Amongst the cluster of our beloved durian, dimsum and frog leg porridge stalls at Geylang that Singaporeans frequent, a hipster cafe has chosen to open here – out of all places.
Introducing… Brawns & Brains, a cafe you wouldn’t even know it existed without taking second look while the rather worn-out Insight Gym, also known as the former Singapore Badminton Hall .
I can’t believe I missed it and circled around the compound for 15 minutes!
Other patrons didn’t think it was inaccessible though; the space was packed to the brim on a Saturday afternoon that I had to wait for another 20 minutes.
They were slowly enjoying their brunch and having small talk with their company. My friend and I are famished by the time we had seats!
On a side note, everything is self-service here.
You have to eye and wait for the specific seat (like at the food court) and order from the counter.
All offerings are listed on a large chalkboard at the entrance and there’s a selection of pastries at the counter.
Within 15 minutes, brunch is served.
We shared both of these dishes.
I savoured the Oven Baked Molten Eggs with Avocado and Melted Cheese [$12.90] first, and it was one Insta-worthy dish cos of all dat melted cheese!
Taste: 4.5/5
Almost perfection.
I was worried how baked eggs would taste without a piece of toast underneath to soak up the yolky goodness. Thankfully, I’m glad that there was a crispy tortilla hidden underneath, which kinda BLEW MY MIND.
Paired with the runny egg and fresh baby spinach, each bite with the semi soggy-crispy tortilla was delightful!
One little thing I’d be dissatisfied would be the lack of black pepper and a lemon wedge that would help offset the saltiness from the cheese.
The lemon would also be awesome with the avocado (how Aussie am I?). Essentially, this dish is something that I could have for breakfast everyday!
The next dish that seemed interesting was the Open Face Toast with Slow cooked egg and Smoked Salmon [$14.90].
Taste: 3.75/5
Unlike the previous dish, it had only one egg.
Luckily it was compensated by the refreshing salad that contained thin slices of apple, which I quite liked! My friend, on the other hand, didn’t like the idea of being overloaded by veggies.
For the toast, we agreed that it was mediocre as the bread wasn’t very fresh and smoked salmon tasted fishy. Lola’s Cafe’s Eggs Benny and Mushroom Toast is TONNES better than this for the same price.
Thank goodness we didn’t add on more smoked salmon for our Oven Baked Molten Eggs!
Furthermore, since Earl Grey Croissant that my friend and I wanted was sold out, we settled for a Cinnamon Bun because Cinnamon makes the world go round, right?
Also read that the coffee here is good so I took a shot at it.
Iced Latte (Single Origin)
Taste: 3/5
I didn’t have a good impression of Single Origin when I had it for the first time in Australia. This is my second time, and I can say that it is STILL not my favourite coffee.
While it was smooth, espresso and acidity were very mild. Disappointing. Maybe I should have ordered their house blend.
Similarly, their Cinnamon Bun was underwhelming.
Taste: 2/5
Like how it looks, the bun is dry inside out. It was not fluffy or moist.
The only saving grace was the cinnamon that was stark in our palate. Wish the cafe could serve fresh bake goods throughout the day so the taste will not be compromised.
Although accessing here without a car is difficult, I can tell why it’s so popular amongst Singaporeans.
No one can give up on the idea of having brunch in such a chill hipster cafe with pops of bright yellow, and sunlight peering from the floor-to-ceiling window.
It is a motivating reward to have brunch here after a vigorous workout at the gym.
For me, their Oven Baked Molten Eggs is one reason to get up in the morning and head straight to Geylang.
BUNNY’S VERDICT:
NOT SURE IF I’LL RETURN.
BUNNY RECOMMENDS: Oven Baked Molten Eggs
RATING
Ambience: 3.5/5 Although the decor is pretty like most of the cafes in Singapore, the seats had no backing and we did not really had much privacy since the tables are communal. We need a more compelling reason to lure us back.
Service: 1/5 Very difficult to get a seat because it’s “free seating” – pretty much like a hawker centre or food court, where you have to wait for one. There is also no tap water – first time encountering a cafe that doesn’t have free flow of H20. Quite ridiculous!
Brawn & Brains
Address: 100 Guillemard Road, #01-02 Singapore 399718
Tel: 6348 0501
Opening Hours:
9am – 7pm (Tues to Fri)
9.30am – 7pm (Sat, Sun, Public Holidays)
Closed on Mondays.
www.brawnandbrains.sg
Facebook
Directions:
- Nearest MRT: 10 minute walk from Mountbatten MRT station
- Best to drive here. Carpark is available at the gym that the cafe is located at
BUNNY MUNCHIES 