*This meal was sponsored by Cafe Epicurious.
Cafe Epicurious was one of the first blog posts I made on this blog almost 2 years ago. When I look back at that post, two things strike me. First is that my food photography skills and photo editing skills have indeed come a long way, from being a total noob to the rookie I am now. Second is that I used to be so much more creative in my writing. I guess right now, the luxury of time is just not on my side, while back then I was still waiting to enroll into SMU. Anyhow, I wonder what the two year later me would say when I looks back at this post?
I was invited down to Cafe Epicurious at Rail Mall for a tasting session. Given that it totally sucks to do a tasting alone (I hate wasting food and worry about the awkward silences that might ensue between the host and myself), Xinli from The4Moose and myself coordinated to go down together on a not so lovely Saturday where I had 2 concurrent project meetings to attend. I find myself blessed to have understanding group mates, who are very supportive of my foodie adventures even at the expense of their GPAs (I like to think of myself as an indispensable group member whose work actually has a bearing on the final project grade 
). I’m a very last minute worker so I hope they know I will pull through at the end.
Unlike the Epicurious outlet at Robertson Quay whose clientele is made up predominantly of expats, local young adults and students make up the core clientele for this outlet during brunch. I find it a lot more peaceful at this outlet, where I can take my time with my meal and do some readings without anyone breathing down my neck. The Robertson Quay outlet is just a little too noisy, hot and crowded for my liking.
We started off the tasting with the Pancakes ($8++). Topped with some lightly caramelized bananas and strawberries, it is one of the better pancakes around. It was really light and fluffy, so finishing all 3 wouldn’t have been a problem for me if not for the onslaught of the other brunch items that the 2 of us were sharing. For drinks, Xinli had a Cappuccino ($6++) while I requested for a Honey Lemon Drink (not in the menu) since I was down with a sore throat.
My favourite dish at Epicurious so far is their Baked Eggs with Toast Soldiers ($14++). I recall that they used to serve it either with a choice of bacon, mushroom or prawns, but now diners get the standard two eggs with bacon, mushroom, tomato & cream, covered with cheese and baked until gooey, to be eaten with a side of Brioche. If you are worried that this dish is too cheesy for one to stomach, you can opt for the Half and Half ($16++) which, allows you to mix and match 2 brunch items at half servings, from the choice of Baked Eggs, Eggs Benedict and Green Eggs & Ham.
For our Half and Half ($16++), we got the Eggs Benedict and Green Eggs & Ham, which is eggs scrambled with basil pesto, prosciutto and topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano. Parmiagiano-Reggiano is the italian name for what is commonly known as Parmesan cheese and just like how sparkling wine can only be classified as Champagne if it is produced in the region of Champagne, France, Parmesan Cheese can only be produced in certain regions of Italy. I didn’t quite fancy the eggs ben today as the egg was severely overpoached and the Hollandaise came a little too tart for my liking, though the consistency of the sauce was just right. As for the Green Eggs & Ham, I would say that the eggs are scrambled well, retaining a slightly runny and creamy texture but what didn’t go for me was the combination of basil pesto. What impresses me however, is the Sauteed Potatoes on the side, which comes slightly crisp but not over-fried and lightly salted. The Eggs Ben and Green Eggs & Ham are available in full servings at $14++ as well.
The Ratatouille Omelette ($14++) is simple but tasty. It is a two-egg omelette filled with a herb, tomato, eggplant & zucchini stew, topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano, very much like an omelette filled with pasta sauce. I couldn’t detect the parmesan though. Funny story back in 2007 when Ratatouille the movie was first screened, I thought it had something to do with the rat’s name. That was back when I was an uninitiated foodie. My dad isn’t a fan of western food you see, so as a child I had little exposure to much french or italian cuisine. So I’m making up for lost time now.
The Epicurious Burger ($18++) is listed as IS Magazines’s top 10 burgers in Singapore. After the first bite, I thought to myself, “Is there really that few burger joins in Singapore?”. I have no qualms about the fries, in fact I find it amazing and I definitely award brownie points for the lime aioli which tasted heavily of lemongrass with a suggested thai influence but what I felt could have been improved was the beef patty, which tasted artificially salty and not very juicy nor tender. As for bacon, what’s not to like?
This is also what I’d like to call the burger method of critiquing, you first start with a good point (the fries) so that you don’t seem to be scolding a person directly, then proceed to the body of your message (the patty) where you criticize the object but never the person, and end off on a good note (the bacon). Management Communications 101
There were a couple of misses but the whole experience was surely positive, and I’d still rate Epicurious as a brunch place worth visiting.
Special thanks to Cafe Epicurious for the hosting this tasting session. I enjoyed the brunch much!
Cafe Epicurious
392 Upper Bukit Timah Road
Tel: +65 6894 5926
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