@sevenscafe.sg has only been officially opened for less than 24 hours at time of writing, and they’ve already deeply impressed me with their fantastic food. Besides all day brekkie staples, the modern Australian inspired menu features this lipsmackin’ Land Protein bowl ($21++).⠀

Sliced smoked duck is fanned out on a bed of white rice mixed with quinoa, and is accompanied by smashed avocado plus diced beetroot and radish on the side. Of course, it wouldn’t really be a rice bowl without an egg, so there’s a nicely poached egg that crowns the entire affair. The carbs have the occasional additional bite to them due to the quinoa mixed in with the rice, and unaware diners may mistake the added resistance of the quinoa as the rice being undercooked. The rice is cooked perfectly, it’s just the natural bite of quinoa, relax.⠀

As expected, the star attraction is the smoked duck. It’s sliced a touch thin, and it’s a little uncomfortably close to being so thin that the texture of the duck is ruined. Fortunately, it’s thick enough to retain the tender, meaty texture of the duck, and the flavours are utterly scintillating. The already savoury smoked duck is glazed with a sapid soy glaze and is blowtorched, giving the fowl a delightfully deep smoky & umami flavour. The fat is skilfully rendered out, leaving a tastefully moderated layer of unctuous duck fat under that gloriously browned skin.⠀

I haven’t had smashed avo & beetroot since I left ‘straya, and both elements really take me back to the best year of my life. The avo is universally welcome with its comely creaminess, and the beetroot balances out the stellar sweet & salty elements already in the bowl with its zesty tanginess.⠀

At $21++, this is a premium portion, but the premium pleasure it provides will bowl you right over.