Prodigal Cafe

Can’t believe it’s the second time seeing them move out of their premises — the first time from their former space as Prodigal Roasters when they were still at Blk 625 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5 just a short distance away from Yio Chu Kang MRT Station, and now again from their premises at Blk 82 MacPherson Lane — this one being due to the location that the HDB estate that they are situated at being slated for en-bloc.

In line with their last weekend at MacPherson, they have brought back their iconic Grilled Cheese Toast that was introduced in their menu ever since they had made the move here — we were told that the Grilled Cheese Toast is best had with Lychee Bacon and Scrambled Eggs from the add-ons being opted so we just went with those too. Liked how the toast still tasted much consistent to what we have had previously when they had first opened their doors here — the cheese all stretchy for the cheese pull and being suitably savoury; the add-on of lychee bacon stuffed within gives it an additional contrast of savouriness typical of that of cured meat with a subtle sweetness — all that amidst the soft and fluffy, yet toasty milk toast that not only hints subtly of the fragrance of milk, but also crusty from being toasted. The creamy scrambled eggs makes it the perfect breakfast for those who are looking for something more substantial — runny, and comes with cracked pepper that antes up the overall flavour.

Hadn’t been back to this outlet as much as I should in the last year or two, and haven’t really given a lot of the items (pizzas or not) a try — but it’s definitely sad to see them go once again for a place that prides over their pizzas that they make from scratch (yes, even down to the dough) and comforting brunch fare, and also a spot that knows their coffee well. With the closure of their MacPherson outlet, they are also sharing a space with Gather The Misfits at Rangoon Road where they will still be dishing out their pizzas as a dinner-only offering with a slightly wider variety of pizzas as compared to their “Pizza Party” menu previously at MacPherson Lane — and I guess I will see them at their new digs pretty soon to check those out!

Thks fr the mmrs.

Hadn’t been back to Prodigal Cafe in quite a while — glad how they have also managed to have found a new home where they are in collaboration with Gather The Misfits at Rangoon Road where they are dishing out their delicious pizzas in the evenings from 6:30pm to 10:30pm from Wednesday to Sunday.

Spotted a new creation hiding their display fridge on my recent visit here — the Pandan Coconut Cream Cheese Tart; not sure if this was an item to be rotated around (just like many of their bakes) or if it was an item to be available most of the time. Whatever it is though, the Pandan Coconut Cream Cheese Tart is likely to become a favourite of Kaya lovers — there is this familiar note of the Nyonya coconut jam that starts off pretty subtly as one consumes the tart; the cream cheese providing the curd with a richness being all luscious and smooth and as a base to the Pandan Coconut-infusion and provided for a slightly tangy finish at the end. The tart base is also fairly well-made; holds up pretty well to being sliced with a fork, and maintains its structural integrity without being biscuit-y and dry.

Prodigal Cafe is a spot that I should have made more often visits, though it being closed on Sundays make it a little tough for me to plan visits on weekends where I am usually only available to cafe-hop. That said, I am still pretty impressed by what they are able to put out since their days as Prodigal Roasters under a HDB block in Ang Mo Kio — be it their coffee, to their iconic Miso Cheese Tart and their brunch mains introduced at Prodigal Cafe. Looking forward to drop by Rangoon Road for some great pizza some day — something that I should be adding into the itinerary pretty soon!

Hadn’t been back to Prodigal Cafe for quite a while (I know; I shouldn’t have); was pretty sure I hadn’t seen this item in their display fridge before and so decided to go straight for it — after all, it did sound pretty interesting given the use of both sweet and savoury notes within the same item as a dessert.

The physical aesthetic of the cake is pretty telling of the item that it took inspiration from — the typical burrata dish from Italian establishments; a spherical blob of cheese that comes embellished with basil leaves and drizzled with balsamic. Whilst we were expecting a more savoury flavour being the predominant note of the item considering its looks, we were pleasantly surprised by how the cheesecake was almost akin to that of their Miso Cheese Tart of the past; slightly savoury yet with an earthy note, whilst being sufficiently dense, rich and creamy. The drizzle of the balsamic provided for a tangy note that cuts through the richness of the cheesecake, but I was more impressed with the basil leaves being more than just an element that was supposed to ante up the aesthetics alone; helped to also give the dessert a slightly more herb-y note that seems to go in line with the botany-infused theme of desserts at cafes and ice-cream parlours these days.

A rather innovative take on a cheesecake, considering how Prodigal Cafe has been pretty focused on their sourdough pizza menu these days — really love how they seem to pull off adventurous items like this that hits well on both textures and flavours; something that can only come about with passion and understanding of the craft. Also little wonder how this place is somewhere that I used to hit up so often — perhaps somewhere that I should be putting in my plans more regularly than what it is now ...

Prodigal Cafe is one of those places that I have recently skipped on quite a lot recently — one of those places that I used to visit on a weekly basis, but with them being closed on Sundays, it has also been one of those places which I have also found it difficult to plan for, considering it will have to be a Saturday if I were to drop by this nook in the MacPherson Lane estate.

Having revamped their menu fairly recently, Prodigal Cafe has since stopped serving up their previous menu — the famed Grilled Cheese Sandwich is also currently axed off in favour of a whole new Sourdough Pizza menu that is as good, if not even better than what they were serving up previously. Making their very own sourdough pizza crust from scratch, the Lychee Bacon was our choice during our recent visit — a pizza that featured elements such as Smoked Lychee and Bacon, Homemade Tomato Sauce, Buffolo Mozzarella, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Parmigiano Reggiano.

Found the Lychee Bacon Pizza to be pretty much like a twist to the all familiar Hawaiian pizza that locals know and love — the ham seems to be effectively replaced by the bacon, while the lychee’s sweetness seemed to have replicated that of the zingy sweetness of pineapples in a typical Hawaiian pizza; the bacon also aptly savoury whilst being lightly smoky, with the melted cheese providing that additional cheesiness from the usual mozzarella found in Hawaiian pizzas. What really set their pizzas apart from the many others we have had over the years is the sourdough crust — brilliantly executed when it comes to the fluffiness and chewiness, yet beautifully blistered with charred marks from the baking process that also provides for the light crispness in the crust; simply a joy to have on its own, and forms a great base to any toppings that are subsequently added to it.

Prodigal Cafe/Roasters is a spot I have been following ever since they had opened their doors at Ang Mo Kio; had tried many iterations of the various items that they have to offer but their sourdough pizzas seems to be the best items that have came out of their kitchen of the late; it’s the best time to check them out if one hasn’t done so yet!

It’s pretty rare how I find myself ending up here for the mains; didn’t plan for this but no regrets indeed. Available as part of the specials menu, the Mushroom Bomb is essentially a dish featuring an assortment of sautéed mushrooms served atop sourdough, whilst also coming with melted, blow-torched cheese and greens on the side.

The sautéed mushrooms comes all earthy and roasty with a hint of garlic and seemingly balsamic (?); a slight zing that helps to add a contrast to the mushrooms, while the toasted sourdough soaks up all of that juiciness of the mushrooms, providing a hint of earthiness amidst the light tang that comes from the fermentation process of the bread which still retains some of its crustiness that adds to the texture to the dish. Liked how the melted cheese on the side can be paired with the toast for an extra hint of savouriness and smokiness that goes exceptionally well with the sourdough toast on its own, or even with the mushrooms, while the garden salad which also features elements like capsicums and cherry tomatoes help to provide a refreshing mix of flavours and textures to cut off the earthiness of mushrooms for the dish.

An item that is worth considering for those looking for a hearty brunch item that does not involve meat — pretty simple, but satisfying.

Venue: MacPherson Lane, Blk 81
Cost: 5-6bucks
Description: Nice lavender aftertaste from the cheesecake