The Brunch Bunch

(Invited Tasting) On every first Sunday of the month, you can enjoy a really good brunch at @binary0101.sg.
If you are just having food, it is priced at $48++ per pax. They’ve even designed set menus for 2, 3, 4 and 5 pax that makes sharing a breeze.
All of them kick off with Binary’s signature housemade Kubaneh Bread - a loaf that has had many people raving. Fabulous on its own, spread on some of the accompanying garlic butter and kombu butter to elevate it to cloud nine.
There are five ways that eggs, which form the next course, are prepared. Based on the three bosslady Karen (@thetravellingcow) had selected for us, I’d vote the Shakshuka as my fave. Its luscious tomato packed an appetising heat which I liked a lot.
@derricknguyen13 loved the Smoked Trout Eggs Benedict. Completely understable since it was constructed with great care. The poached eggs were lovely, the smoked salmon not too salty and the base - an atypical toasted baguette. There was avocado of optimal ripeness as well and an ideal amount of hollandaise sauce.
The third egg dish, a fluffy Three Cheese Omelette Souffle that was cooked all the way through, was even graced with caviar thanks to Karen’s generousity.
Moving on to the next part of the brunch involved picking one of the four available roasts. Of the three we shared, the Herb Marinated Roasted Spatchcock came out tops for me. It was deliciously seasoned, tasty, tender and juicy. I found the pesto sauce, as fine as it was, quite redundant.
We gobbled up the crispy-skin Oven Roasted Snapper in no time as well. A bright Chimichurri was the fish’s accompaniment.
Red meat lovers should be pleased to know they also have an Argentine Angus OP Rib as one of the options (requires top-up of $38).
For sides, the four of us decided on the Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and the refreshing and crisp 10 Veg Chopped Salad. I could have eaten the latter by myself - it’s simple but spot-on in every way.
For those who think vegetables are a waste of stomach space, you can zero in on the springy Hand-made Kurobuta Toulouse Sausage instead. Yes, that is also listed as one of the sides.
We wrapped up brunch with three desserts, starting with the Fudgey Chocolate Brownie and Vanilla Ice Cream which had wow-ed me on my first visit to @binary0101.sg.
If citrus is your thing, the Housemade Jelly with Yuzu Sorbet, topped with fresh blueberries, is a must-order.
Addictive to the max, the Signature Hongkong Egglet Waffle was as scrumptious as I remember. My preferred way to have it is with the marmalade.

For the longest time, the cheese-smothered, oven-baked Molten Eggs was one of our go-to items at @brawn_and_brains’ Guillemard outlet. It was awesome to revisit it today, and discover that the all-day dish is as meticulously presented and deeply satisfying as ever.
Slice through the blanket of melted cheese for the yolks resting on a base of tortilla to escape and conquer the terrain with their runny rich gold. Then savour that delectable mess with the rolls of smoked salmon, sliced avocado (somehow, #brawnandbrainscoffee’s is always so perfect in ripeness it triggers tears of joy), sweet baby tomatoes and tasty mixed salad - each a flawless element in this stunning edible universe on a plate. There never used to be toasted sourdough served alongside but I’m sure this inclusion has been warmly welcomed by those with extremely hearty appetites.

For those who gravitate towards pastas with a tomato-based sauce, you can try this as the shredded crabmeat is cooked in a tangy marinara sauce.

A rare sight in Singapore cafes, this was real heartiness as it comprised of a 150gms piece of juicy ribeye, wilted baby spinach (lI ove!), a poached egg smothered in hollandaise sauce, grilled potatoes and half a tomato. If you are after a protein-rich breakfast/brunch that’s value-for-money, this ticks the box for sure.

@twentyeightcafe sits at the base of Mount Sophia on its namesake of Wilkie Road, in a gorgeous heritage building. The white, high-ceilinged casual eatery is quite understandably, a favourite of nearby residents and is always buzzing whenever I’ve dropped by.
They have a wonderfully wide menu which means it is easy for everyone to find something to enjoy, and in all honesty, in terms of taste, quality and presentation, the food at #twentyeightcafe is better than most.
I already foresee a headache on my future visits because it won’t be easy deciding which of these four favourites of mine to have again:

1. B.L.T. ($15+) - It’s done EXACTLY if I were to make it myself. Ratio is everything when it comes to this sandwich and theirs score 10/10 in my opinion for the proportion of bacon (it’s fried-in-butter and is crispy but not hard) to crisp lettuce to juicy tomatoes to sourdough. They only add a smidgen of mayo to their BLT which I agree works best.
2. Sakura Ebi with Kombu Angel Hair Pasta ($18+) - Not sure how I missed seeing this on the menu before but oh boy, is it a blast of umami shiokness! There’s so much of the lightly crispy, tiny yet potent Japanese shrimp, plus the pasta has the perfect bite.
3. Avocado Smash on Sourdough ($18) - Far from basic as the avocado is joined by two poached eggs, feta cheese, guacamole, roasted baby tomatoes, pomegranate, sunflower seeds, sprouts and some lemon vinaigrette. Totes tasty.
4. Fluffy Pancakes ($16+) - As you can tell from my video, this dish lived up to its name. But besides the visually appealing wobbliness, the airy-light pancakes have a rich eggy taste. I tried the sweet version that day as we had shared it for dessert. So it came dressed in mixed berries compote, honey yogurt and walnuts. But there is a tempting savoury option with the fluffy pancakes decked out in smoked salmon and a sour cream and onion sauce.

Sure to fill the famished, this is a huge serving of two eggs (I recommend the scramble as they do it exceedingly well here), two tender slabs of more-sweet-than-smoky thick-cut maple bacon (Head Chef Sebastian told me they make it in-house daily), one chicken cheese sausage, a much-better-than-average hash brown, very fragrant spinach sautéed in garlic, sautéed mushrooms and toasted sourdough.
It isn’t just quantity over quality because taste-wise, I think the food is really good too.

I had misread this as Eggs Benedict and only realised my mistake when it arrived. But no matter because I was very pleased with how the dish turned out. It comprised of two 63-degree-cooked eggs on a heap of garlic-sautéed spinach ringed in roasted cherry tomatoes and topped with a luscious beurre blanc sauce. Since I had opted for the vegetarian version, there were also two kinds of mushrooms loaded on. Toasted sourdough is included on the side as well so this dish is really substantial even without meat. The non-vegetarian option has the mushrooms replaced by tender slabs of more-sweet-than-smoky, thick-cut maple bacon (it’s made in-house daily).

Because he is a fan of burrata himself, @thebrewingground’s Head Chef @sebastiansjl’s is particularly proud of their “Burrata and Tomatoes Tartine” ($18). Having tried it this morning, I must say I love it too.
Served on a thick slice of sourdough is a generous amount of the creamy cheese. The brilliance is in how it is deliciously balanced by sweetness from caramelised onions and marinated cherry tomatoes, as well as the complex tang of balsamic glaze, fragrance from basil and a fun bit of crunch from toasted almond flakes.
As it is not served hot, there is a heightened sense of freshness and lightness about this open-faced sandwich. Yet, it is really filling. The accompanying mesclun salad isn’t an afterthought either. It tastes exceptionally perky and is no doubt, one of the better ones I’ve had.

Some time ago, @kevin_the_hiak had mentioned to me that his friend and ex-colleague, Chef @sebastiansjl whom I’ve also met, was starting his own cafe. Then recently, I began seeing via Instagram Stories, @fionatingx frequent this charming cafe near her home that serves tempting looking food. I put two and two together and realised it was one and the same. So yesterday, T.H. and I dropped by there to have a quick lunch.
The cafe is tucked away in “The Yards at Joo Chiat” (it used to be a school many, many years ago if I am not wrong) and has a lovely laidback feel. We chose to sit indoors but there is seating outside as well. Right next to the cafe is a magnificent Kapok Tree said to be more than eighty years old.
It took a while to decide what to order as many items in their menu beckoned. Eventually, the Breakfast Burger ($20) won. Mostly because I saw it contains scrambled eggs and I know for a fact Head Chef Sebastian does a most excellent one. Sealing the deal was the knowledge that the pork sausage patty is also made in-house.
What a winner this Breakfast Burger turned out to be. Bigger than I’d expected, the ratio of all the components was 100% on point. While the signature scrambled eggs was a fat cushion of creamy silkiness (it’s every bit as perfect as I remember!), the pork sausage patty was thick, juicy and tastily-seasoned. Even the amount of caramelised onions, ketchup and mayo in between those toasted brioche buns was perfect - not too much, not too little. I highly recommend ordering this.
We plan to return soon. Not just because it is conveniently located to where we live but honestly, there are many more items on their menu we want to try.

As pretty as the food appeared, it’s the a-cut-above-the-standard flavours I found most memorable. Everything we ordered, tasted fresh and delicious. For eg. my Avocado Smash ($18) was not basic like in many other places. Instead, they heap their sourdough with pieces of avocado, guacamole, two poached eggs, feta cheese, roasted baby tomatoes, pomegranate, sunflower seeds, sprouts and a drizzle of light lemon vinaigrette. So there was great texture at play in that appealing mix as well.

( INVITED TASTING )
Thanks to @bydanieleng, we got to check out the brand new Weekend Brunch at @bochinchesg on a Sunday.
You’ll be pleased to know they serve cocktails and wines but being a temporary teetotaller, I had a fresh juice instead - a lovely blend of pineapple, celery, orange, carrot and ginger ($9++).
While we perused the food menu, Head Chef @chef_fabi got us sorted with a quick snack of Chorizo Croquettes. It was one of the items delivered to me during Circuit Breaker and although it tasted nice back then, of course it was even better eaten piping hot.
Since @bochinchesg is an Argentinian restaurant well-known for their meats, my instinctive choice were the Brunch items featuring them. Once I learnt they make their own sausages in-house, it was a done deal that we had to get the “Huevo Rancheros” ($24++) and the “Gran Desayuno” ($42++).
The former featured lamb chorizo cut up into chunky pieces and laid on a very thin, crispy tortilla base spread with spiced yoghurt, and strewn with onions, piquillo peppers and fresh mint. Chef Fabi recommended it be eaten like a pizza, so it was bye-bye cutlery. We were very much taken with the punchy flavours of this, and I thought the lamb chorizo was well seasoned and not gamey at all.
As for the “Gran Desayuno” or “big breakfast”, it certainly lived up to its name. There were two eggs (cooked any way you prefer), Wagyu beef sausage, grilled portobello, bacon, tomatoes, polenta “hash browns” and sourdough. On the side, a refreshing Lime Sambal that added a welcome cut-through to the richness on the plate. This is a dish that’s sure to keep you full for the rest of the day.

For those who drive, you’ll be glad to know parking is a breeze as the CBD is much quieter during the weekend.

Eggporn is at its yummiest when the perfectly poached eggs are smothered in a lip-smacking sauce. Like this delectable version at @allium.sg (thanks Chef Dillon for letting us have a taste). We had gone there for brunch and were busy enjoying our orders of “Muffaletta” Sandwich ($22 nett) and “Hainanese Sweet & Sour Pork Loin” ($26 nett) when we were surprised by a serving of this “Heritage Eggs” ($19 nett). Covered in diced Jamon Serrano, a very appetising pickled shallot beurre blanc, and accompanied by sautéed spinach and finely chopped chives, this was a wonderfully rich, savoury and absolutely delicious dish. On the side was housemade bread to make sure we could mop up every bit of that eggy goodness.