Cafes, Coffee & Brunch

WEEKEND BRUNCH MENU
This long overdue first visit of mine called for an order of the Mezze Platter ($23), a selection of three mezze adorned with fresh herbs, vegetables, nuts, seeds, falafel and olive oil. Being a total noob when it comes to Middle Eastern cuisine (fusion or not), I didn't know where to start.

The three mezze I got to enjoy:
Burnt Miso Hummus (tahini, walnuts, blackcurrants)
Muhammara (red pepper, walnut, vine leaf)
Babaganoush (pomegranate, teriyaki, sesame)
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I particularly liked the first two, especially the hummus. Safe to say, I mopped every smooth, creamy and smoky bit up with the accompanying Turkish bread.

The 60°C Chicken Breast ($17.90) may not be the feistiest or the most sensational item on the menu, but let me tell you why it is no plain Jane.

You're not wrong to think of this as a healthy dose of protein and carbs. Remarkably tender chicken breast (having been sous vide and lightly grilled) sit atop silky mashed potato and shio konbu foam. The addition of grilled corn and roasted hazelnuts add a nutty, buttery and overall decadent touch.

While the olive oil could've been left out, that alone doesn't warrant a complaint.

The lack of big and bold flavours is clearly not a weakness here, as this unassuming dish is a "Wheeler's Recommendation" in its own right.

This is a starter one wouldn't commonly find on café menus - crispy whole shishamo ($10.90) with homemade mentaiko sauce for dipping.

The cloying richness of the mentaiko sauce did get to me after a while, but I'll admit I had fun incorporating it into my main dish (specifically the mashed potato from the 60°C Chicken Breast).

A slightly more unconventional alternative to, say, truffle fries or calamari, and it's an opportunity for older kids or extremely picky eaters to step out of their comfort zones and into the "aquatic realm".

The Chilli Scram ($18) is unlike some of the insipid and uninspiring eggs-on-toast offerings I've seen elsewhere.

It is a prime example of a classic brunch plate: a generous portion of chilli-infused scrambled eggs (fluffy AND creamy) on crisp pepita toast, citrusy salad greens and a grilled tomato w/ panko crumbs.

The chilli itself isn't the most prominent, but the mild spice is accentuated by the onions, sesame seeds, feta cheese, and most notably, the wild mushrooms with aged balsamic. Every mouthful was rich, tangy, mellow and savoury - all at the same time.

Let us take a moment or two to appreciate brioche - this rich, buttery and mildly sweet French bread isn't known to possess terrific health benefits but boy is it delicious. It's also extremely ideal for Merci Marcel's French toasts ($17).

Some like their French toast eggy and soft, but this is on the other side of the spectrum (arguably the right side but let's not go there). Fluffy yet dense, with a cake-like texture, topped with berries, honey, toasted almonds and a dollop of cream. I didn't feel jelak at all, and in fact enjoyed every mouthful.

If you're the kind who opts for a sweet breakfast/came with kids, I sincerely urge you to order this.

Had the kimchi flatbread ($16) which came with grilled back bacon, pork bratwurst and sunny side up eggs all smothered in a flavourful, mildly spicy house-made sriracha sauce (kinda like a spicy hollandaise?) and topped off with pomegranate seeds and pea sprouts. Felt that the kimchi was a tad too salty, along with the bacon + sausage so thank goodness for the eggs and pomegranate which provided a nice sweetness to balance out the dish (a more generous sprinkling of those seeds would've been perf).

[Strawberry Valentine waffles ($15) in the background]

Tried the hot green tea latte ($5.50), which was rich and creamy, with a prominent matcha flavour that many green tea lattes seem to be lacking in, as well as the smoked salmon wasabi cream cheese croissant ($9)! The croissant was fresh and flaky, but could've been warmer, and the cream cheese had a good amount of tongue-tingling wasabi (so pls get a drink on the side if you have low spice tolerance like me). Didn't try the black velvet cake ($7) but my friend enjoyed it!

This is for those who want something hearty AND full of veggies for brunch: the Veggie Wonderland ($25) that has two free-range organic eggs of yo' choice on sourdough (got poached because poached eggs are life), halloumi, spinach, grilled tomatoes, portabello mushrooms, sliced avocado w/ lemon & chilli!!!!! 🌿

I absolutely loved the Organic Eggs Benedict ($24); two perfectly poached eggs (with gorgeous orange-y yolks) with chive hollandaise and ox cheeks on sourdough bread surrounded by rocket leaves. Breaking the yolk was a delight, and I happily mopped everything up with the bread. ☺