Immediately visible from the United Square exit at Novena MRT station, one-week-old The Clue-less Goat has got an A-Star location despite it's strange positioning in the zero hipster-value neck of the woods. Then again, a quick chat with the bosses, Demelza and Zac, reveal that it was never their intention to become one of those cafes, and it clearly shows from their holistic yet affordable menu.
Why the name 'The Clue-less Goat' you may ask. Well, its' quirky name spawns from a story that takes stage in Ethiopia where a goat ate some berries from a shrub, got high and started prancing around. Noticing his strange behaviour, the herder questioned the goat, who then brought some of the cherries to the monk. The genius monk proceeded to brew it into a drink. And Viola! Coffee is born.
Honestly, who doesn't love a good story? And I can most certainly relate to a goat that's high and in shades? One more brownie point.
Stepping into the bright natural-light lit space, the coffee scent like a warm inhalation fills the nostrils; and despite the chasm in the cafe on my first visit (5 days into opening), there was a feeling of warmth emanating from the amicable staff.
I was quick to order the 5oz ($4.50) and the Ranchers Eggs ($8). Coffee hails from Common Man Roasters, resulting in a medium bodied cup with complex slight red fruit notes and a chocolate finish. Totally up my alley. My breakfast marries poached eggs with smashed avocado, fresh salsa and shaved Parmesan with the seedy crunch of multigrain toast. This was earnest, fashionably austere and the kind of food that the common man can relate to. So if you're looking for a fou-fou, sizably outlandish kind of brunch joint, look the other way. The execution of all the elements on the plate done perfectly, the poached egg with its oozing yellow centre, down to the addictive crunch of seeds and grains from the roof of the toast, the balance was bang on.
My second visit saw me taking on the humble Ham and Cheese sandwich, The Classic ($6.50) because unlike some other high minded individuals, I believe the true mark of any cafe is in the chef's understanding of how to execute the perfect grilled cheese sandwich. Featuring honey baked ham, cheddar and parmesan between sourdough, the sandwich cried out for more lashings of butter, the use of cold butter spread haphazardly on the surface of the sourdough resulting in uneven dark spots. That being said, the ratio of ingredients in the layering was commendable, perhaps pushing the cooking time on the grill a little longer would yield more pleasurable results.
For such a young cafe, The Clue-less Goat has got many things going right. Grounded by the right mind set and backed by a modest menu that doesn't threaten patrons of an arm or a leg; this cafe is set to win the hearts of many regulars. Me being one of them.
My next mission, to try out those waffles that someone else described as 'McDonald's hotcakes who accidentally walked into a waffle iron'. Who's with me?
The Clue-less Goat
189 Thomson Road
Goldhill Center
Opening Hours:
Tues-Thurs: 8am - 6pm
Fri: 8am - 10 30pm
Sat: 9am - 10 30pm
Sun: 9am - 6pm
sounds like a great place to check it out. I will try the hottcakes that accidentally walked into the waffle iron later. lol
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