Caracara

Got to hear quite a fair bit about the new Caracara that had recently opened their doors at 77 Neil Road — whilst there are quite a number of specialty coffee joints that had moved into the neighbourhood fairly recently, Caracara is actually located within a shophouse along a stretch of shophouses with a courtyard area that is not known to have been occupied by F&B establishments. Dubbed to be an establishment “crafting a harmonious blend of coffee, gourmet and lifestyle”, Caracara does exudes rather elegant vibes for its interior; dividing the interior space to one with a dining hall that is situated at within the far end of the shophouse nearer towards the kitchen, there is also a slightly less formal “bar area” meant for smaller groups located nearer to the entrance area as well. Most of the interior of the shop is being fitted out in wooden furniture and fittings that are seemingly elegant and felt rather upscale; matches the yellowish lighting that can be found within the space and with the whole space carrying a rather European feel. Caracara serves up a different menu for lunch and dinner service, and the former will see the menu split across sections such as starter, all day breakfast, sides, mains, “Sharing is caring” (i.e. sharing plates) and dessert. Beverages available at By Caracara would include espresso-based specialty coffee that features beans this they have roasted by themselves.

Skimming through what Caracara has to offer on their menu for lunch, it was also noted that the Miso Gindara was one of the items that their wait staff has also recommended to us whilst he was giving us a quick run-down on the several dishes that they have to offer. The menu described the Miso Gindara to come with elements such as grilled miso cod fish, cauliflower couscous, greens and Yuzu dressing. This was one dish that we did find to be quite an interesting fusion of flavours and in terms of how it was transpired , though the dish is also one that can be a little abstract and may not totally work out well for some tastebuds. The use of cauliflower couscous here does seem to be one that seems to be inspired from that of cauliflower rice; whilst cauliflower rice does come with a finer texture overall, the fact that this was supposed to replicate the couscous meant that the texture was a bit firmer with it being in clusters that came with a soft crunch. There seems to be some crunchy greens added to further enhance the textures, while the it also comes with nibs of corn as well — the entire dish also notably coming with an umami note as well as a hint of natural sweetness of the corn. The Miso Gindara definitely comes on point; the fish is flaky and moist, and whilst it comes off from the fork easily, it also carried the naturally sweet notes of the fish that matches well with the other elements in the bowl as well. Mixing in the sous-vide egg yolk provides a silkier and creamier texture to the entire dish as well.

During our visit to Caracara, we had also given other dishes like the Hiyashi from the “Starters” menu a go as well; this was described to come with elements such as an Onion Marmalade, Wheat Noodles, and Sakura Shrimp. A chilled soba salad dish, we could definitely taste the sweetness from the onion marmalade that seems to also carry a rather familiar note of century egg, whilst the Sakura shrimp adds a crisp and umami touch. The Creamy Patina was a dish that is described to be a “Cream Cheese Monaka Ice Cream” and came with chopped berries. We usually are a little disappointed with how Monaka Ice Cream goes considering the consistency of the wafer but this came immensely light and crisp and almost similar to that of a rice cracker in terms of flavour. The Cream Cheese ice cream comes with a smooth consistency; creamy and coming with a dull tang from the cream cheese. The chopped berries help to add a zing that cuts through those notes, refreshing the tastebuds in the process. These folks do seem to be pretty serious in their coffee from the way that they had introduced their menu and the Iced Lattes sure did not disappoint — we had also went with the option of going for their own concoction of milk named the Cara’s Milk to go with the coffee.

Having one of our orders being on the Aurora blend and the other being on the Milkadoodle blend, the former carried a fruitiness and inherent sweetness considering how it is being described as their “Signature Grape Coffee”, while the latter came with note more akin to cocoa milk in its body. Our preference laid slightly towards the Iced Latte on the Aurora blend, but both cuppas are pretty unique and definitely worth trying especially for coffee junkies. Prices of the food at Caracara can be considered a little bit on the higher side — prices of their individually-sized mains in their lunch menu start from $18, with the priciest dish being the Wagyu Sukiyaki Don at $32. That being said, considering the contemporary approach and slightly Japanese-themed offerings that they have on the menu, the prices are still considered to be rather reasonable if one views Caracara as a restaurant rather than a cafe — the execution of their dish and the quality of their produce does translate into the price tag that each dish commands for. Prices of their coffee also does add up fairly quickly, with the Cara’s Milk and having it iced being additional top-ups above the standard price listed on the menu. Considering how we the food went and the hospitality that we had received from their service crew, Caracara is that sort of spot that we find is worth splurging on once in a while just to have a treat different from the usual cafe that is worth every penny spent!