Western

This is my first visit to Curious Palette and I’m loving the rustic-industrial vibes of this cafe. But what really won me over is the Prawn Mentaiko Belacan Pasta ($21.90) that comes with 3 charcoal grilled tiger prawns in tamarind glaze, sakura ebi and dollops of mentaiko. The sauce is rich, flavourful and packed with umami, and the al dente pasta soaks up all that goodness effortlessly. Such decadence!

Char-Grilled Pork Belly ($24) is a soft slab of pork belly grilled in a sweet, savoury and tangy sauce. It is not very oily as the fat-meat ratio is quite balanced. The grilled French Hispi cabbage is sweet and crunchy, which helps to keep the greasiness at bay.

Grilled Miso Cod Capellini ($30) comes with a slab of cod that is perfectly seared and drizzled in miso butter sauce. The cod is fresh and it goes well with the al-dente capellini infused with the aroma of garlic and topped with ebiko and shredded kombu.

For starters, we had Cicada Fried Chicken ($12) and each piece of panko-crusted fried chicken is crispy on the outside and super juicy on the inside. I like that the crust is thin, the fried chicken is not greasy and the tangy soy sauce keeps it refreshing. I’m not a big fan of fried chicken but this is really good:)

I didn’t really like the thick chunks of fats in the Pork Jowl ($34) as they were way too oily for my liking - I wish the meat-fat ratio was more balanced. Having said that, the meat portion melts in my mouth and the carrot purée, pickled raisins and pork cracklings work well together.

For mains, I had Roast Barramundi ($32). The sauce is not overpowering and it allows the natural sweetness and freshness of the barramundi to come through. The fish is not over cooked and it remains soft and tender. The tangy confit tomatoes also add a nice acidity to the dish.

Although the food can be quite expensive (especially given the small portion), the one-for-one deal on Burpple Beyond makes up for it:)

Popped by Moosehead for a Mediterranean dinner and my favourite dish of the night will have to be the Crispy Spiced Pigs Ears ($11). The fried pig ears are super crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and it is not oily at all. The dash of lime juice cuts through the fragrant spiced rub and keeps it refreshing. This is such an addictive appetiser🤤!

Kelong Prawn & Scallop Pizza ($25) contains succulent pieces of tiger prawns, scallops and cherry tomatoes on top of melted mozzarella. The thin-crust pizza is finished with dollops of mascarpone cheese and a drizzle of pesto. Yums!

We ordered Truffle Carbonara ($25), which features spaghetti and bacon tossed in a truffle-infused creamy parmesan sauce and topped with a runny onsen egg. The sauce is quite rich and it can get a little jelak towards the end, but still pretty good as the taste is on point.

Big Pan Breakfast ($28) comes with your choice of eggs, toasted sourdough, grilled avocado, Nuremberger pork sausage, bacon, cherry tomatoes, portobello mushrooms and sautéed onions. All the components are well executed and this is one hearty breakfast that is great for sharing!

The Truffled Egg Brioche ($16) comes with a luxurious spread of scrambled egg, shaved parmesan, smoked salmon and bacon bits on top of a pillowy toasted brioche. The scrambled egg is super creamy and each mouthful brings a burst of truffle fragrance. The price is quite steep for the portion size though - thankfully it tastes pretty good!

Although Sanity Coffee does not have a very extensive food menu, their piakssants and toasties are consistently good! This time, I tried #MrLorbak Toastie ($14.50) and the stewed pork belly is delicious. There is a good balance of fats and meat, as well as savoury and sweet notes, and it is so soft~ The refreshing house-made shredded pickles (aka achar) help to offset the greasiness of the pork belly. The pork belly and achar are sandwiched between two slices of thick toast that are crispy on the outside and pillowy on the inside. This is super filling too - what a delight!