Woke up late for brunch in Bangkok and haven't done your research on where to go? Well well, my suggestion is to head to theCOMMONS at Thonglor, which is still the hippest district in BKK (i believe). The eco-friendly mall houses artisan cafes and eateries and also cool shops. Plus the architecture is interesting enough for you to just wander about and appreciate it. Oh and it houses Roast, which is BKK's favorite cafe.

The Commons is divided into 4 sections – Market, Village, Play Yard, Top Yard. Most of the food offerings are at the Market, while Roast is at the top level. 

Since this post is about brunch, i'm gonna focus more on the brunchy, wake-me-up kinda food. Do note that there are other heartier, meatier, savory options available at The Commons. 

Roast

Mon-Thu: 10am-11pm / Fri-Sat: 9am-11pm / Sun: 9am-10 pm

Possibly the kick-starter of Bangkok's love affair with brunch, Roast nailed it with their all-day breakfast. The chunky crab cake eggs benedict left us wanting for more. How is one crab cake even enough! Oh and the strawberry waffle is another must order. You could also have burgers, steak frites, roast chicken etc. should you dine later. Coffee here is such as lunch (burgers) and dinner (steak frites B890, roast chicken B480). Thanks to carefully-sourced beans roasted in house, the coffee here is excellent. 02-185-2865, 

Egg My God

Daily: 9.30 am - 10 pm

Egg, egg, egg, and more eggs! I don't know about you but i think egg is a superfood, plus it's so versatile! Egg My God uses eggs on their own, as an ingredient, a side, a main, and in their desserts. Oh and they also have it in its preserved form- think salted egg yolk angel hair pasta with truffle and chive oil, shiitake.

Tis the season to feast and we headed back to one of our favorite restaurants this year, Audace at Wanderlust Hotel (read about our previous meal here). This time, we sampled Chef  Jérémy’s communal Sunday brunch, which is actually more of a fine bistronomy lunch! How else can you categorize a meal consisting of 6 appetisers, 5 main courses, 5 side dishes and 5 desserts? To call it Sunday brunch is a plain understatement. 

Instead of going through all of the food we had, i'll just highlight my favorites, since the menu changes very often and you are likely to be tasting something different. Well one thing that should be kept on the menu for sure is the Pumpkin Soup. The creamy pureé is rich and buttery and super intense and that one shot is certainly not enough. If you're expecting some brunch sort of food, the Focaccia With Cooked Ham & Mascarpone Black Pepper will hit the right spot mainly because of the herby crusty bread!

The Salmon Gravlax with Beetroot had a light acidity and sweetness to it. Texture en pointe.

The Asparagus Salad Chorizo Iberico was also a nice nuttiness to it. 

For mains, i thought the fish dishes were a lot better than the meat ones. In particular, the Pearl Grouper With Orange Paste was my favorite main dish. There's this lovely smooth fat to the fish and it's perfect with the smooth broccoli pureé. The orange accent was also very interesting. The Grilled White Tuna was a bit drier but love that crisp on the outside. 

The Braised Pork Belly was a tad too bland for me when i first bit into it, but as i chewed on, it has a nice light sweetness to it. It's great that it isn't too seasoned actually.

Both duck dishes we had- the French Breast Duck, and Duck Terrine were both too gamey for my liking. They had a strong bloody liver flavor to it, which wasn't appetizing.

The mains come with sides of creamy Polenta (love this one)/ Broccoli Mash (the best!)/ Baked Carrot/ Risotto (yums)/ Baked Rutabaga & Aubepine (most interesting veg). 

Then there were desserts and i enjoyed ALL OF THEM! On this platter (left to right), a Speculoos macaron which will explode in your mouth; a comforting crunchy chocolate cookie; and a snappy and not too tart Lemon Cream Tartlette & Candied Berce. 

The Dark chocolate mousse with salted caramel is LOVE! Super dark and smooth and not too sweet!

End on a refreshing note with the Pomelo, Black Pepper and Honey. The bitterness worked strangely! 

So glad to be able to revisit Audace before the year ends. Can't wait to be back for Chef's signatures!

Audace

2 Dickson Road Singapore 209494

Wanderlust Hotel

Tel: +65 6298 1188

Tue-Sat: 7.30am - 12am

Sun: 7.30am - 4pm

Sunday Brunch: 11.30am - 4pm

Has it been half a year since i last visited Wildseed Cafe at The Summerhouse?! Well so much has changed and we hear that Wildseed Cafe no longer does those yummy sandwiches. :( There's no fretting though! The Summerhouse has just launched their new weekday lunch and weekend brunch menu and you will be spoilt for choice! The weekend brunch menu is the more extensive one, and you'll get some of the more filling dishes on the weekday lunch menu. 

For starters, i absolutely adored the Burrata Rocket Salad ($20) which has a meaty flavor to it despite it being vegetarian. I love every component on this salad- the creamy burrata, meaty rocket pesto, citrusy dog fennel, umami marinated tomatoes and crunchy toasted sourdough. If you're gunning for a healthier brunch/lunch, this could be your main course. 

What's better than sweet potato fries? Presenting the Yellow ($14), which is a dish of crunchy Mimolette-cheese-covered sweet potato cubes topped with an earl grey and passion fruit vinaigrette, mustard puree, and pickled pumpkin and carrots. This dish is definitely more savoury than sweet and we found the pickled sides rather refreshing. 

WARNING. Do not mistaken The Summerhouse's Eggs Benedict Modernist ($22) to be a traditional full-size breakfast plate because it is clearly under the starters portion. Instead, Chef presents an innovative egg dish with various textures of egg with Black Forest Ham, and a unique chive hollandaise. On this plate, there's an interesting bacon infused egg white custard with an amazing panna cotta texture; breaded and fried egg yolks, and a runny sous vide egg. I would love for something sharper to cut through all that egg though.

Now i'm gonna skip to 'Desserts' because that's where they placed the ah-mazing French Toast ($14). I obviously have no issues having something sweet for breakfast, especially if it is this pretty. The fluffy brioche is soaked in egg with cinnamon and brown sugar before being pan-fried for that nice caramel crust. Chef serves this with seasonal fruits, zingy raspberry-yuzu sorbet and raspberry tuille. I thought that the use of vanilla bean custard was ingenious- it's not as heavy as ice cream, but it was smooth enough to provide the same mouthfeel while harmonizing the tartness of the sorbet.

Another dessert i may take for breakfast would be the Natural Yoghurt with Grilled Pumpkin Ice Cream, served with granola and local cinnamon, and local honey. I mean, it's essentially a granola bowl no? 

My other favorite brunch dish is the Pulled Pork Scrambled Eggs Burger ($19). YOU CANNOT MISS THIS FOR YOUR LIFE. I will leave nothing on the plate, not even the burger bun because it's filled with bacon and cream cheese with sambal mayo!

The bun is fried and then sliced to sandwich a juicy and tangy pulled pork made from pork collar, creamy scrambled eggs, avocado, Mimolette cheese, and more greens. This may possibly be the best burger of 2017. Really.

For heartier lunch/brunch options, there's the Miso Shiitake Linguine ($22) with 3 grilled prawns (+$8). If you would like a less heavy carbonara, this would be it. The fried ebi sakura was very much bacon-like, which i thought was missing the umami seafood flavor. It's possible to have this as a vegetarian option if you tell the kitchen to hold the ebi. 

If you, like i do, miss the falafel sandwich previously served at Wildseed Cafe, there's the Falafel Platter ($14/24) which uses pretty much the same ingredients in the sandwich! Think generous serving of the crusty herbal falafel, feta cheese, eggplant ragout, sautéed pak choy, butterhead lettuce, rocket pesto and yoghurt sauce. 

Other items available for lunch includes a Wagyu beef burger made with wagyu beef MS8 patty, and a grilled chicken thigh with smoked rice (Summerhouse's take on the local chicken rice). 

Sweet endings begin proper with the Balinese chocolate ice cream ($12) which cannot be missed as well. A freshly baked crunchy but gooey hazelnut cookie is topped with the smooth vanilla bean custard, chocolate ice cream made from Bali-grown Valrhona cocoa and a dehydrated hazelnut praline powder. If i may add, this dessert provides the same comfort you'd derive from a glass of rich chocolate milk. 

Loving the new brunch and lunch menu at The Summerhouse Dining Room. We enjoyed our meal with a bottle of Bliss Family Vineyards Chardonnay from their cute little wine cellar. The stock of wine comes from the 1 Group's suppliers and you could purchase a bottle to enjoy it at the restaurant or at home.

The Summerhouse Dining Room

3 Park Lane Singapore 798387

Tel: +65 8608 3340

Mon – Thu: 12 – 3pm
Fri, Weekends & PH: 12 – 3pm, 6 - 10pm 

Dug this review out of archives in an attempt to keep the blog alive but anyhow.. Stamping Ground Coffee is now at Upper East Coast (previously at Club Street) to offer Easties a cozy garden vibe to enjoy your coffee or tea in. 

Is there a better way to enjoy a cuppa and croissant with the light floral notes permeating in the air?

So first, coffee. Stamping Ground Coffee supplies their Cold Brew Coffee ($6) to Gemmills and some other cafes. Taste wise, it didn't leave much of an impression, which is strange since we hear that their beans are from Papa Palheta. The Flat White (S$5) is also on the milkier spectrum.

The food selection is bistro type, with everything prepped at the counter. The Bacon Jam ($13.50) with baked eggs (more like soft boiled) and mozzarella on brioche toast was sufficiently satisfying.

That ooze was soaked up by the fluffy brioche. I would have liked it better if the bacon jam wasn't all that sweet. Still, a delicious option.  

Skip the Tuna Croissant with apples, which is easily created at home. Well, Jr's choice and if that's what he wants to eat then so be it. But you shouldn't. #okthatsall

In all, Stamping Ground Coffee House isn't quite an exciting place for coffee or food but at least it smells good (they've an on-site florist) and it's a pretty place. For better coffee in this area, head over to Dutch Colony please. #notsponsored

Stamping Ground Coffee

87 Upper East Coast Road

Singapore 455223

Tel: +65 9070 7610

Mon - Thu: 9am to 6pm

Fri - Sat: 9am to 9pm

Sun: 9am to 6pm

Looking for the hottest dining enclave in Singapore? It has to be the new Seletar Aerospace Park (SAP). We checked out The Summerhouse, a multi-concept F&B and lifestyle destination comprising The Summerhouse Dining Room and Balcony Bar located on the upper storey; and Wildseed, a café, patisserie and bar on the ground level. 

And yes, The Summerhouse is in a godforsaken spot on the island but treat it as an excursion to the English countryside as you roll along the the tree-lined roads and conservation black and whites. Our recommendation is to start the day at Wildseed cafe with a lazy brunch, then move on to after drinks at Balcony Bar, followed by supper at The Summerhouse Dining Room. In between, wander around the edible garden curated by Edible Garden City, or check out the gorgeous blooms at partner florist, Poppy Flora Studio. Or simply enjoy the peaceful nature.

The produce used at the Summerhouse is not only fresh (they connect with a farming collective of Singaporean and Malaysian growers and producers, as well as a Singapore kelong), they are also sustainably grown. Plus all the garnish used are harvested from the in-house edible garden. 

Pick from the colorful array of sandwiches, salads, eggs, cold cuts, cakes, and pastries. While indulging in the freshly made bakes, kick back with coffee from Nomad the Gallant, which roasts and blends their specialty coffee on site. 

The Flat White ($5) uses the Exodus Blend of Brazil, Fazenda Lagoa and India Bibi Plantation AB. Go for this if you like wood, spice, and chocolate. If you are not into caffeine, pick from a selection of fresh juices.

It's about two months to the end of 2016 and i'm gonna put it out there and declare Fat Lulu’s Asian Barbecue & Dessert as my favorite brunch spot of the year. This wild child is given birth by the dynamic duo Sam and Song (who founded and rebranded Five & Dime in the same River Valley Road spot) and boy is it a 360 deg change that is certainly a breath of fresh air in the F&B scene.

Wicked BBQ. Smooth Desserts. They are as distinct as day and night but they complement each other perfectly. Chef Sam helms the #NoBurnNoTaste charcoal BBQ, blasting kickass flavors into meats, fish, and vegetables seasoned with Asian spices and chillis. On the other hand, Chef Song presents desserts of refined delicacy that are technique-driven and visually arresting. Here is practically all the brunch items that you can feast on at Fat Lulu's (we only missed 2). 

For a punchy kickass breakfast, go with the Croque Tambi ($18). There’s a murtabak-styled omelette, doused in sriracha, Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise and slices of pan-seared meaty Scarmoza cheese, all sandwiched between homemade burnt-on-the-grill ciabatta bread. It’s a delicious mess you wanna get into. Cool off from the heat with the side of raita (an Indian style salad) made with cucumber, pineapple, and coriander. 

Every bite of the Fried chicken with pancakes ($22) was a party in our mouths! There's the spicy pseudo-thai style gula melaka chili sauce; tangy slaw of red cabbage with apples in Kewpie mayo; succulent fried chicken that has been brine overnight; sweetened by some light fluffy pancakes.

Another winner is the hearty and comforting Lamb Meatballs ($23) with tomato sauce, fava beans, soft eggs and papadum. The spiced up meat balls (flavored with cumin, fennel, cardamon, and onions) are cooked in a tomato sauce that reminded us of chili crab sauce. We were happy to mop all the sauce with the crunchy toast.

Feel that the dishes are too heavy for brunch? Well to play it safe (but certainly not boring), there's the delicious Bacon and Eggs ($22). Boy do we love that smoky thick cut slab bacon with with a blooming flower of creamy scrambled eggs. Layer them on top of the crunchy garlic-sour cream toast and you'd be sent to breakfast heaven with one bite.

Ninja Cut has stealthily moved in to the vicinity of City Hall! Most of you are familiar with the sister outlet, Ninja Bowl. Ninja Cut, however, has cut its own identity with a menu featuring succulent meats, fresh seafood, and all-day brunch items.

Who doesn’t love brunch items? The best part is that whether you get out of bed at 9 in the morning or 5 in the afternoon, you still get the satisfaction to start the day!

Polenta Mash ($18). The name says it all. You will fall in love with the warm truffle polenta if you adore creamy scrambled eggs. The dish is served with Aburi pork slices, sautéed mushrooms and shaved parmesan cheese. Tucking into truffle polenta with parmesan and mushrooms brought a smile to my face.

But what left me speechless was the Cheeky Cheese ($18). That fluffy and buttery brioche (almost like danish bread) transported me to brioche heaven! With two types of cheddar stuffed between the fluffy pillows, the sandwich is the answer to the perfect brunch. So what’s the cheeky bit? 24-hour braised Japanese curry beef cheek!

Marvellous Matcha ($16), on the other hand, is a feminine and delicate plate of whimsical garden. Topped with a quenelle of ricotta, homemade chewy dango, yuzu peel ‘worms’, speculoos crumble ‘soil’ and anko, the dish is quite a piece of art. The highlight thou, is the instagrammable oozing matcha of the dense matcha ‘hotcake’. Do yourself a favor. Don’t take too long getting that marvelous picture or video. Dig in while it hits the sweet spot.

Brawn & Brains is one of my favorite cafes in the East (Mountbatten is such a sleepy and charming area). I would squeeze myself into their little cafe just to enjoy one of their cuppas and amazing bakes (love their croissants). Well now that they relocated to around the corner from their original hole-in-the-wall, there's more reason to hang around.  

Jr was a little concerned that there wasn't going to be anything substantial but the food menu has expanded to include more sandwiches and wraps that will fill up a boy's tummy.

I couldn't peel my eyes away from the Oven Baked Molten Eggs ($9.80) which featured 2 golden globes covered with melted cheese. Cut into the soft runny eggs and let the yolks ooze onto the tortilla sheets and send the mess into your mouth. Of course the millenials in us picked this because AVOCADO. I added smoked salmon ($3.50) with this one but there's also bacon.

If you are a bread lover like we are, then you would adore the Open-Faced Toast with soft cooked eggs ($14.90). We are happy to eat the fluffy brioche on its own but who can say no to grilled bacon and eggs to go with? The side salad was a refreshing mix of pear and cucumber with loose leaves. Jr enjoyed this more than the molten eggs (more for me yay). 

For something punchier, try the Curry Chicken Wrap which encases chunky chicken marinated in curry spices and drizzled with a yogurt dressing. Expect bursts of flavors from the herbs, cheese and onions.

I will never be sick of brunch but the cafe fatigue is real. On one of those days, you just want to go back to something that's familiar and comforting and guaranteed good. Well for days like that, there's Atlas Coffeehouse, sister of Assembly Coffee at Evans (which i adore). 

Finally a bigger space than the hole-in-the-wall at Evans Lodge, Atlas Coffeehouse brings to the table the same delicious eggs and buttermilk waffles among other food items (expect heartier offerings)! 

The scrambled eggs here are still as spectacular as the original. We chose to have it paired with the Creamy Mushroom on Sourdough ($12) for an added $3. That garlic white wine cream was sharpened by some freshly grated Parmesan, which melted slightly from the heat of the eggs. Oh we inhaled this in less than 5 minutes. 

The menu offers more than just the regular brunch, with heartier options (somewhat Japanese style) like the Summer Chicken Stew ($17); Atlas Super-bowl ($18); Salmon Soba Noodles ($18). 

Well, we needed some sweets to pair with the savory eggs on toast, so it was the Salted Caramel Buttermilk Waffles ($12) for us! Upon the first taste of that smooth caramel, i remembered how good this sauce was (and still is)! Well, the waffles could still be crispier as per my last review. But decent it was. Other versions include Earl Grey Caramel ($12); Mixed Berries Compote ($12.50); and Candied Bacon ($14). 

If you can afford more time (like 20 mins), perhaps try the ATLAS Butterscotch Banana Pancake ($18), a fluffy pancake served with caramelized banana, house-made butterscotch, and honey comb ice cream. 

For coffee, the beans are from Two Degrees North Coffee Co, using a blend which consists of 70% Brazil and 30% Guatemala, producing a full bodied and nutty drink.

Making Atlas Coffeehouse my cafe regular spot in Bukit Timah. You should too.

Atlas Coffeehouse

6 Duke’s Road, Singapore 268886

Sun – Tue: 8am - 5pm (subject to changes)

If there's a coffee chain that you have to visit, make it Costa. Yes I've heard how terrible their UK version is but trust me, the Singapore version is 👍🏻 (no they are not paying me to say this). I've always enjoyed their muffins and especially their relatively new Corto Classic (a super strong creamy blend of espressos). With the opening of their newest flagship Costa269 at Holland Village, we now get to enjoy proper cafe food from their hot kitchen. And HELLO all day brunch! 

The menu features a combination of British inspired flavours and classic breakfast favourites. Every order is made fresh-on-demand and designed to complement Costa’s range of handcrafted coffees. Their headliner is the Croffle, which is a crispy, flakey, buttery waffle-pressed croissant and I found it quite the perfect base for desserts even!

First, savory maybe? The Morning Croffle ($14) is served with slices of turkey ham, sautéed button and swiss brown mushrooms and scrambled eggs . The eggs are decent, but could be more moist, less firm. There's also the typically British Fry up version- The Great Croffle Fry-Up ($17) which has the option of a beef sausage made from ground beef, tomatoes and onion (which was a tad too powdery and mushy for me though the flavor is quite decent).

IMO, the croffle worked the best in the sweet version- the Very Berry Croffle ($11)! The croffles are served with a choice of salted caramel, chocolate or vanilla ice cream and topped with sliced strawberries and blueberries dusted with icing sugar. GO WITH SALTED CARAMEL! It's a tad sweet but that saltiness goes so well with that buttery and chewy center of the croissant.