Jalan Kayu is best known for its many late-night supper endeavours. But this new kid on the block is about to change all that. Opened by the same people behind Populus café, Apricus Coffee & Food Co. serves up hearty brunch and coffee in the AM. Filled with hungry heartlanders, the café does get fabulously busy. But despite the chaos, what left an impression was that the barista bothered with making tailored recommendations when asked about their coffees.
Ergonomically designed coffee cups hold the Brazillian bean juices (from $5). Magic ($6.50), otherwise known as a double ristretto, was deliciously creamy yet balanced with just the right amount of acidity. You can also find artisanal matcha by Niko Neko and filter coffee in the comprehensive list of beverages. Just like picking strawberries straight from the fields, our filter pick of the Colombia Jardines Del Eden ($7) arrived with a heavy nose of strawberries with faint notes of orange peel and a mellow tea-like body.
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Brunch is an all-day affair in this joint and the menu sees clear influences drawn from European and Mediterranean cuisine. The hummus ($13) was a pleasantly smooth and spiced mash-up further enhanced by crunchy textures of fried chickpeas and vivacious pops of pomegranates. It had traces of smoke and char – perhaps the work of a blow torch. The crowd favourite crispy potato stack ($12) lived up to the hype, providing a satisfying bite of cayenne-spiked crisp exteriors into soft pillowy insides. Other starters such as the roasted cauliflower steak ($16) and the populus scramble ($20) stood out.
Our segue to the heartier mains saw a brown butter pasta base topped with a giant fork-tender slab of Norwegian salmon ($23). Today, overcooking salmon is pretty much endemic in many cafes – and even at some restaurants – but fortunately, Apricus isn’t one of them. Though, after three mouthfuls, we couldn't help being grateful for the uplifting dose of fennel and granny smith apple slaw that helped to cull the fat from the unctuous dish. Plan ahead and you might have some space left for desserts. Or just indulge, no one is really keeping tabs.
A quick scan around the brightly lit dining room revealed a sea of happy faces digging into a specific dessert combination: a beautiful buttermilk waffle topped with a towering swirl of soft serve ($20). When offered a choice of soft serve flavours, go with the Kinako rice for a delightfully roasted blend of sweet and savoury expressions. Finishing touches of berries, orange slices, azuki bean paste, and mochi bejewel the satisfying end of the meal.
Time Out Singapore reviews anonymously and pays for all meals. Read our restaurant review policy here.
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