Big breakfasts
One of the things I like most about my wife S is her love of big English breakfasts. Neither she nor I are partial to buffets — we try as much as possible to avoid all those Sunday hotel brunches that the rest of our countrymen and women seem to adore. I personally think that they’re a waste of money. You pay a lot thinking you are going to eat (and drink) a lot, but never actually do. I also hate having to fight for my food. There’s inevitably some greedy fool standing in line in front of you who happily takes every last piece of whatever you have both been waiting for. I’ve watched grown men and women take half of an entire tray of oysters and other seafood, leaving nothing for the throng behind them. Of course, I’ve always wanted to grab that last piece of lobster off his or her plate and bash him or her on the head with it. S, of course, never lets me actually do it.
I like my brunches relaxed. I like ordering something reasonably priced and having it delivered to my table. Call me lazy but I’d rather spend my time chatting with S or other friends than crazily circumnavigating a buffet restaurant.
The often-maligned Graze — which I do actually kind of like (and I’m not just saying that because they are one of this blog’s sponsors) — recently launched some new breakfast items. The first time I had brunch there I was a little let down (by both the food and the service), so I was very delighted that everything seemed to go swimmingly well on my most recent visit.
Graze, at Rochester Park, might actually be best at breakfast time. The courtyard is very pretty in the morning light and there’s a wonderful, friendly feeling coming from both the other diners and staff. Many of the breakfast patrons, I’m told, are regulars who go there with their families almost every single week. S, as expected, ordered the big English fry-up (pictured at the start of the post). At Graze, it’s called the Cast Iron Pan and it includes homemade bratwurst sausage, smoked bacon, mushroom, tomato, country potato, fried egg, baked beans and plum chilli salsa. A vegetarian alternative is available, but who wants to eat that? I ordered one of the newer additions to their menu, a baked omelette, which is a light puffy plain frittata stacked with a variety of delicious toppings (pictured above). I had mine with a layer of melted cheese, bratwurst sausage, mushrooms, and sauteed potatoes. Both dishes were good. Good enough to make me want to come back again. I also enjoyed the “door stopper” toast, so named because they’re served in rather big chunks. The toast comes with a variety of jams and homemade honeys. I ate mine slathered with lavender honey and butter.
One of the cuter new elements to Graze’s breakfast menu is their cupcakes, presented on a large plate from which you can greedily grab what you want to eat. Surprisingly, they were good. I actually expected them to be dry (I know, I should stop being pessimistic), but they were moist and the icing was fabulous. They are dense though. Which means that they are very filling. I couldn’t finish mine after the omelette I had also eaten. S and I have decided that they’re probably best as a stand-alone late morning or tea time snack, served with some tea or coffee.
I know that a lot of people have very mixed opinions of Graze. In the very same week, I-S gave it an amazingly fabulous review while Straits Times bashed it. I’ve had good and bad experiences there myself, fortunately more good than bad. My last breakfast was definitely a good one. I’m keeping my fingers crossed, hoping it stays that way.
GRAZE
No 4 Rochester Park, Singapore 139215
Tel: (65) 6775 9000
Technorati tags: Graze, Singapore restaurants, brunch
About Aun Koh
Aun has always loved food and travel, passions passed down to him from his parents. This foundation, plus a background in media, pushed him to start Chubby Hubby in 2005. He loves that this site allows him to write about the things he adores--food, style, travel, his wife and his three kids!
once again great post and picture
Now, I’m hungry and I just had a pancake!
On word – YUM!
Great pictures – how much does brunch cost at Graze?
oh, breakfast! so hungry now. it´s 9:49 a.m. in madrid
now i feel like a full irish breakfast…
Chili plum salsa sounds like a really great twist to a traditional English breakfast. I’ll have to investigate that further. The cupcakes look delicious as well. What a nice breakfast you must have had!
great post. i’m so relieved to know there’s another chinese person who feels the same way as i do about buffets!
eating is a JOY. why behave like that? i find it’s sinful to behave like there isn’t enough, when clearly there is!
Gorgeous gorgeous pictures of the food! Does anyone know if the place welcomes toddlers or whether it is suitable to bring them? Thanks.
YUM! I love the sound of ‘door stopper’ toast! What a great name and hov evocative of fat slabs of toasted bread just screaming to be slathered in butter.
Jennifer Klinec Eat Drink Talk
How lucky we are to have good Big Breakfast places to go to SG! Ben and I are still looking for a breakfast place in Paris that doesn’t do a raw/ runny omelette, or waffles or big-ass muffins, a big scoop of baked beans… and the bottomless cuppa coffee. For love of big breakfasts, we’re heading to the land of the plenty. My big breakfast is 24 hours away in SF. Can’t wait!
Great pics!
On the big English fry-up…how I wish they are less artery-clogging!
Serving in the cast iron pan really adds a nice touch! Would go try just for that…the comfort food of all comfort foods!
Well the foods make me reminisce on the Pennsyvalnia-Dutch (Deutsche) food like ‘scrappa’ served for late breakfast on weekend. Scrappa or Scraper is pan-stick corn beef, usually served with toast, eggs and ham….
Hmmm…..
I just recently came back from Jersey, one of the Channel Isles, where I was fully reintroduced to the English breakfast courtesy of the morning buffet. They had everything on stock: beans, mushrooms, fried tomatoes, sunny-side and scrambled eggs, lovely plump sausages, Canadian back bacon, English side bacon, runny beans… even blood pudding.
However much I love beans with my hash browns, I fear eating that much greasy food in the morning makes me sleepy for awhile. Maybe this kind of thing is best confined to hangovers on the weekend.
I adore a proper English breakfast, and I have to say I love that adorable little skillet – very reminiscent of an Indian karahi. My only caveat with an Brit brekkie is that I hate it when you are served flabby-textured tomatoes.
Decided to give graze another chance after the service letdown I was treated to a couple of months ago after reading this, and I was disappointed again. As usual, their food is good, the ambience was fairly decent (I like it much better sunny, but the sunlight also brings to light the stained formerly-white cusions, and stagnant water), but while paying twice the price you normally would for an equally delicious English fry up at other mid-ranged restaurants in Singapore, you’d expect the service to be a lot better, and consistently so.
Ah well. Graze is one of those places that I constantly wish would buck up so I can go back and enjoy the food without emerging with a black face from the horrific service.
Good introduction to breakfast I must say. I’ve been wondering myself where something like that can be found and well…
Can anyone fill in on cost of breakfast at Graze?
anonymous: I don’t remember how much each individual dish cost, but the poached eggs with salmon & spinach, the cast iron pan, 2 lattes and 2 cups of earl grey tea cost about $75 I think? So I’m assuming that makes each dish about $20 before GST/service charge etc.
Mmmm, I love breakfast/brunch. There is just scope for adding in ALL your favourite foods! Mine would almost certainly include any combination of eggs, hollandaise sauce, crispy bacon and fresh croissants. I love the cupcake idea – and what fabulous photos (as always :-))
I have very good opinions of Graze. A wide selection of plain grilled meat and seafood was on offer but we went for the signature dishes of the crab and citrus linguine – the orange, lime and lemon segments adding a jolting, shocking zestiness to the rich, sweet crab….YUM!
Breakfast @ Graze this morning was a brilliant experience! Food tasted great, service was perfect and portions VERY generous! We ended up ordering about twice as much as we would have needed…
All the food was made from the best ingredients and looked fresh! We’ll definitely visit Graze again!
Thanks for the tip! 😉