Café Culture

Stumbled on this chain that has really taught me not to judge a book by its cover (a restaurant by its decor lol). Naga Pasta sounded really exquisite on paper but for $16++ it wasn’t near filling. Could barely taste the chili oil and some of the fried shallots were burnt, which added to the earthy/bitter taste that the choice of mushrooms (shiitake?) already brought plenty of.

While I love eggs, I found that the onsen egg here did not value add to the taste. This dish, supposedly a signature, could do with a bigger portion and also a sweeter or spicier seasoning to balance out that earthiness.

Beef patty was medium rare as requested, and fries were on the blander side. Overall I don’t think it’s anything to rave about so I felt it was not worth the hefty price tag. This + iced oat latte (free upgrade to oat milk) set me back $40.

Icing was a bit too sweet for my liking, and the cake sort of dry and crumbly. I’d suggest a different cake if you’re here.

Tried the roasted pistachio and it was so rich and amazing. Location is great if you’re looking for a quick break from work. There’s even a gym here if you feel guilty!

Centre: Truffled Cèpes Bow Tie & Melted Cheese Skillets ($15)
Top left: Garlic Tiger Prawns Skillet ($21)
Top right: BYO Baby Dutch Pancakes with Smoked Salmon and Crème Fraîche ($15)

With mains priced like this, I would expect a decent portion that will leave you decently sated. However, the portions were quite minute. I could imagine a kid getting full on this, not teens or adults. The food itself was above average, but not anything to rave about and nothing you can’t attempt a decent version of at home. I suppose its selling point would be aesthetics, which is sadly much of cafe culture here. Waiting time was also longer than their estimate and each of our mains arrived quite a few minutes apart from each other. Go if you have a tiny appetite or if you’re prepared to spend more on sides!