Like its sister cafés Ronin and The Plain, PUNCH appeals to your senses even before the food arrives. Its interiors of mostly white furniture with dashes of marble and wood are built for Instagram, while the open courtyard at the back of house offers a boost of Vitamin D, wooden benches, greenery and a glimpse into the kitchen. That is, if you can even find the opaque glass door of this signboard-less café.
Skip the café-standard breakfast offerings of poached eggs with avocado ($17) or smoked salmon ($22) and pick from the lunch menu, which boasts a – dare we say it – punchier line-up. The tiger prawns and scallop aglio olio ($25) is one of our favourites: the chilli brings the heat, but the introduction of toasted breadcrumbs adds a crunchiness that makes you crave more of the pasta as you eat it. The kani ebi laksa burger ($24) is also a favourite, where a flavourful crab and prawn patty meets tangy and spicy laksa coleslaw – all nestled between potato brioche buns.