Cafe Hacienda: All day brunch

January 2, 2010 | 15 Comments

Many months ago, a long time before I fall in love with food, I have totally no idea what eggs benedict is, much less heard of hollandaise sauce.

My first encounter with Eggs benedict was a bitter-sweet one, back then I looked at the eggs ben, and then I saw the price; I wasn’t willing to splurge twenty bucks on two poached eggs, or what I called the most-expensive-eggs-you-ever-eaten.

I immediately regretted it when I saw the heavenly holladaise sauce that was drizzled on top of the gorgeous poached eggs. And ever since then, I went on a brunch-frenzy to make up for what I have been missing out; to seek all the lovely breakfast food all over the island.

Excluding the ones that I had while I was traveling overseas, it suddenly occurred to me that it was a long time ago since I last had brunch in Singapore. There’s nothing like an all day brunch when you can have breakfast at any time of the day, as and when you crave for it. Cafe Hacienda does not serves all day brunch, but it’s pretty close – they have brunch till late afternoon everyday.

I find the idea of having my breakfast in the afternoon very alluring; sitting down in a chic and cozy cafe, sipping a cup of coffee and tweeting “I’m having brunch while the rest of you are busy at work”.

The credits go to Choupinette of course, it’s a shame that I have not tried eggs benedict and holladaise sauce before that, but it really does not matter now. Although I’m twenty years late, but it’s always better to be late than never isn’t it? Honestly, I do not understand what’s the big fuss with wild rocket, Yes, it’s pretty as an adornment, but other than that, it doesn’t really goes down well in the mouth, or maybe it’s just me.

Hacienda’s Eggs Benedict ($13.50) is a replication of Prive’s, I always preferred bacon rather than salmon with poached eggs; there’s nothing like a sinful fried bacon streak to make me go ga-ga.

Memories they say, are the stuff that make our life worth living for. I remember a ferrero rocher cake that I had a year ago, it was definitely one of the best I had – it was awesome. Fast forward to the present, taking a sniff of the cake, I actually felt butterflies inside my stomach.

Please, please let this be good.

I leaned forward cautiously, desperately wanting to get back the moment that I’ve before; I took the dessert with a fork, and carefully placed it into the tip of my tongue. The cake went down, and I refused to acknowledge the ugly truth, so I took another mouthful, and another mouthful, until it was evident that the Hazelnut Praline ($6.80) was really not as good as before.

This, to me, is a great disappointment. My friends had warned me that the cake had lost it’s former glory – I refused to believe it until I tasted it myself. The praline base used to be one of the thickest, but now it’s reduced to a mere thin layer which lacked the crunch of the ferrero rocher cake.

* * *

Cafe Hacienda is Prive without the seafront view, but nestled in the greens of Dempsey. It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Michel Lu, the dining concept that he brings about is simplicity; a nice cafe that serves delicious comfort food at a reasonable price – but some people just don’t get it. See you there!

Cafe Hacienda
13A Dempsey Road
Tel: 6476 2922
(Opposite PS Cafe)

Cafe Hacienda is listed as one of ladyironchef’s favorite restaurants in Singapore

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Comments

15 Responses to “Cafe Hacienda: All day brunch”

  1. jiaying
    January 2nd, 2010 @ 12:40 am

    brunch are an expensive affair….

  2. dawn
    January 2nd, 2010 @ 3:05 am

    for a really good brunch (like this one) I have to go into Boston to the harborfront hotels. or do it at home.
    but I miss going to boston to eat myself silly at brunch while drinking champagne.

  3. Angeline
    January 2nd, 2010 @ 10:29 am

    Haha..many do not understand why I would spend $20 on brunch. Ambience is the key to good brunch. Perhaps next time you should try the Peanut Butter Crunch Cake. The praline layer is quite thick.

  4. shannie
    January 2nd, 2010 @ 12:08 pm

    You should try Wild Honey at Mandarin Gallery, they serve all day breakfast! :)

  5. Ratatouille
    January 2nd, 2010 @ 5:42 pm

    great post. i’m gg there this week.

  6. Tim
    January 2nd, 2010 @ 5:50 pm

    I wish they would expand their menu to provide more non-brunch items. Think they would do well if they did so given the location and ambience..

    Your header photograph is just lovely, which eatery is that?

  7. sheila
    January 2nd, 2010 @ 6:06 pm

    Brunches and desserts are my favourite times of any days~!

  8. Dorothy
    January 3rd, 2010 @ 12:11 am

    hello brad! mm I love cafe hacienda too! the atmosphere and how they have the shelves of books at the back that just make you feel right at home :)

    yes do give wild honey a try too. I just went there a couple of days backa nd I think you’ll love the place it’s so cosy and all day breakfast food!

  9. Alexander
    January 3rd, 2010 @ 2:18 am

    Lovely photos and good coverage of the place. As this is my first time visiting your blog, I have to ask a silly question. Which country is this cafe located? Correct me if I am wrong. Is it in Singapore?

    Happy New Year!

    Alexander
    Alex’s World! – http://www.kakinan.com/alex

  10. ladyironchef
    January 3rd, 2010 @ 3:43 am

    jiaying: it’s pretty okay ma, like 10-13 bucks for a breakfast item? you don’t brunch every day my dear, once in a while, or you can choose to do your own at home, definitely cheaper, and can have more

    dawn: Oh yeah, brunch and champagne comes together. Drink yourself silly during a lazy sunday afternoon. hee

    Angeline: Some people jus don’t get it, they are missing out! Peanut butter crunch cake? sounds delish!

    Shannie: Hello there, yes i dropped by wild honey that day to take a look at the place, LOVE the ambience, will go back soon for brunch : )

    ratouille: Have fun!

    tim: Oh the contrary, i rather they just focus on serving brunch items, there’s hardly any place that do just brunch without the other distractions (think hatched & wild honey). Love those concepts.

    sheila: Great stomach thinks alike!

    Dorothy: there’s just something about the book shelves which make you go aww.. Yes i love the feel of wild honey, went there to take a look at the restaurant but have yet to dine there.

    Alexander: Hello there, thanks for dropping by. yes most of the posts on my blog are cafes/restaurants in Singapore. Happy new year!

  11. The Ninja
    January 3rd, 2010 @ 7:10 am

    I feel a bit wrong eating Western in SG but maybe will try this place in Feb. Oh how I love bacon.

  12. he needs food
    January 3rd, 2010 @ 1:43 pm

    I do love a good eggs benedict, and the yolks HAVE to be runny. The one you had here looks mighty fine. I’m salivating!
    Thanks for sharing!

  13. ladyironchef
    January 4th, 2010 @ 1:23 am

    the ninja: haha there’s plenty of brunch places in Sydney, why will you want to try this? :D

    he needs food: Oh yes, the main requirement is runny egg yolks!

  14. slo
    January 7th, 2010 @ 11:14 am

    you have to try hacienda cafe’s milkshakes! – triple chocolate crunch is heavenly. (its actually the same as prive’s) I’m a bit confused, are they under the same management?? haha.

    and try the chocolate tart. its pretty awesome too.

  15. ladyironchef
    January 8th, 2010 @ 1:36 am

    slo: hello there! yeah prive and hacienda belongs to the same management, thats why most of the stuff on the menu are available at both places : ))

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