Chili Scrambled Eggs It has since been a while that Puzzle Coffee has opened their very first outpost in Singapore in the heart of Singapore’s shopping district in ION Orchard — a brand that hails from Melbourne, Australia, Puzzle Coffee had recently opened their newest space in Dempsey now that the brand has had quite a fair bit of exposure around the island. Their newest space is located at 71 Loewen Road within the Dempsey area — they are neighbours with Chang Korean Charcoal BBQ Restaurant. With the opening of their Dempsey Road space, this is also a larger space as compared to the their very first location at ION Orchard. Having opened its doors just several days before we made our visit there, Puzzle Coffee does seem to still be working on the space quite a fair bit — there is a section that seems to be an area showcasing items that are available for purchase such as the likes of the teas and roasted coffee beans, though the area sees mostly empty shelves in the time being; some dining tables and chairs can also be found in the middle of the area to maximise the seating capacity of the space. The area that is sectioned out to be the main dining area has a view into the open-concept kitchen where one can observe all the action that is going on in there; the dining area is also sports the use of earthy tones that matches the wooden furniture and finishings as well as the marble table tops for a contemporary look that exudes a little bit of rustic vibes. For those whom prefer outdoor seating, there is also an outdoor seating space located right outside the entrance at Puzzle Coffee’s location at Dempsey. With the expansion of their operations in Singapore, the Dempsey location of Puzzle Coffee is also serving up an All Day Menu that includes the likes of cafe fare and brunch dishes such as that of burgers, pasta and salads — there is also a section dedicated to desserts, as well as another for kids. Specialty coffee forms a large part of their beverages menu here in the meanwhile.
We were told that several of the dishes that are listed on the menu are actually unavailable by the time we had made our visit to Puzzle Coffee at Dempsey around noon on a weekend — having already eyed upon a few of their offerings whilst skimming through the menu, we found ourselves going for the Chili Scrambled Eggs. The menu described the Chili Scrambled Eggs to come with elements such as goats cheese, cherry tomatoes, spring onion, crispy golden shallot, chilli, coriander, chilli jam on sourdough toast — it is also noted that the item is being marked as a vegetarian dish as well. Sized rather generously, the Chili Scrambled Eggs is one dish that smaller appetites can consider to share across the table — the sourdough toast here comes with an evident char and smokiness from the toasting process here; we did like how the bread does come with a slight tension to chew off, though we did find the bread to be rather easy to have overall. Spread with chili jam, the we found that the slightly tangy notes that one would expect out of sourdough toast was largely intercepted by the tangy notes of the chili jam instead — one that had rather evident notes of tomato whilst still delivering a slight kick of spiciness that tickled the tastebuds. The scrambled eggs were pretty on-point here; runny and fluffy, whilst seasoned to the right degree, while the addition of sliced chili helps give yet another kick of spiciness and a slight crunch when one chews onto them. Small chunks of goat cheese hide around the scrambled eggs; these help to provide a creaminess that gels the sourdough toast and the scrambled eggs together, whilst also helped to alleviate the kick of spiciness.
We had also given the Grilled Southern Chicken a go — the menu described the dish to involve elements such as crunchy slaw, tomato, horseradish mayo, house ketchup, with fries. The grilled chicken was a the real highlight here being almost akin to that of rotisserie chicken that was tender, juicy and moist with the flavours of the chicken being locked in within the meat — the skin does seem to lack a bit of crispness, but does carry a savoury note akin to oven-roasted chicken nonetheless. We also enjoyed the fries that accompanied the dish; crisp and well-seasoned without being greasy. We got to try out both the Magic — Melbourne’s Secret and the Yuzu Sparkling Espresso; for those whom have not heard of the Magic, this would be an espresso-based specialty coffee that comes with a “magical” proportion of milk to a double ristretto shot that is especially easy to drink. We loved how well-pulled the cuppa was with a smooth crema whilst being of the right proportion of milk to allow the medium body of fruity and nutty flavour profiles to pull through. The Yuzu Sparkling Espresso in the meanwhile would suit those whom are looking for a refreshing, carbonated beverage that still comprises of coffee but in a style similar to that of an Orange Americano but with a less sharp note of citrus; the Yuzu Sparkling Espresso even comes with bits of fruit much akin to that of the Korean Yuzu marmalade that one can chew on.
It seems pretty clear on the direction that Puzzle Coffee is heading for with their Dempsey outlet — one that is attempting to bring the full-fledged Australian-style cafe into Singapore; one that boasts of a idyllic environment whilst featuring a modern and chic dining space that also serves up all-day brunch and well-executed specialty coffee that they are known for since their days being at ION Orchard. That being said, we did wish that they could have waited a little while for the interior set-up to be completed before opening their doors; the barren shelves around the retail section felt like a work-in-progress and does impact the vibes that they are trying to create in the interior. The prices of the dishes on their All Day Menu can also described as a little pricey — the main dishes are listed to be from $14 to a whopping $35 for a Big Breakfast, with a number of dishes going past $24 as well. The small range of dessert offerings are also priced between $21 to $22. Whilst the prices charged are pretty much understandably so considering the neighbourhood they are situated in, there isn’t quite the appeal to make the trek here whilst other cafes are able to serve dishes at a similar quality or more gastronomical dishes at a lower price at more easily accessible locations around. It will be interesting to see how things would pan out for Puzzle Coffee at its Dempsey location in the long run …
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