Normally I slowly go through the meal and build up to the main point. This time, in case you get bored reading through all the various dishes and miss the finale, I’m going to start with a conclusion. The Spruce brunch does and does not live up to expectations.

The food, service, and general concept are all there. All good. Some great even. The popularity and booking procedure though keeps it from being a perfect brunch place for us. You see because they’re so popular, (deservedly so) they’re super busy. Families, groups, etc all pack it in from first serving to final serving. So if you make an early booking…. you’re eating on a time-line. For me at a brunch that’s a big no-no. Brunch is about unwinding with friends, relaxing and enjoying a lazy Sunday meal. No deadlines, no pressures. Catch up on the week, make some jokes, tell some stories. Maybe we stay as long as it takes to eat or maybe we order extra coffees and chat for hours… never know. I like having that option, not knowing that in 1 1/2 hours I’ll be needing to get up for the next group.

So that’s the only issue I have here. The food is excellent, and if you take a later booking I’m guessing this wouldn’t even be an issue… well apart from the general noise from so many happy diners, but that can’t really be avoided. In a sad twist of fate, the success that any restaurant needs to succeed is actually the thing that keeps us from enjoying this more. Others probably don’t share our leisurely Sunday plan and I would encourage those to enjoy Spruce, it deserves the attention more than some other “brunch hot spots”. Book in advance though, this brunch doesn’t seem to be losing momentum and seats are hard to get.

Back to the food. Everyone was satisfied. Pick your favorite, though it’ll be hard as you hungrily stare at the menu, and enjoy as there’s not a dud in the group.

Famous Spruce Burger for Breakfast

Spruce Breakfast Sandwich with roast potatoes

The Steak and Eggs Benny on Toasted Ciabatta with Black Pepper Hollandaise

Soft Scrambled Eggs with Basil Cured Salmon and Avruga Caviar

The Spruce Garden Brekkie

And you’ve got to try some of the breakfast pastries and cakes. The sea salt chocolate cake was incredibly rich, but incredibly tasty. Mmmmm….

Spruce
320 Tanglin Road
Singapore
247980
Telephone: +65 6836 5528

An unlikely place for breakfast on Bangkok’s Sukhumvit Road

I first discovered The Robinhood Pub when I lived across the street at Emporium Suites. For me it was a go to place for a beer with friends or to watch a game. It’s just your typical unpretentious, down-to-earth English pub. The crowd is varied….expats and Thais of all ages…the burger is good…and the beer is reasonably priced. So when Paul told me they also served breakfast, I had to check it out. We love the Dubliner breakfast, so I wondered how The Robinhood would stack up.

Breakfast or brunch at the Robinhood is served Mon – Fri, 10am to 3pm and Sat – Sun, 9am to 3pm…a good thing if you have a lazy morning or are just craving breakfast food for lunch. Items are 160 – 290 THB (S$ 7 – 12 / $5 – 9 USD) and include things like French Toast, Pancakes, Eggs Florentine, Eggs Benedict, Omelletes, Steak & Eggs and breakfast sandwiches.

I ordered the Bacon & Egg Burger with Cheese featuring smoked bacon and 2 fried eggs with cheese and tomato chutney. (200 THB / S$8.38 / $6 USD). It was large and filling and probably a great choice if you have overindulged on a Saturday night. The tomato chutney I could have done without…it was rather uninteresting and lacking the characteristic concentrated flavours of a chutney.

Paul ordered the Mega Omellete with chorizo, cheddar and onion (220 THB / S$9.21 / $6.64 USD). Again another abundant serving. In general the omellete was well executed, but the chorizo was a bit disappointing…not as spicy as one would expect a chorizo sausage to be.

Overall I would say our meals were adequate, but if I had to pick a pub breakfast to recommend as a real destination meal, it would have to be the one at the Dubliner.

With that said, we still totally recommend The Robinhood for drinking, hanging out and chilling with friends. We especially enjoy it as a relaxing mid-afternoon break from Emporium Mall after shopping.

The Robinhood Pub
Sukhumvit Soi 33/1
(across from Emporium Mall)
Bangkok, Thailand
Telephone: +66 (0)2 662 3390

A chill seaside locale for brunch in Singapore

It was a typical Singapore afternoon….hot, sunny and humid. What better to do than chill by the water over a leisurely brunch with friends? So off we set to Keppel Bay Marina to meet a group of friends at Prive Bakery & Café.  Iced cappuccinos, sunshine, muffins, friendly conversation, mimosas and chill atmosphere await…

Prive Bakery & Care serves all day breakfast, burgers, sandwiches, pastas, bakery items and desserts. Its really a rather long menu with a great many options – nothing fancy, just breakfast and lunch staples and basics.

In his effort to sample every burger in Singapore, Paul ordered the LA Burger A 200g wagyu beef burger with Monterrey Jack cheese, avocado, a fried egg, tomato, lettuce and dressed with aioli (S$26 / $18.75USD). Paul really enjoyed the burger and felt like it was a solid execution. Often time wagyu burgers are a bit messy…all that fat that creates the flavor prevents the meat from binding, and thus wagyu burgers tend to crumble unless they are blended with another type of beef.  But the LA Burger was well crafted and sturdy. With that said, it still didn’t beat Paul’s benchmark – the PS café wagyu burger that lives large in his memory.

I ordered a BLT. Prive’s rendition was a hearty version with grilled whole wheat break, smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, cheddar, a fried egg and aioli (S$13.50 / $9.75USD). Again, another solid execution….while it didn’t set my taste buds on fire, it was simple and satisfying.

Our dining companions had various pastas, omelets, sandwiches and such, and without boring you of the detail of the other 15 diners we were with…the comments were essentially the same. No one was unhappy, but at the same time, there were no oohs and aahs of spasmodic delight either.

At the end of the day, the main reason to come to Prive Bakery & Café is the view. Let me elaborate…in our opinion, Prive’s food is average….not bad….don’t misunderstand. But this is not destination dining. You’ll get a competent execution of culinary basics. Come here for the view and chill vibe…meet friends, have a drink a sandwich and relax on the marina edge.

Prive
2 Keppel Bay Vista
Keppel Bay Marina

P Kitchen isn’t much to look at. It’s a bit more polished than most neighborhood Thai restaurants… but that’s not really saying much. There are menus in English with pictures of the food… something that normally foreshadows a bland, spice-less tourist trap meal. Generally you’ll find the tables occupied by sock-sandaled tourists or other farangs (foreigners)… again a normal tell-tale sign of the flavorless Thai meal.

You’d be wrong to assume that however. This open air eatery features some quality Thai food. I was amazed the first time I sat down for a meal here… Joanna went with her usually Kra Pao Gai and I tried to show off ordering the Yam Pla Duk Foo. Both came out fresh and lovely. They didn’t short the spice on the Kra Pao… making the food clean and appealing to the foreigners in the area doesn’t mean they have to sacrifice on taste!

Be sure to get the Kra Pao Gai (or Moo for minced Pork which is a more traditional way of eating the dish) sai Kay Dao (with fried egg). This will show them that you mean business. Not only does it look cool but the egg yolks work to cut the heat down a bit and give a complexity of flavor as it mingles with the phrik khi nu peppers.

This isn’t a restaurant you travel to in order to get fancy fare. It’s the antithesis of “Royal Thai Cuisine“. Not that that’s good or bad… it’s just more rustic. This is the kind of restaurant you go to when you just want some Panang Curry or Fried Rice.

These are the restaurants that make your time in Thailand truly memorable. They’re not necessarily the ones you’ll drive across town to eat at… but they’re close by, comfortable, and most importantly – CHEAP! They’re a quiet (well not always so quiet) refuge in the city… a place to sit in the open air sipping cold Thai beer and eating spicy Thai food while street kittehs beg for food.

But then again maybe P Kitchen is special. On a recent visit to Bangkok Joanna introduced our good friends Kitty and Jeremie (the chef from previously reviewed Amantee) to the Soi 18 eatery and they declared it excellent saying that it was just like eating in a real Thai kitchen. Between this and Soi Polo they marveled at these Americans who seem to be able to find the real deal Thai food in Bangkok

P Kitchen
If you’re coming from Sukhumvit on Soi 18 it’ll be on your left about half way up the street.

Paul

Our normal breakfast group was a bit thin this week… which was unfortunate for those who couldn’t make it because it was a highly enjoyable meal / experience. Sunday brunch at Graze is something we’ll be returning to enjoy soon.

Graze is located way out (for us) in the Rochester Park area of Singapore. The drive doesn’t take that long and you’re rewarded with a peaceful and serene outdoor dining area. I called ahead to make reservations earlier in the week (recommended) and was given a choice of outdoor or indoor seating. I asked the hostess which she thought was better and she suggested outdoor. I’m glad she did as it’s very pleasant outside (it’s covered so don’t worry about rain interruptions).

We’ve been to a few brunch spots and I’ve had difficulty with the menus because sometimes nothing really sounds good to me at the time. Graze was different in that I wanted just about everything on the menu. Unfortunately there were only four of us so we were limited a bit in our sampling of the menu.

We started with very smooth and creamy cappuccinos and complimentary toast (come before 12 to order breakfast / brunch).

I led the way with my usual – a burger. I have a soft spot for fried eggs on burgers so couldn’t pass this one up (sadly no pineapple). The meat was good, but fell apart a bit…something I don’t actually mind so much as I can at least be assured it’s not a pre-fab patty .

Joe also picked his usual, Eggs Benedict. They’re offered two ways – Classic or Salmon with Smoked Spinach. Joe’s a classic guy and his tastes were rewarded with this selection. Among the best he’s had in Singapore so far.

Kalpana went a bit off the path of the tried and true breakfast assortment, selecting the Avocado and Tomato on Grain Toast with Olive Oil and Rocket Salad. The Avocado came in amazing, large, green chunks…would love to have a guacamole from this place.

She also ordered the Eggs on Request and asked them to be filled with chillis. The dish tasted good, but looked a bit odd in presentation.

Joanna went all in, ordering the Cast Iron Pan – Bratworst, Smoked Bacon, Mushroom, Tomato, Country Potato, Fried Egg, Baked Beans, and Plum Chili Salsa. It was a sight to behold, but unfortunately suffered slightly from the pan. Obviously not all the dishes are cooked to order in the pan, but once dropped some can get a little over-browned / pver-cooked on the bottom.

We should have ordered the Dessert Sampler as so many of them sounded great, but instead ordered separately. Joe and I both went for the chocolate creme brulee with honeycomb ice cream. It was super rich with a dense pudding texture …. not a creme brulee, but good

Joanna ordered the Green Apple, Roasted Pinneapple, and Sour Cherry Crumble with Bourbon Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. It was good, but the ice cream didn’t taste like Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and was very close to the “honeycomb” ice cream.

All in all Graze is a highly recommended brunch spot for us. I could see Epicurious being a more visited location for us, with Graze being more of a special treat kind of place (prices are a bit higher). The setting is perfect for a comfy Sunday afternoon, lazily enjoying a hearty breakfast. Service can be a bit slow, so come prepared for that and you’ll enjoy your time there.

Also of note is the Sunday BBQ. Starting at noon you can order off a special Sunday BBQ menu that looks amazing. We will definitely be going back to try this out. The mashed potatoes, corn on cob, and meat dishes coming out of the kitchen to the late comers looked incredible….so look for that review soon.

Anyone else have an experience with Graze?

Graze
Address 4 Rochester Park
Open Sun 9.30am-3pm Tue-Sun 6.30pm-1am
Telephone 6775 9000

A couple years back I met with a group of guys every Sunday for breakfast. We’d pick a different spot around town (usually Irish Pubs) every week. After our first visit here, the Dubliner became the standard for all the other Irish breakfasts around town… and soon we quit trying out new places and made it our regular spot.

It’s not that the Dubliner is the best breakfast food in town (there are more traditional options and more lavish options) it’s just a great value. Food is cooked well and there’s a lot of it, for around 200++ THB for the “mini” breakfast. There’s really nothing mini about it, and for some reason I find it necessary to add hash browns (more like tater tots here than what I grew up eating) to the mix for an extra 30 baht. Some of the guys in our “breakfast club” would piece together their own plates of food for about the same price as the fixed mini breakfast, which is a good option if you don’t want sausage or mushrooms.

There’s really not much else to say. It’s a no frills breakfast that fills you up… a perfect greasy breakfast after a late Saturday night out. The Dubliner is also famous around town for it’s quiz night, performances by Lee Shamrock, burgers, and more… but that’s another post all together I’d say the Dubliner is one of the best value breakfasts in town.

The Dubliner Irish Pub
440 Sukhumvit Rd,
(Washington Square, Soi 22)
Bangkok, Thailand
Tel: +66 2204 1841/2

Hey all,
Our first visit to Time Out’s breakfast of the year, Epicurious, left us feeling slightly frustrated. After a couple months of sampling other breakfast options around town, the timing seemed right to venture back and see if possibly our expectations were too high before, it was a bad day, someone was sick etc…

I have to say, short of one recurring mistake, this time Epicurious was completely redeemed.

This time we went with the breakfast gang so more dishes were ordered and sampled. I think Epicurious is made for this kind of breakfast. If you’re busy talking with friends, joking, laughing enjoying the early morning breeze…the timing of the food is perfect.

Service was notably better this time around as well. Our servers filled our water bottle probably 15 times during the meal, remembered everyone’s orders and placement, and were really on top of things. This was almost a complete 180 from our first visit.

Joe, our “eggs benedict guy”, ordered up his usual….finally an eggs benedict actually served on an english muffin! According to Joe these were the best he’s had in Singapore, and good for him, they’re also about 10-15 SGD less than the other offerings.

Kalpana had the smoked salmon. Good flavor, but if you’re not a huge fan of capers you might steer clear of this one as the flavor can be a bit intense if you’re not expecting the salty punch these little guys carry.

I went with the burrito again. Don’t know why I didn’t venture out. It was the same as last time…not great, but not bad in any way as well. I still wish they’d use a spicier chorizo and have more chunks throughout the burrito….also maybe a zesty cheese in there as well. But then again, I lived in Santa Fe for three years eating green chilli enchiladas for breakfast, green chili cheeseburgers, and even green chili fettuccini Alfredo (won’t be repeating that one)… so maybe my Latin food cravings don’t represent most folks tastes.

Lyan ordered the baked eggs and toast soldiers. The taste of the eggs was good, but the toast soldiers were basically hunks of bread.. Lyan felt a bit let down…he really wanted little soldier formed out of bread

I can’t remember who ordered the pancakes, but they were fluffy and fresh. I think the next time I go I’ll be ordering these guys. They just look like the perfect start to a Sunday.

The only downside to the breakfast was once again the Hobb’s Choice. Surely lightning wouldn’t strike twice…it did. But less so this time. The eggs came out runny the first time. The server promptly took the plate back and within a few short minutes Joanna had perfectly cooked eggs (she prefers fried but not runny).

Coffees, OJ, and Teas were all fresh and fast. The serving of tea comes in a tea press which is a nice touch.

We ordered desserts of brownies and ice creams and various other menu items, but by this point the conversation was rolling, jokes flying across the table, bellies full, cravings for afternoon naps creeping up on us…I just didn’t have it in me to take any more pictures (or maybe I just forgot, but the above sounds better I think).

In the end we left the restaurant full, happy, and with remarkably thicker wallets than from other brunch places. After starter drinks, mains, desserts, finishing coffees, etc we still only came out to about 30 SGD a head. That’s a pretty remarkable deal in Singapore now that we’ve seen some of the other options out there.

Epicurious
#01-02 The Quayside
60 Robertson Quay
Singapore 238252
Telephone:  +65 6734 7720

Note: Breakfast starts at 9am Saturday and Sunday. No reservations for weekend breakfast.

A homey Western-style brunch in the heart of Tokyo

I may have mentioned before that breakfast is my favourite meal. So it is no surprise then that breakfast or brunch has become a weekend ritual for me – whether at home or abroad. And while I have had the most magnificent Japanese food while travelling in Japan, when I woke up this Sunday, I had an intense craving for a western-style breakfast… creamy eggs, hot coffee and buttery toast. Nothing else would do, not even Yakitori! And so we set off to find a place that had come recommended for a homey Western brunch, Good Honest Grub, in the heart of Tokyo’s Shibuya area.

Located just off Meiji Dori in the cutest little townhouse, sits Good Honest Grub. The owner, Don Foley, is from Newfoundland, Canada and has lived in Tokyo for 20 years running various restaurants. He has operated Good Honest Grub since 1999 serving a loyal group of customers the yummy brunch foods that keep them coming back.

We decided to try the classic Greek omelette with hash browns and toast (¥1600 / $16.80 USD) and the Grubwich, a breakfast sandwich of scrambled eggs, bacon on a toasted English muffin with bean salad and green salad (¥1300 / $13.75 USD).

Paul’s Greek omelet hit the spot. The classic flavors of spinach and feta cheese folded into light and fluffy eggs was well complemented by the rosemary scented potato hash browns (not the southern-style grated potato hash browns, but bite-sized oven-roasted red potatoes pieces with skin). A multigrain buttery toast completed the combination perfectly.

My Grubwich breakfast sandwich was also simple but well executed. I mean what better combination is there than scrambled eggs and bacon? And living in Asia now for a few years, it has been a while since I had an English muffin – what a treat to enjoy the combination of crispy edges and soft nooks and crannies filled with butter. It made me a little homesick by reminding me of my favorite breakfast from my local corner diner in NYC, Joe’s Jr diner on 6th Avenue in Greenwich Village.

Just when we made up our minds to get the check, Don told us about the desserts. We were all set to go, but after hearing descriptions of Apple Crumble with ice cream, Chocolate Zucchini Bread and the “you-gotta-try-it-cause-it-is-just-amazing” Carrot Cake, we changed our minds and stuck around for dessert. We tried the Carrot Cake (¥600 / $6.20 USD) and Don was right, WOW! It was both dense and chewy with crispy, buttery edges…topped off with just the right amount of rich, melt-in-your-mouth cheesecake frosting. This may just win my award for best-ever Carrot Cake.

We sat outside on the deck enjoying the fresh morning air, sipping our bottomless coffees and chatting with Don when he ambled over to give refills. We learned that Don, besides being the owner, also has a hand in every detail from doing a lot of the actual cooking himself to tasting every dish before it goes out to the customers…”if it isn’t right, it doesn’t go out,” Don says. And it is this combination of the homey, welcoming vibe and the good, solid food that keeps his regulars and other wanderers like ourselves coming back week after week.

Homey, hearty and yummy, everything brunch should be. And don’t forget to try the Carrot Cake!

Note: Don gave the best and simplest directions to find….look for the Lawson’s 100 on the corner of Meiji Dori, and then see the signboard on the corner. Just 10 meters up lies Good Honest Grub.

Good Honest Grub
2-20-8 Higashi, Shibuya-ku
Tokyo, Japan
+81 (0)3 3797 9877

NOTE: Open 10:30-4:30 on Saturday, Sunday, and Public Holidays so plan accordingly!

I left not as excited. Part of this was expectations based off the nightclub and, I hate to say it, part of this came down to poor execution.

The location near a horse ranch and farm is ideal. The road leading up to the restaurant is lined with tall trees and lush greenery, hiding the city skyline from view. The large white building looks like an old plantation house. There’s seating indoors and outside under fans surrounded by the landscaping. So far a perfect brunch place….

We took our seats inside, anticipating a quality, enjoyable Sunday brunch afternoon… and then we were greeted by the clown, making balloon animals. Our group was the first on the scene inside, and with no other tables to impress, the ladies of our table were treated to well-made (though slightly misplaced for our group) balloon jewelry. I was presented with a balloon rifle – I have to admit it kept me entertained much longer than it should have

We quickly realized that the Sunday brunch would not be bringing in the same crowd as the Friday nightclub. As we waited for the rest of our group to arrive, the building quickly filled with families… lots of families and lots of kids. Certainly not a bad thing in itself, but something you should be aware of if brunching after a solid Saturday night out or when looking for a peaceful, slower paced brunch option.

We ordered coffees and mains. There were many good brunch and full menu items on the menu so selection was difficult for a few of us (don’t worry we’ll be narrowing the list down for you in just a bit). The coffees arrived and the servers were clueless as to who the coffees went to, even with us raising our hands to motion the coffee over. The female head waitor stepped in and cleared the confusion, but it was obvious some of the staff here needs a bit more training. I wouldn’t complain if we were dining at California Pizza Kitchen, but with some dishes topping out at 30 SGD (plus 10 & 7 %) I expect everything on point. There was a large group celebrating outside and some large 15+ tops inside so I’ll give them a slight pass on service, but will say the coffee and main ordering processes were already a bit off when it was just our group inside. The White Rabbit is widely criticized online for their service, but it completely blew this place away (maybe they swapped servers?)

Some of the food came out very quickly. The first on the scene was Lemon Hotcakes (14SGD). They looked vibrant and fresh on the plate. Thankfully the hotcakes themselves weren’t infused with lemon, but it was actually the whipped cream topping on the side that had an essence of lemon. Actually a solid menu item and a good value price wise.

Next out were the salads. Caroline ordered the Seared Tuna Salad (21 SGD). The plate was colorful and fresh. Caroline said it was a very decent salad.

Kalpana opted for the Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken (19 SGD). Unfortunately she wasn’t so lucky. Her exact words were, “I had the Chicken Caesar from Carl’s Jr earlier this week and it was better.”

I went with the Mini Mimolette Wagyu Burgers (28 SGD). Burgers were just barely OK. The texture and flavor reminded me more of a sloppy joe than a quality burger (PS Cafe). The fries, however stole the show and everyone enjoyed them a lot (can be ordered as a heaping side plate for 10 SGD). The dish as a whole was easily the worst value of the afternoon.

Monica went with the Toasted Sesame Honey Chicken Sandwich (18 SGD) and was equally unimpressed. I think she maybe ate 1/3 of it before giving up and deciding to hold out for dessert. It sounded really lovely on the menu, but the dish served to us didn’t resemble the description at all.

Next out was Joanna’s Croque Madame (18 SGD). It featured layers and layers of ham coated in cheese… she gave it points for being rich and satisfying overall, but subtracted points because it was basic and simple in flavor – and not a traditional rendition of a Croque Madame.

Joe’s eyes lit up when he saw Joanna’s plate arrive at the table. They quickly sank like a dog watching his master leave in a fully packed car as his plate was lowered to the table in front of him. Joe is our “Eggs Benedict” guy. He’s ordered them at every place we’ve visited so far… and these were the worst. According to Joe the ham was most likely packaged at best and probably processed, the hollandaise was crusty on top and separating, and the overall plating lacked imagination and precision.

Lyon ordered the Farmer’s Breakfast (20 SGD). He said it was a good “diner breakfast”. On the menu it sounded like lots of food, ordering he realized he had read to hastily and didn’t realize all the options were choices not all included. At Irish Pubs farmer’s breakfasts are usually massive ordeals that cause one’s heart to flutter upon finishing due to the amounts of food…this one was sparse and lacked quality ingredients.

Some of us were satisfied and ended the meal with another coffee. Remember when I said Monica was the least satisfied and thought she’d treat herself instead to a dessert? She discovered there was no real dessert menu for brunch. You could order the hotcakes or from an assortment of cupcakes, muffins, etc. So she went for the chocolate cupcake… only to again be disappointed. “Super Dry” was all she had to say

All in all it was a bit of a let-down. I’m sorry the review is a bit negative…but sadly I’ve restrained myself a bit and tried to find a few nice things to say throughout. There were a couple dishes that were decent and a few that were failures. The environment was well-suited to a Sunday family outing or brunch for those in the area. The fries were heads and shoulders better than the “famous Barracks fries”. But considering the long cab ride to the location from where we live, the prices, and the quality of the foods served – we won’t be returning soon (unless it’s to dance some late Friday night).

Mimolette
55 Fairways Drive
Phone: 6467 7748

Another week, another brunch.

After having driven past the building for months, we finally succumbed to siren song of the large converted church – The White Rabbit on Dempsey Hill. Could The White Rabbit possibly live up to the hype of the location, setting, menu, and slightly pretentious website?

The White Rabbit is located in the Dempsey Hill area in an old converted church building. I thought it was only fitting to change up the usual review style to reflect this

The 10 Commandments of The White Rabbit:

Thou shall not take pictures of the interior.

They have a neat interior for sure…but nothing that out of the ordinary. For some reason they have a no photography stance when it comes to the building which is a shame because I’d love to have made them look better online

Thou shall start with a coffee and not a mixed drink.

The cappuccino was stellar, but after we made the unfortunate decision to spice up breakfast with a brunch favorite – the Bloody Mary. Unfortunately the Bloody Mary was surprisingly bad and not at all authentic…. they should describe it to say it is Bloody Mary-inspired as it is not a true rendition. Very disappointing for a Bloody Mary lover – Celery was brown and the drink overall was sweet and sugary. Bloody Mary is a savory drink guys, not a dessert. It looked pretty though

Thou shall order a salad to begin.

All the salads were fresh and featured solid ingredients. They were inventive and not too traditional… a minor quibble but the Spinach salad could have benefited from more crunch of some kind but was still enjoyable.

Thou shall partake in the breaking of bread with friends.

A nice touch before the meal is that the server come by with a selection of fresh rolls. Not just one variety is offered but you’re given a choice and all were tasty.

Thou shall not covet thy neighbors breakfast.

Some of us (Kalpana) made a better selection when it came time for mains. Her plate was full of color and creativity and made us all wish we had ordered the salmon as well. Joe and I both went for Eggs Benedict. They weren’t traditional but not bad either. On the menu they sounded like we were getting more though.

Thou shall not commit the sin of mediocrity in macaroni and cheese.

I really believe that Joanna chose this place solely on the hopes of the mac and cheese. It sounded great and is a signature item on the menu for some online reviewers. According to Joanna however, “the mac and cheese was good, not great… the truffles had very little flavor which is surprising because truffles inherently are supposed to be powerful. I can make a 100% better version at home which is sad, because when I dine out I like the level of performance to be higher than my own. Or said another way, why should I order something out that I can easily make better at home?”

Thou should really try the Baked Alaska.

Joe was the envy of the table with this selection. The Baked Alaska was a great dessert. Not at all the flavors I expected from the description and the looks of the outside. I expected it to be more like a meringue and it was anything but inside. Very nice dessert.

Thou shall not drink of the grape soda.

The Bloody Mary wasn’t good, but that was down a lot to expectations on our part (maybe not completely even if it were presented another way I still wouldn’t have enjoyed it). The one true failure of the meal was the added Grape Soda with the Peanut Butter Tart. I asked the waitress what was up with the Grape Soda before ordering as I wasn’t sure if it was inside or on the side of the dessert. She said it was a little side drink to balance out the richness of the fudge or something to that extent. To quote Top Chef again – we had just watched an episode where Tom C was railing on the trend of tiny drinks with desserts… calling them unnecessary. This tiny drink actually detracted from the overall dish and offered nothing redeeming and in fact pulled the rest of the plate down. Joe said it was probably dishwater and I kind of think he’s right.

Thou shall be patient with thy wait staff.

Multiple online reviews give this place bad marks for service. We were actually surprised, maybe since expectations were low, but I found the service as good if not better than most Singapore brunch locations… particularly the others on Dempsey. I only note it here because it’s something consistently stated online… but maybe they took the criticisms to heart and re-trained staff? Our service was courteous and prompt without overwhelming us.

Thou shall make a reservation.

As with all hot brunch spots in Singapore, make a reservation to ensure you get a spot and don’t have to wait.

To me The White Rabbit suffers a bit from the setup. I recently finished watching Top Chef Season 4 (last time I bring it up, promise) and during the “restaurant wars challenge” one of the judges made a good observation that when a restaurant sets the bar high diners walk in expecting to be blown away. The setting, menus, website, and prices say this is going to be an elevated experience. This is good and bad as you’ll see from reviews online. I think these days people will go in with a critical mindset because they’re expecting lots and the prices match. If prices were a few dollars lower, the interior were somehow relaxed a bit, and service was always as good as we experienced (maybe a bit speedier) The White Rabbit would have a waiting list and be a premier brunch location.

The parts of our meal that went off well, went off really well. The parts that didn’t were at best not worthy of the price and in the case of the Grape Soda (granted a small part of the dessert) were truly terrible. I’d recommend anyone go once. It’s up to you if you want to venture down the rabbit hole again after that

The White Rabbit
39C Harding Rd
Singapore, 249541, Singapore
+65 6473 9965