Spruce

Spruce@phoenix park

Neatly nestled on the top of a grassy knoll,the anticipation to dine at Spruce somehow makes the flight of stairs seems like no issue.

If the gorgeous setting up the walkway fail to whet your appetite, the enchanting interiors will. Intimately hidden away from the nearby bustling shopping belt, it is no surprise if one relates this wood-washed cafe to a giant tree-house set upon the surrounding greens. Be it dining in the cosy interior or the alfresco, the crowd proved to be infectiously merry and boisterous. And whilst the locale is discreet, it does not pose any obstacles to the families who flood this place, especially when there is complimentary parking. So, we suggest you beat the snaking queue by making your reservations early, or brace yourself  for at least a 20-minute wait if you pop by during peak hours.

Never mind the absence of departmental stores in the vicinity, the ambience alone is enough to fall heads over heels for.

the cosy interior

Spruce Signature Burger(with bacon), 19++

You do not order the Spruce Signature burger without some lofty expectations, after all, it has been receiving nods from many. Alas, the burger did not get our tick of approval, as if the mundane presentation hadn’t already cost them some points. Bite your way through the layers of onions, lettuce, bacon and the juicy beef patty, and discover that whilst every single ingredient amalgamate harmoniously, it is the tangy sauce that lacks the necessary oomph. Burger aficionados would be in dismay to find the burger a tad ordinary and probably won’t be licking their greasy mitts when the job is done. The lightly salted chips, on the other hand, were a delight to munch on with the noteworthy crisp, though its role was too insignificant to elevate the dish.

Our hearts sank when the culinary team told us they ran out of waffles for their eggs benny, and ciabatta bread stood in as their representatives. Despite giving the substitute a shot, the ciabatta proved to be a letdown with the tough and dry body, and effort was needed even when the cutlery were used. Not much praises to be sung for the ham and the boring greens either, especially when the latter appear to be dispensable. Having said that, the buttery-rich hollandaise sauce ain’t too shabby. The tangy sauce formed a nice swathe over the perfectly poached eggs in which burst into lush yolk with just a gentle nudge by the fork. Still, it was nothing much to shout about and in the absence of the waffles, this would probably leave you slightly disgruntled.

Banana Hotcakes, 14++

The highlight of our meal was the Banana Hotcakes.

Be greeted by a tall fortress of pancakes neatly stacked upon one another, with a delish blueberry sauce drizzled on top which overflowed downwards to form a surrounding moat. Say hello to the slices of banana and morsels of blueberries that were majestically stowed on the first pancake and the rest cushioned between the layers of flapjacks. Boasting a gratifyingly sweet profile, the dish went up a step with the scatter of honeycomb crumble, thus breaking away from the monotony of the soft texture of the pancakes. The dust of icing sugar was a nice touch. Visually, the pancakes had already won our hearts over. The pancakes were soft and moist and not too sweet, so chances are high that you’ll forget the word called carbohydrates.

If spruce had any ace up their sleeves, it is their alluring ambience, and we could not get enough of it. People love to congregate here for their brunch, and it’s not hard to see why. Though the crew was hospitable and friendly, prepare to break some sweat to get their attention when the place gets busy. Whilst there could be some hits and misses with their nosh, we found ourselves oddly appealed to this hideout. Just say we are really tempted to be back here again soon.

 320 Tanglin Road,

Phoenix Park
  6836 5528

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