graze at rochester park, buona vista

great australian brunch at this colonial house in buona vista, and one of my favorite places in singapore, ever. do you have a place that holds such great memories you’re almost afraid to return in case it lets you down? this place is it for me.

it was love at first-second-third-and-you-get-the-drill visit, but this is my first brunch visit in nearly four years – and it’s just as enjoyable as it was back then. perhaps even better, because they now have the genius offering of a breakfast platter, and I certainly can’t turn down a plate with every jentacular goodie on the menu.

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sure, you might have had better pancakes somewhere, had your eggs benedicted better somewhere else – but what this place excels in is overall quality: every component is decent-or-better, and that isn’t something you can say about most places. my favorite dish is the bircher muesli, which is a large bowl of cereal soaked in grated apple and served with yogurt on the side – but today, let’s talk the platter.

much like their more-than-decent dessert platter, this is a large plate with small-but-satisfyingly-portioned dishes of most of their brunch offerings: a stack of mini pancakes, bowls of bircher muesli and fruit salad, poached eggs on crusty toast, fruit brioche slices, shaved ham, sausage and bacon (we asked for smoked samon instead). what a literal mouthful.

oozey eggs, fresh fruit, toasted brioche and my favorite muesli – there really isn’t anything better than a quality spread. the weakest component, you ask? perhaps the pancakes, which suffer only by comparison – these may not have been outstanding, but were certainly lighter and more satisfying than many renditions I’ve encountered.

we finished the meal with a peanut butter and cocoa fondant, which came alongisde a scoop of salted caramel ice cream. the PB overwhelmed the chocolate a little – okay if you like PB, less so if you expected a more deeply chocolate rendition – but the cake was flowing and well-prepared, and went well with the salted caramel; but then again, I do have a love for peanut butter.

the place is gorgeous – with great upkeep and cheery furnishings (certainly in better condition than its neighbor) – quiet but not awkwardly so, and a great hideaway for some brunch. and if you’re tired of paying too much for brunch and having to leave still-hungry, this place bucks that horrid trend with good portions.

still a favorite, and always the first place that comes to mind when I think about brunch.

graze
4 Rochester Park
Singapore 139215
tel +65 6775 9000
$$: one breakfast platter + one dessert = fifty-ish