There's something about the imagery of piping hot coffee, rivulets of milk froth working with tangles of hot coffee forming intricate patterns that is synonymous with the basic necessities of the working man; newly opened Twenty Eight Cafe would know. Opening it's doors at 7 30am in the morning to pander to the needs of the Mount Sophie and Mount Emily residents. High ceilings, white washed spaces interspersed with bits of foliage, and modish hanging light fixtures; it's not a surprise to see that the cafe has amassed quite a following even in the first few weeks of its opening. Wi-Fi does help, of course.
It's a huge space that seats around 60 with plenty of standing room to spare (no awkward bumping of chairs backs situations here). The cafe may be run by the next-door, Italian restaurant and bar 28Wilkie, but the menu here is far from being Italian inflected. Instead, it dishes out fashionable all-day brunch items with 'no-frills' endeavours.
While you have seen a widespread phenomenon of Acai bowls claiming to be able to reinstate your summer beach bod - I've never quite taken to the trend (hence, muffin tops. self explanatory.). Twenty Eight Cafe's version of the Acai Smoothie Bowl ($14.90) was actually quite, delightful. Fresh Acai berries, blended with honey into a smooth puree is served with generous helpings of granola, rolled oats, walnuts, freshly sliced bananas and strawberries. Trust me, it's a luscious bowl of flavours and textures that don't require you to dig deep to enjoy. Health freaks, you're in safe hands here.
The menu has its fair share of cafe classics, Eggs benedict and smoked salmon toast, but don't expect mundane renditions here. The kitchen earnestly attempts to sell these familiar comfort food by updating them with a modern flair and a whimsical touch. Take for example the Eggs Benedict ($16.90), a pair of poached eggs are coated with silky smooth serve of hollandaise sauce, the handsome pair resting on a bed of crispy, golden potato hash sticks - an impressive replacement to the regular toasted muffin. The combination of rich egg yolk and hollandaise sauce with the crunch mercenaries eliciting so much joy.
There's also the Smoked Salmon Igloo ($18.90). Unravel all its hidden contents and you'll essentially arrive at a smoked salmon and avocado combo, but Twenty Eight Cafe champions the presentation. Encased within the dome lies a perfectly runny egg enrobed in homemade guacamole. The pièce de résistance - the accompanying dollop of zesty sour cream and onion spread which you should calculatingly slather on toasted sourdough before loading up the rest of the goodies. It only goes so far, you know.
The Cold Truffle Pasta ($19.90) - an umami-fied treat topped with Japanese kombu seaweed - is served with liberal dashes of Italian truffle oil to triangulate finesse, savoury and salty. It's a 'no go' for me, seeing that I have a slight aversion to truffle oil and its rancid aftermath; but for truffle oil lovers, you'll appreciate this.
To polish off your meal, there are Twenty Eight Cafe's rendition of the proverbial churros. The Indian Churros ($4.90) is inspired by the traditional Roti Prata - made with flaky dough twisted to resemble the Chinese 麻花 and sprinkled with a healthy dosage of cinnamon sugar. At just $4.90 for the stack, to leave without this indulgence, would be a foolish trip.
Twenty Eight Cafe
28 Wilkie Road
#01-06
S(228051)
t: +65 9628 2829
Operating Hours:
Mon - Fri: 7 30am - 5pm
Sat - Sun: 8 30am - 6pm
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