Mondrian Singapore Duxton had finally opened to much fanfare pretty recently; being Mondrian’s very first hotel that is located in Singapore, the building had taken over the plot of land that Chinatown Plaza once stood at the junction where Craig Road, Neil Road and Keong Saik Road intersects. With the opening of the hotel property, it also means that there are quite a number of F&B establishments that have either opened, or slated to open within the hotel itself. Being one of the first F&B concepts to have opened its doors along with the opening of the hotel property itself would be Christina’s; the hotel’s lounge at the main lobby area just beside the reception kiosk — it functions as both a cafe and a bar to the hotel. Opened from the early morning, Christina’s does not only serve up specialty coffee for the early risers, but they also do offer cocktails from opening to allow patrons to indulge in a tipple should they wish to. The space is decked out in a plush and luxurious vibe with colourful elements that makes it fun and loud, yet posh at the same time. For hot food, the Daytime Dining menu is available from opening till 4pm; this comprises of açai bowls, salads, Bircher Muesli as well as several dishes featuring Eggs & Toast which are all pretty breakfast-y stuff. From 4pm to last order timing, Christina’s serves up its Late Plates menu that comprises more of small sharing plates that works well with its cocktail offerings. There are also a list of Desserts that are available throughout the day, while patisserie items from Mr. Holmes Bakehouse are available and on display in the display cabinet at the counter area. Beverages mostly are surrounded around their alcoholic offerings, though non-alcoholic drinks include specialty coffee brewed using beans roasted by Tiong Hoe Specialty Coffee, alcoholic-free coolers, sodas, chocolate-based beverages with chocolate from Lemuel Chocolate and specialty tea from both A.Muse Tea and Pekoe & Imp just to name a few.

Making our visit to Christina’s on a weekend afternoon by chance since we discovered the place while exploring the area around Mondrian Singapore, the item that caught our attention whilst skimming through the Daytime Dining menu at Christina’s was the Chilli Scram that was listed in the Eggs + Toasts section of the menu. Based on the description of the menu, the Chilli Scram features elements such as Mud Crab, XO Chilli Oil, Curry Leaf and Sourdough. A dish that was intended to be a hearty breakfast dish with a slight twist, the Chilli Scram does look rather simple on first look — digging into the dish though, we found the Chilli Scram to be decently executed and pretty comforting a dish to have. The scrambled egg here comes soft and fluffy; there are small chunks of mud crab flesh that comes within that provided a fibrous bite in terms of texture to provide a bit of contrast with the scrambled egg — the mud crab meat also providing a slight hint of crustacean sweetness along with it. Paired with the XO Chilli Oil, the XO Chilli Oil adds an umami touch with a slightly savoury base note with crispy bits that gave a soft crunch; the level of spiciness for the XO Chilli Oil was one which we did not find to be particularly intimidating — would do well even for those whom are tolerable only to lower levels of spiciness. The curry leaves helped to add a lightly crisp touch to the dish, all that whilst giving a very subtle hint of curry-like fragrance that is almost akin to that of what comes with some tzechar dishes. Meanwhile, the slice of sourdough beneath provides a good form bite whilst carrying a slight tang; something which is inherent with sourdough considering the fermentation process that is involved with the making of the bread itself; all that with a crusty exterior that adds on to the textures of the dish. Overall, a comforting breakfast dish that sees the use of some Asian elements at play; one which we could also definitely relate to pretty well.

While Christina’s does seem like a pretty chill spot to hangout for their guests that serves up fun cocktails and interesting bar bites, it also doubles up as a posh and chic environment to enjoy a comforting brunch with specialty coffee to accompany especially during the morning before one sets off for their itinerary for the day. Apart from the Chilli Scram from the Daytime Dining menu, we had also given the Wagyu Cheeseburger Spring Rolls which is part of the Late Plates menu which are only usually available from 4pm onwards — this were served up during the day when we made our visit only because Christina’s was having an event during the day of our visit where there was a collaboration with the folks of The Orientalist Spirits which sees a number of their side dishes being made available during the day as a result. The Wagyu Cheeseburger Spring Rolls are pretty much what one would expect them to be; Chinese-style spring rolls that feature cheeseburger-style Wagyu beef patties that are laced with cheese as a filling to the spring roll — we liked how the spring rolls were crisp on the exterior without feeling particularly greasy, while the cheesy wagyu beef fillings came with stringy melted cheese and a minced beef filling that was meaty, easy to chew and yet not too gamey. We had also given one of the event-exclusive cocktails a try; the Chizu Espresso was a cocktail that featured rum, espresso, salted caramel and shaved cheese; the Spiced Hibiscus Fizz from the Alcohol Free Coolers section off Christina’s regular menu was a refreshing concoction of hibiscus, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, calamansi and sour plum. The prices of the items on the Daytime Dining menu ranges between $10++ and $22++, while the items on the Late Plates menu range from $8++ to $36++. Christina’s is a great addition to the local bar scene here; one that offers a plush environment to hotel guests and walk-in patrons alike – reservations are recommended though, which is something to note for those whom are intending to drop by.