Great breakfasts in the CBD that
give you a reason to rise and shine.
By Belinda Wan, photography by Richard Lee
You know what they say—breakfast
is the most important meal of the day. But for most of us,
breakfast (if we have it at all, that is) is a hurried affair that
we rush in the midst of our early morning stupor. Which explains
why loads of folks choose to leave home without breakfast, reach
work early and then grab breakfast near their workplace in a more
leisurely fashion. We’ve singled out some nice breakfasts in the
CBD at hidden haunts where you can grab a bite quickly and
easily.
Breakfast
Stall
Where: Central area, Lau Pa Sat, 18 Raffles
Quay.
What: A large stall right smack in the middle of
the decidedly hot and humid Lau Pa Sat.
The morning vibe: There is seemingly no stall
number at this place (yes, we did ask). But anyway, you won’t be
able to miss it—it’s right in the middle of Lau Pa Sat. Selling a
large selection of breakfast items, hot beverages and freshly-made
fruit juices, this is a one-stop stall for the busy yuppie. But
beware—when we dropped by, the breakfast queue was already snaking
round the stall. The vibe is busy, brisk and fuss-free. Line up,
order, pay and get your items.
The grub: The stall is quite savvy in promoting
itself—its menu is in English, Japanese and Malay. We picked set
D—comprising two slices of French toast and a cup of kopi or teh
for only $2.50. Now that’s a fab deal. The freshly-made French
toast pieces were yummy, with a salty-sweet taste. We liked that
the toast was not too soggy or eggy, and not too burnt either. The
coffee arrived in the familiar green-patterned, old school cup and
saucer, and tasted just as old school. It was comforting, flavorful
and not too sour—just the way we like it.
In an eggshell: With its cheap prices and great
old school breakfast, this one is worth visiting in the morning.
But roll up your sleeves, sit near one of the ceiling fans and be
prepared to wait for a while. Or just da pao (takeaway).
Fou de FaFa
Where: #01-05 Capitol Tower, 168 Robinson Rd.,
6327-9418.
What: A funky, individualistic café that calls to
you the minute you walk by with its loud, proud shop front, bright
colors and inspiring philosophy. A large banner outside reads
“Welcome to a New Year of Possibilities.”
The morning vibe: Helmed by Lara Jay Hequet (a
holistic nutritionist), everything about Fou de FaFa is larger than
life and designed to shock, or just perk you up. An inverted clock
peeps over the counter, a large gilt mirror looms out of you from
nowhere, there are quirky knick-knacks everywhere; and the menu is
huge and witty (a line there reads “variances are subject to moods
and tantrums”). They serve cocoa brews, herbal teas, “magic
potions,” single-note juices, zero degrees (iced, snowed and
“funfilled” drinks), sandwiches, desserts and, yes, breakfast
specials. If you’re feeling nutty (appropriately “Fou” means
“crazy” and the shop’s name means “to just be crazy”), feel free to
ask the staff for other services—like a hug, or “an intelligent
conversation”—all humorously listed on the menu hanging over the
counter. It’s all zany, kooky and inspiring, and you’ll be smiling
to yourself at all the good, happy vibes coming your way.
The grub: Although there are special breakfast
items, we settled on the tomato mozzarella quiche with a side salad
($8.50) and the Fou’s Lifeline (beetroot, lemon and cucumber,
$7)—both of which easily make up a breakfast. The quiche was the
yummiest we’d had in yonks; and we wolfed it down in a jiffy. All
the ingredients were obviously fresh and blended nicely together to
form a delicious, flaky (but not soggy) quiche. The drink was not
too bad too—you’ll instantly feel healthier after you drink it, but
if you’re not into the raw taste of beetroot, you might want to try
something else.
In an eggshell: Drop by and take time to decide on
what you want from the extensive menu. Dishes can be modified to
suit your dietary preferences too. And although the prices here are
slightly higher here than the ubiquitous kopitiam, this is really a
one-of-a-kind place worth checking out.
Sööma Coffeehouse
Where: #01-04 China Square Central, 3 Pickering St.,
6224-2559.
What: A small, inconspicuous café tucked away in
China Square specializing in coffee and breakfast items.
The morning vibe: Tiny but cozy, this café means
“to taste with pleasure” in Estonian (look out for the full
definition printed on the right hand bottom of the wall filled with
autographs). A large number of expats frequent this year-old café,
taking away well-brewed cups of espressos, lattes and cappuccinos.
Filled with a sofa seat at the back, and mostly small tables and
high stools in front, funny posters like “GOD” (“Grind On Demand”)
adorn the black and red shop, and one side of the wall is filled
with scrawls from happy patrons, avid coffee lovers and random
MediaCorp artistes. The service is also extremely chirpy and
friendly too. And oh, the jazz music they play is pretty relaxing.
And what’s more, there is no GST or service charge here—but feel
free to tip. There’s even a delivery service for office folks
chained to their desks.
The grub: There are loads of breakfast items on
the menu, especially bagels; but we felt inclined toward the
breakfast set consisting of scrambled eggs, ham and toast ($4.90),
as well as a Café Latte ($4.60) that came imbued with a cute leaf
coffee design on the froth. The scrambled eggs were the right
consistency but could have been a little saltier. The ham was
pretty alright and the toast, which arrived sprinkled with herbs,
was crispy and tasty enough. The latte wasn’t exactly cheap, but it
did not disappoint: It was suitably fragrant, slightly bitter and
frothy. And yes, it did live up to its tagline of “Simply Good
Coffee.”
In an eggshell: This little hideaway is a fab
place to get some reprieve and start your morning, before reality
kicks in.
Zest Salad and Juice
Bar
Where: #B1-18, 8 Shenton Way Building, 8 Shenton
Way, 6220-9036.
What: A salad and juice joint hidden in the
basement of an office block.
The morning vibe: With a distinct Aussie vibe and
liberal use of green, the year-old Zest does look somewhat fresh,
but would do better to brighten its basement lighting a little. You
can get a sandwich or salad made for you at the counter. Loads of
breakfast sets featuring eggs Benedict, toasties, pancakes,
scrambled eggs and more are available too. Add $1 to upgrade to a
juice, coffee or tea. Come lunchtime, you can grab pre-prepared
salads (choices include the Nicoise, Bushranger and the popular
Chicken G.I.) and sandwiches, but for breakfast, everything is made
à la minute.
The grub: We went for one of the sets—the pancakes
with maple syrup and brewed coffee ($4). The pancakes were a bit
like roti pratas and could definitely have done with being browner,
fluffier and sweeter; while the coffee was alright, if a bit
hard-tasting. We suspect that pancakes are probably not their
strong point, and they fare better with their yogurt pots, salads,
juices and sandwiches. Coffee addicts take note: There are no
lattes, cappuccinos or espressos here—only regular coffee—which was
a bit of a pity. But the chicken and mushroom pie ($4.90) we tried
was something else. The crust was just firm enough and the filling
was delicious: Juicy chicken chunks and large bits of
mushrooms.
In an eggshell: Zest is a better breakfast choice
if you like pies, salads, sandwiches and juices, rather than
traditional breakfast.
Chain
Offerings
Many major coffee and kopitiam chains, and even fast food outlets
have good grub to help you start your day. Here are some
more.
KFC—Have a go at
the a.m. Twister Meal (Original Recipe) that comes with an a.m.
honey biscuit and one regular coffee/tea ($5.90), or the a.m
Waffles & Eggs Meal that comes with one regular coffee/tea
($6).
Long John
Silver’s—Aside from their surf and turf platters, these
guys are into breakfast too. Stuff yourself with the egg cheese
toast ($4.80), the Big Fish sandwich ($5.90) and the buttered toast
($3.20).
McDonald’s—These
guys have rolled out a special promotion—the Sausage McMuffin deal
now comes with their premium coffee for only $2.50.
Starbucks—From
now till Apr 19, choose five different types of breakfast items
(the Starbucks Breakfast Platter, Belgian waffles, strawberry
yogurt parfait, Perfect Oatmeal with Honey and the spinach-egg
frittata, turkey bacon and cheese) with a tall-sized fresh coffee
or tea for only $5.90.
tcc—Check out
their American Breakfast Sunny Side Up ($11.80), Smiley Omelette
($8.90) and Caramelized banana French Toast ($10.80) to totally
power up your mornings.
Ya Kun Kaya
Toast—Need we say more? This hugely popular chain of
course whips up a mean breakfast. They have a kaya toast set and
butter sugar toast set ($3.80-4.20) and soft-boiled eggs ($1.40 for
two), and loads more.