Spotted yet another new offering at the favourite place whilst being there for the weekend cuppa the other day; and it goes without saying what we are going to order to accompany the cuppa.
Available alongside their line of loaf cakes, which includes the Carrot & Walnut Slice and the Chocolate Banana Slice, the Soy Osthmanthus Tea Cake with Yuzu Frosting is something that offers a twist to the more conventional loaf cakes that they have to offer. The tea cake was actually pretty comforting; bearing the same density as their usual loaf cakes, they are also pretty generous with how big the slices are here. It is sufficiently moist, but I especially loved how the cake itself carried light notes of soy — almost akin to that of soy milk. Whilst the Osthmantus could admittedly be a little stronger for a floral note, the Yuzu Frosting came with a slight zing and wasn’t particularly sweet; overall a pretty fitting and comforting combination. Best paired with an iced long black, especially given the current heatwave of the late.
✨Open Faced Toast, Slow Cooked Egg and Grilled Bacon✨
The bacon was cooked brilliantly! Juicy, yet slightly crispy! The toast was a little too soft, especially with the cooked egg and cheese that softened it a little too much. I felt that each side was delicious, but it doesn’t blend well together.
💰: $17.80
📈: 8/10
💼Service review:
Super friendly staffs who are always smiley despite the busy lunch crowd.
🥗Food review:
✨Oven Baked Molten Eggs with a side of Smoked Salmon, Avocado and Melted Cheese✨
This is one of the best cafe dish I have ever had😍 The eggs are hidden in the melted cheese, and they are really soft and runny like Ya Kun half-boiled eggs! The eggs softened the melted cheese, which gives it the cheese pull while still having a crispy crust at the bottom. The avocado was sliced beautifully and sprinkled with chilli flakes, giving it a hint of spicy kick. The smoked salmon was really easy to slice and chewy. It goes really well with the avocado and fresh vegetables! The toast was the only part that I dislike as it was too tough to chew.
💰: $18.90
📈: 10/10
Having tried the entire loaf during the Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) period and also having it in a slice on a rare occasion that it was served for dine-in, I was most certainly surprised that Brawn & Brains had finally included the Babka Slice in their dine-in menu yet again during my most recent visit to the cafe given how it was usually available in half loaf or full loaf portions only.
It’s $5.50 for a slice but the portion size for a single slice is pretty substantial here — easily the size of two slices elsewhere. Warmed up before being served to the table, the bread comes all soft and fluffy; toasty on the exterior, while the swirls of chocolate between the bread comes all melted and oozy — gives the bread a good sweetness whilst coming with bits of hazelnuts for a crunch. This time round, it comes with a knob of butter on the side; a good accompaniment with the Babka Slice on the less chocolatey parts (it would be difficult to find though!) for an added velvety texture and a slightly saltish note for a contrast of flavours. Best paired with their Long Black on the single origin — usually something more fruity yet bold so it makes for the perfect item to wash that Babka Slice down and getting that needed energy boost in the morning. No doubt something which I would be ordering again, especially given the love I have for the Babka served at the favourite place.
The folks at Brawn & Brains Coffee is at it again — yet another one of those new flavours for their donuts which they have added to their line-up recently. Whilst chocolate donuts are pretty much a common offering almost everywhere, they have taken it a step further by creating an alcohol-infused flavour out of it and pretty much ended up with this Beer & Chocolate Donut. Expect the same old donut from Brawn & Brains that is nothing short of being fluffy and pillowy, coated with sugar crystals on the exterior and not particularly greasy that comes with Beer & Chocolate filling within — the filling hints of a chocolatey sweetness that is rich, decadent and creamy; not cloying nor heaty, but it is that light, stout-esque finish at the end that gives it a flavour contrast that sets it apart from the usual chocolate donut seen elsewhere. While I am one who does not typically go for chocolate desserts, the Beer & Chocolate Donut is one that I would consider having if I do come across the item at the favourite place next time!
PS: The elusive Matcha Cold Brew seems to have made its return to the display fridge at least at the Guillemard Road outlet yet again — not sure if it is going to be a permanent feature, but now you know!
The moment where you see a unfamiliar bake sitting in the shelves of the favourite place and decided to just go straight for it; probably one of the things that I do whenever I am here too.
Was pretty surprised to have found them serving this considering how they have always been known to be place that doesn’t really serve very rich and decadent cakes like these. While the other establishments around have been jumping on the Burnt Cheesecake bandwagon for some time, they have seemed to have decidedly gone for the classic NY-style baked cheesecake here that is everything to love — smooth, creamy and luscious cheesecake that is pretty balanced in flavour against the Oreo-esque based that is consistent in texture with the cheesecake, but it is that raspberry coulis over the top that provides that zippy touch that cuts through the richness of the cheesecake, with the herbs over the top giving it a refreshing note that compliments it so well.
When a friend who arrived at the favourite cafe earlier on his own spots a new pastry in the display shelf; and that’s when a visit is definitely mandatory to try that exact pastry that he has just sent you about. And that is how I ended up having the Pesto & Cheese Roll despite already stomaching half a portion of fried chicken waffle, a Canele, half a portion of a roll cake and most of a mooncake-inspired cruffin in an entire morning.
Brawn & Brains Coffee serving up their range of buns such as the Almond & Vanilla Bun and the Korvapuusti is nothing new, but the buns/rolls had always been of sweet flavour combinations — the introduction of the Pesto & Cheese Roll strays away from just that considering how it is a savoury flavour combination instead. Coming shaped just like my favourite Almond and Vanilla Bun, there is no doubt how I would also enjoy having this by hand; pulling away the first few layers of the roll, I utterly enjoyed the toasty, warm bread that is just so ever lightly crusty that came with a slight hint of herbiness from the pesto. As one unravels the roll further, the laces of cheese adds a savoury note to that herbiness — so flavourful and comforting especially when had with the Long Black, especially if savoury breads are your sort of thing.
I probably do sound like a broken record by now but I always have liked Brawn & Brains Coffee for the consistency of their food and service — it’s that place that I would always return to knowing that what I have been looking forward to will be what I get; makes it they perfect spot for me to always be able to grab a taste and experience that familiarity after trying out a couple of places that I had never been to and visiting for the very first time. Always excited to hear them trying out new things to put up out on the menu and giving them a go — looking forward whatever is coming up next if there already is something out there!
🍴DINE OUT🍴
📍Brawn & Brains coffee, 100 Guilemard Rd📍
💸 Oven-baked molten eggs: $18.90
💸 Carrot & Walnut slice: $7.80
💸 Lemon curd donut: $4.50
💸 Iced White: $6.50
...
To celebrate the reopening of dining in, here we are posting the last food we ate before dining in stopped😂 Finally had the chance to try Brawn & Brains, and we got a variety of their mains, desserts and coffee to try. Firstly their famed oven-baked molten eggs, served with sides of avocado🥑, smoked salmon, salad and toast🍞. Glorious melted cheese🧀 that was super good when it was still warm, but as it became cold and hardened, the cheese got a little overwhelming. However, we do appreciate the crusty cheese bits around the edges which gave a crunchy texture to it😍. For their desserts, we preferred their carrot & walnut slice. It was a dense cake, packed with carrots🥕 and walnut and had just the right amount of cream cheese on top!! A great end to our meal and a good pairing with their house blend coffee☕. Although Brawn and Brains is a little out of the way, the food is good and pretty value for money. Makes a good weekend chill place☺️
Back to the favourite place after yet another week; was pretty surprised to find that they had one last Kaya Donut sitting in the display shelf when we made our visit during mid-day on a weekend afternoon — and since it had been quite a while since we have had one of these, we ended up going straight for it.
The Kaya Donut is everything that I had remembered it to be; soft and fluffy donut that is dusted with sugar, whilst being stuffed with a Pandan Kaya filling which is made in-house — the very same one which comes with their Classic Pancakes at the East Coast Road outlet. Their house-made Kaya is one that I absolutely adore — absolutely fragrant from the Pandan which they painstakingly extract the juices from; all that with a smooth consistency without the viscosity and density of the commercially-made ones, which I find to be utterly delicious. As an afterthought, perhaps one could try dipping the donut’s bread into the long black to replicate those nostalgic vibes of eating Kaya Butter Toast soaked with black coffee — though again I probably would just do having it as-is, considering it’s not everyday that I come across the Kaya Donuts here.
Savoured Brawn & Brains’ latest offerings which had been recently introduced during the Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) period — the Chocolate Babka Loaf being a new item introduced to their menu available only for pre-orders on their website.
Not the first Chocolate Babka I have had — the first being a loaf probably half its size from The Bakehaus (speaking of which, it’s probably time to head down soon for revisit again), and then subsequently a slice from Mad Roasters at Amoy Street Food Centre (they had also recently opened another branch within Kipos Gourmet at their Joo Chiat Road outlet), so I was quite stoked about this one. Slicing it down and one would reveal its interior that is beautifully swirled with chocolate and hazelnuts within, while the bread comes with sugary bits sprinkled over the top — the same ones that adorn their breads like the Korvapuusti (i.e. Finnish Cinnamon Bun) that they have been serving for quite a while now. The bread has a brilliant texture — it’s fluffiness is comparable to an aptly airy sponge cake, though still maintaining its firmness and structural integrity like a proper brioche; not too dense but not too soft or airy either. The beautiful swirls of melted chocolate gives a rich bittersweetness, while the hazelnuts here give a good crunch — the same way like the toasted hazelnuts do for their Dark Chocolate/Earl Grey Croissants.
Whilst being a newly-introduced item, the Chocolate Babka Loaf is one that also evokes familiar vibes of their old favourites, especially with the use of common elements that brings that warm and fuzzy Brawn & Brains feel to the Chocolate Babka Loaf. The Chocolate Babka Loaf costs $16 — good to be shared with amongst a family, but those who are looking for something to have individually, they do also offer a Babka Twist with Dark Chocolate with Hazelnuts that is available for delivery, takeaway or self pick-up without the need to pre-order. Looking forward to the lifting of the Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) measures soon — can’t wait to return to spend my weekends while dining-in here again (whilst adhering to social distancing and other precautions, of course)!
For the longest time, the cheese-smothered, oven-baked Molten Eggs was one of our go-to items at @brawn_and_brains’ Guillemard outlet. It was awesome to revisit it today, and discover that the all-day dish is as meticulously presented and deeply satisfying as ever.
Slice through the blanket of melted cheese for the yolks resting on a base of tortilla to escape and conquer the terrain with their runny rich gold. Then savour that delectable mess with the rolls of smoked salmon, sliced avocado (somehow, #brawnandbrainscoffee’s is always so perfect in ripeness it triggers tears of joy), sweet baby tomatoes and tasty mixed salad - each a flawless element in this stunning edible universe on a plate. There never used to be toasted sourdough served alongside but I’m sure this inclusion has been warmly welcomed by those with extremely hearty appetites.
This was just such a good meal and honestly , for half an avocado , all those smoked salmon , cherry tomatoes and cheezy eggs , this is a really decent priced item at under $18 .
Thought I have tried ‘em all donuts from Brawn & Brains, but they seemed to have introduced a Strawberry Jam Donut in more recent times which usually is more of a pre-order exclusive (much like their Pandan Kaya and Lemon Curd Donuts which a friend had kindly ordered for me to try some time back). So one can imagine the joy when I actually found the Strawberry Jam Donuts lurking around in the display shelf hanging out with fellow Cinnamon Spice and Classic Sugar Donuts.
The donut features the same familiar fluffy and pillowy soft bread that isn’t particularly greasy — liked how their rendition always remains light and easy to eat without being dense nor heavy. Lightly dusted with sugar on the exterior, the donut comes filled with strawberry jam — something very similar to the one that they serve up with their pancakes at their East Coast branch that is surprisingly zippy and it not particularly sweet. A treat for those who prefer their breads to be not so much of the sweet sort; also something which I will also go for the next time I come across these donuts on display!
A spot that I can say that I have been returning to every week, but it is still a rare occasion when I find myself sharing a main here instead of just having the pastries here — after all, there are mains such as the Curried Chicken Wrap and the Oven Baked Molten Eggs on Tortilla and Melted Cheese that I have been craving for, but there are always plans to have something else after the visit here.
Sounding like a rather simple dish that can be easily assembled by most in their kitchen, this also a dish that exemplifies the philosophy behind Brawn & Brains — their food always comes simple, but well-executed without being over-the-top; just straight up comforting brunch fare that warms the soul. The open face toast here comes with melted cheese over the top; stretchy and savoury, whilst complimenting the crusty and rustic slice of toast beneath it. Cherry tomatoes can be found hiding in the midst of the melted cheese — perhaps an attempt to use its zestiness to cut through the cheesiness and the carbs. Topped off with grilled bacon, the grilled bacon carries a hint of saltish flavour typical of cured meat, alongside an evident smokiness that I so ever love about their bacon here — absolutely sinful yet delicious; very few other establishments does their bacon this way. The Onsen Egg comes with a satisfying jiggle and a molten egg yolk; one could choose to dab it on the toast, or pair it with the garden salad if they so wish to that gives the salad a luscious texture and an eggy flavour, while the edamame is something that provides for a more wholesome feel for those with bigger appetites.
I think I have said enough over the years, but every visit that I have their mains and I would say that I have been neglecting their hot food offerings for quite a bit — the stuff here feels great to revisit for something I know will be satisfying, and especially rewarding to have after going around many other establishments be it cafes, bistro, restaurants and hawkers to just try what others have to offer. Reminds me that I have still yet to try the Fried Chicken Burger that is only available at their East Coast Road outlet!
Headed to the favourite place yet again for the morning coffee and spied a familiar pastry with a different hue — not sure if this is one of their Christmas specials available for just a limited period, but the Raspberry Glaze & Pistachios Croissant’s pink-coloured aesthetic is something that is difficult to miss.
Pretty similar to their Earl Grey Croissant that I almost seemingly have every time that I am here, the Raspberry Glaze with Pistachios Croissant sees the basic croissant topped off with a sugary glaze and nuts — the raspberry glaze provides a slight tartness on top of the usual sweetness, while the pistachios help to add a slight saltish nuttiness that gives the croissant an interesting contrast of flavours. Yet another pastry that I am getting here — while it lasts, that is.
Amongst all the donuts that I’d tried of late, these were most reminiscent of old school bakery sugar donuts. Soft, fluffy, not as chewy as sourbombebakery and slightly bready. Nice, but I ask myself why am I paying $4+ for one instead of going to the neighbourhood bakery? 🤣 Cinnamon spice at least was more special.
Maybe I should have gotten the filled donuts instead. Cinnamon spice > Classic sugar.
💵: $17.90
🤔: Definitely a calorie bomb 🥴🥴🥴
Felt like the different components didn't come together that well, would recommend getting their taco over this
A rather decent brunch dish but there wasn’t anything special about it. The tortila below the eggs and the (very thinly) sliced bread were abit hard :( That aside, the eggs were cooked perfectly and fresh veggies were really fresh which I love! Portion is big as well and I shared this with a friend as we were both not very hungry - was just nice.
Ordered the iced latte (house blend with oat milk) for $5.50 and it was pretty good! Nice atmosphere here as well with lots of natural sunlight.
⭐️ 3.5/5
superrrr flakyy and gooodd 🤤the hazelnuts add a nice crunch!! but was lowkey disappointed that there wasn’t any filling
