Brawn & Brains Coffee (Hamilton)

Visited the favourite place yet again recently and found another two (2) items on the menu that we hadn’t really come across whilst scrolling through the online POS system to submit our orders. Have been trying out their various rendition of their donuts since their release over the years — did not recall that they had carried a Matcha & Cream version of their bomboloni-style donuts so found ourselves giving this a go; all whilst having an Espresso Tonic (also a recent addition to the menu here) to pair it with.

The donuts from Brawn & Brains Coffee are ones that we love for its softness, yet carrying a bit of tension to chew apart — themselves being just aptly dense and comes rolled in sugar that provides a sugary and crusty exterior for a bit of sweetness and contrast of textures. Piped inside the donut would be the matcha-infused cream filling; we liked how the matcha-infused cream largely focuses on the bitter undertones of the tea — very much the starting note that hits one’s tastebuds as they sink their teeth into the Matcha & Cream Donut. The cream itself comes pretty thick; rich of the inherent flavours of matcha without being overly sweetened, creamy or milky — would work fairly well with matcha lovers for the most part. The Espresso Tonic in the meanwhile was something that we were really looking forward to have — having been ones whom would make an order for Espresso Tonic elsewhere at establishments that offers it; definitely happy to finally see it included in the menu here and the version here definitely hits the spot for us with the tonic water adding a contrast to the coffee with a complexity in the depth of flavours. More options to add to the list of items that we would be considering to order whenever we make our visits here!

Was hanging out at the regular spot for coffee at their Hamilton Road outlet over the weekends as usual and found yet another item that we had not seen on their menu bring listed in the online POS system that really intrigued us when we were trying to make our orders for coffee. Of course, curiosity got the better of us and we decided to order the said item even despite us having had quite a full-sized lunch before making our visit there — this is also considering that the said item was also fairly reasonably priced at $3.80 per piece.

There was not much of a description provided for the Morning Bun on the online POS system; that being said, we were told that the item was actually one that is inspired by that of the Voisilmäpulla (i.e. Finnish Butter Eye Buns) — the item was given an alternative name given the fact that Brawn & Brains had given their rendition a slight twist that makes it rather different from the typical Voisilmäpulla. Based on online sources, the Voisilmäpulla is a bun that consists of butter and sugar, and comes with a hint of cardamom — the Morning Bun is exactly that, though it is being baked in a bread pan so it bears a slightly different look from the typical round Voisilmäpulla with an indent in the middle. Despite so, the Morning Bun here is soft, light and fluffy — comes wafting with an alluring scent of buttery goodness with a light hint of sweetness from the sugar; the hint of spices from the cardamom not being particularly strong though we are not sure if this was toned down considering how local tastebuds aren’t quite tuned to such spices especially with breads. Baking it in a bread pan also meant that there is a crusty texture from the browned exterior of the Morning Bun that makes it all the more interesting to eat. Overall, a rather simple bread item; though one that is pretty much a flavour bomb on its own without being overly jelat — definitely a comforting one to be accompanied with a cup of Long Black by the side for a breakfast / tea-time treat!

oatside really beings out the fruity notes of the single origin blend!! one of my fav oat whites now

Yet another day at the favourite place and yet another item that piques our interest. Not sure when exactly it was that the folks at Brawn & Brains had introduced the item on their menu, though we don’t really recall ever seeing “squares” being served on their BB – Cakes section of their online POS system when one dines in at any one of their locations.

Considering how their wedge-sized cakes can sometimes being rather overwhelming for one individual to consume as a tea break item together with a cuppa on the side, it does seem that the Cream Cheese Red Velvet Square is a slightly more manageable option for single diners here. The price point of the Cream Cheese Red Velvet Square also seems to have suggested so, considering how the item is priced at $4.80 as compared to their other non “slice” options like the Earl Grey Layer
Cake and the Honey Yuzu Cake that is priced at $8.00. Where flavours are concerned, the Cream Cheese Red Velvet Square is as classic as a typical Red Velvet Cake is; the cake layer comes with a dark red hue and carries an evident, but not heavy note of cocoa. To provide for some form of texture, a layer of cream cheese can be found both in between the red velvet cake layers and above the top layer itself; the mascarpone itself is sufficiently dense but not too greasy nor clumpy, while providing for a slight tang to round of the notes of cocoa in the cake layers without being too sweet — probably one of the more balanced red velvet cakes that we have had over the years. Yet another one of those cake items from the favourite spot that we are likely to see ourselves ordering again for how well it pairs up with our usual cup of Black on the single origin that we tend to go for here!

Made our sorta weekly visit to the favourite place and found that they were serving some new cakes that we have yet to see in the menu previously. The new offerings seem to be all based off their layer cake offerings; one can say it is a further extension of the Earl Grey Layer Cake which they had introduced not too long ago, with the new flavours being the Lime Layer Cake and the Milk Tea Layer Cake. Whilst both cakes are prominently displayed in their display chiller at their Hamilton Road outlet (not sure if they are offered at their East Coast Road outlet; it has been a long while since we visited that one), the cakes lacked a description card, though are listed via their scan-to-order QR code menu that is placed at every table in the cafe.

For those whom are unfamiliar with Brawn & Brains Coffee’s layer cake offerings, their layer cake comes as a three-tiered cake that features sponge cake elements, as well as that of pastry cream that comes in between and on top of the topmost layer of the sponge cake as well. In the case of the Lime Layer Cake, the pastry cream here comes infused with lime zest. Having our first forkful of the cake, the lightness and airiness of the sponge cake meant that the Lime Layer Cake never felt too dense or heavy in texture — just about right as a dainty, easy-to-have cake that actually goes well with a cuppa on the side. The pastry cream here is light and fluffy as well; there are some pastry cream out there that feels like it comes with too much shortening, making it kinda greasy but this isn’t the case with the layer cakes that comes out of Brawn & Brains Coffee — the infusion of the lime zest just simply adds a zingy, refreshing note that makes it so easy-to-eat and also got us yearning for more. Looking forward to give their Milk Tea Layer Cake a go during our next visit for sure!

Have been pretty excited to give the Matcha Azuki Swiss Roll from the favourite place a go ever since we noticed its existence in the display chiller since a couple of weeks ago; we gave it a miss a couple of times since we weren’t quite feeling it to have a cake with our coffee after having a full lunch. Being one of the newer creations that had appeared in the menu at Brawn & Brains in recent times, the Matcha Azuki Swiss Roll is probably the first Swiss Roll creation that we have seen from them — it might have come after all that hype about Swiss Rolls have died down, but certainly still an item that is welcomed on the menu here.

We liked how the baked and Brawn & Brains have always turned out to be quite tuned towards our liking and the Matcha Azuki Swiss Roll is definitely and item that we could see ourselves ordering again (though we would probably be saying the same with all of their items here) — the Matcha Azuki Swiss Roll comes with a green hue, whilst also being piped with pastry cream over the top. Digging into the Matcha Azuki Swiss Roll, we found the cake layer to be suitably dense and fluffy; the cake layer itself already carrying quite a noticeable bitter undertone from the matcha within. Rolled within the cake layers would be the Azuki-infused pastry cream; the light and smooth pastry cream features studs of earthy red beans that gives a contrast of flavours to the Matcha Azuki Swiss Roll — pretty much cuts through the pastry cream that makes the pastry cream less jelat, yet adds another dimension of flavours to the Matcha Azuki Swiss Roll for some contrast. The pastry cream piped on top of the Swiss Roll comes dusted with matcha powder; helps to further enhance the already evident notes of the tea within the cake even further. Yet another cake which we will be looking forward to ordering again during our (almost) weekly visits here!