Boronas

The Food Garden food court at Asia Square has been a spot that is known to have been tenanted by rather interesting F&B concepts that aren’t typically found in conventional food courts, and it seems that the recent opening of Boronas seem to stay true to this statement. Boronas is a new stall that had opened along the same stretch of stalls where one would find other F&B concepts such as that of Good Day and Pholosophy; Boronas itself having taken over the former premises of the now-defunct Rollie Ollie. For those whom have not heard of it, Boronas is actually a concept by the same folks behind Latido that is situated in a shophouse unit at Tras Street. Latido is helmed by Chef Fernando Arevalo, and is a restaurant that serves up Colombian cuisine in a fine-dining setting; similarly, Boronas describes themselves as a Colombian-inspired bakery and sandwich shop. The food menu at Boronas is limited to a small selection of bakes and sandwiches with only one item available in the Breakfast and Lunch sections of the menu accordingly; also available at Boronas will be the Pan de La Casa — a bread offering that Latido also offers. Beverages served up at Boronas will include the Cafe Colombiano, as well as the Chispa de Panela (i.e. lime with palm sugar and coconut).

Knowing that Boronas does serve up the very same Pan de La Casa that Latido also serves up, it is needless to say that we found ourselves going for the Pan de La Casa during our trip to Boronas. The Pan de La Casa is a signature offering of Latido, and is described to be a rye bread featuring elements such as a mushroom and maple syrup glaze and also comes with a side of smoked butter. Tearing off one section of the bun, one could only feel how pillowy soft and fluffy the Pan de La Casa is; the mushroom maple syrup glaze provides that glistening look to the Pan de La Casa, whilst being that sticky glaze that provided the bun with much of its flavour. Whilst we initially were worried whether the inclusion of mushroom and maple syrup would result in the Pan de La Casa being overly sweet, the glaze was more umami and earthy from the inclusion of mushroom; the maple syrup providing those notes with a bit more depth. The smoked butter didn’t carry that instant hint of smokiness if had on its own, though it does come suitable salted that makes it a great spread to go along with the Pan de La Casa — that being said, it does the level of savouriness of the Pan de La Casa does come enhanced with the addition of the smoked butter. It is little wonder why the Pan de La Casa has become a favourite starter of Latido which also likely inspired the opening of Boronas as well!

During our visit, we also gave the Pan Y Fiesta a try — this would be the sandwich that is listed in the Lunch section of the menu at Boronas. Patrons can opt for the Pan Y Fiesta to come with the Chispa de Panela based on the description on the menu, though patrons can actually make a swap to go for the Cafe Colombiano or Latte at no extra charges if they so choose to. Portions of the Pan Y Fiesta can be described as a little bit on the smaller side; Boronas didn’t quite provide a description on what the item exactly comes with on the menu either — only a general description of it being a Colombian-style pulled pork sandwich is given. Other elements apart from the pulled pork and bread observed in our order of the sandwich would include red onions and quite a generous shaving of cheese atop. The bread here comes with a texture that is akin to that of a focaccia; crusty on the exterior with a soft, light, airy and spongy interior that was easy to chew through. The pulled pork came with a savoury note; carried quite the meatiness that one would expect from a sandwich to balance things out nicely whilst still being moist and fibrous for an easy chew, while the red onions seemed to have been pickled considering how it comes with a tang that cuts through the meatiness, savouriness and carbs in the sandwich.

The Cafe Colombiano is described to be a Colombian Drip Coffee which we found to be pretty similar to that of a Long Black or an Americano — this came with quite the body and a roasty, smoky flavour profile that definitely works as a perk-me-up to start the day with. One thing about Boronas that is undeniable would be the fact that they do serve up really well-executed sandwiches and breads — the Pan de La Casa being an item that we especially enjoyed. That being said, the scene around Boronas do seem to be pretty competitive with brands like Osteria By d.o.c at level 1 of Asia Square and the ever-popular Keen’s Bagelry also situated within the Food Garden food court at Asia Square that are also serving up sandwiches albeit in different format. The prices of the sets for breakfast and lunch are also a tad steep at $14 and $20 respectively; a little pricey even when considering the usual prices of a meal in the same food court. Whether things would hold out well for Boronas in the long run considering the prices of their food remains to be seen, though the Pan de La Casa is definitely worth trying once just to see what it is all about!