dressed with rich balsamic vinaigrette, which lends a sour note. Good!

Duck Leg Confit With Balsamic Glaze (SGD $19.90)

Duck Leg Confit With Balsamic Glaze

The Bangers & Mash With Curry Ketchup (SGD $18.90) is straightfoward comfort. Over the base of creamy smooth mashed potatoes with good starchy sweet flavour, is plated 3 types of sausages, all large and snappy and juicy in texture. There's a chicken cheese frankfurter with savoury salty cheesy flavour, a pork cumberland with herbal earthy savoury flavour, and a pork snail sausage with bright herbal spice savoury flavour; my favourite was the snail. A juicy roasted tomato and a crisp mesclun salad (rocket leaves / arugula, mizuna, sorrel, lettuce) with bright vegetal earthy bitter sweet flavour accompanies, with an addictive curry ketchup sauce to complete. Highly recommended!

Bangers & Mash With Curry Ketchup (SGD $18.90)

Bangers & Mash With Curry Ketchup

The BBQ St Louis Pork Ribs (SGD $19.50) were above average in quality, with the pork ribs being tender and juicy, coming easily off the bone. The pork is glazed in a house marinade, which has bright sweet savoury spice flavour, definitely different from the typical barbecued pork ribs. Served over a bed of creamy smooth mashed potatoes which has good starchy sweet flavour, along with a juicy grilled tomato with bright vegetal sweet flavour. A side of crisp mesclun salad (rocket leaves / arugula, mizuna, sorrel, lettuce) with bright vegetal earthy bitter sweet flavour, and a house honey mustard sauce completes. Good!

BBQ St Louis Pork Ribs (SGD $19.50)

BBQ St Louis Pork Ribs

The Home-Made Tiramisu (SGD $9.50) was alright, though not quite to the standard for purists. More creamy in texture due to the liberal use of mascarpone cheese blended with eggs and sugar, it's scanty on the airy soft sponge fingers / ladyfinger biscuits soaked in espresso coffee, but complemented by grainy crunchy chocolate cookie crumble, a dusting of cocoa powder, and sliced strawberries. With milky chocolatey sweet toasty flavour, this comes across as a more decadent version of the dessert (sans alcohol), as the large portion size is meant for sharing. Worth ordering!

Home-Made Tiramisu (SGD $9.50)

Home-Made Tiramisu

Can say they consistently do good waffles after several visits here, although being made to order, there's usually a bit of a wait. The Original Waffle With Vanilla Ice Cream (SGD $8.90) features an Original Waffle which is crisp fluffy but not dry, whose light grainy sweet flavour makes it good enough to eat on its own. The creamy scoop of vanilla ice cream holds deep floral milky sweet flavour, and doesn't melt that quickly, which I like. A drizzle of thick rich maple syrup lends floral sweet honeyed flavour, making this dessert so enticing. Good!

Original Waffle With Vanilla Ice Cream (SGD $8.90)

Original Waffle With Vanilla Ice Cream

Loved the Duo-Flavoured Original & Chocolate Waffle, With Hokkaido Lavender With Chocolate Bark Ice Cream (SGD $14.90). The Original Waffle is crisp fluffy but not dry, with a light grainy sweet flavour. The Chocolate Waffle was better, with its deep chocolatey sweet flavour and crisp fluffy texture. Garnished with juicy fruity sweet strawberries and blueberries, and crunchy granola bits with grainy sweet flavour. The Hokkaido Lavender With Chocolate Bark Ice Cream has deep floral sweet milky flavour, and holds up well without melting too quickly. Good!

Duo-Flavoured Original & Chocolate Waffle, With Hokkaido Lavender With Chocolate Bark Ice Cream (SGD $14.90)

Duo-Flavoured Original & Chocolate Waffle, With Hokkaido Lavender With Chocolate Bark Ice Cream

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