Note: Parco Caffe is no longer in operation.
Located within the tranquil Raeburn Park, Parco Caffe – by the folks behind Spruce and Alkaff Mansion Ristorante – is where you would find solace from the hustle and bustle of city life. What is compromised for accessibility is more than made up for ambience. It was apparent that much of Parco’s emphasis is on atmosphere; from the creeping vines along its granite walls and lush carpet grass, to the floor-to-ceiling windows that bathed the café in natural sunshine, this place is stunning in every sense of the word.
Parco Caffe has a separate menu for lunch and dinner. Brunch on weekends starts at 9am, which is when the café dishes up egg-centered offerings in addition to their dinner menu.
We were disappointed to be told that the eggs roulade and risotto we had our eyes set on were no available, but went ahead with our orders for two other dishes from their brunch menu.
We picked the Tartufo Nero Scrambled Eggs ($29), a chef’s recommendation described as scrambled eggs in a Parmesan basket with shaved black truffle, sautéed porcini mushrooms, bacon, cherry tomatoes and toast. On hindsight we did get what was stated (though curiously missing the cherry tomatoes), but for the price, were sorely disappointed to be offered a miniscule portion which was unfortunately, not redeemed by the taste. The eggs were overly curdled, and the parmesan basket soaked through and soggy. The porcini mushrooms and bacon seemed to be an afterthought, and did nothing to salvage the dish.
The Portobello ($23) fared better; 2 eggs on grilled Portobello mushroom, smoked salmon, poached asparagus, baked sweet potato with crème fraiche, cherry tomato bruschetta and toasted black olive bread was literally quite a mouthful. We enjoyed ploughing through the variety, but none of it was exceedingly spectacular.
We shared a serving of the Lemon Honey Kurobuta Ribs ($28) from the dinner menu, which turned out to be the best dish of the day. We loved how the tender meat gave way under the slightest nudge of our forks. The sweet, sticky glaze made for a decadent candied pork dish that left us with a lasting impression.
With so many other places offering better brunches at more reasonable prices, we’d be hard pressed to find a reason to return. That said, Parco Caffe is definitely still a destination for those looking for an ambience like no other.
Parco Caffe
10 Raeburn Park #01-28
Tel: +65 6223 6338
Daily: 11.30am – 11pm
Words and photographs by Sarah Lim
Sorry about your experience with the Tartufo Nero Scrambled Eggs. I wonder how the Portobello and Lemon Honey Kurobuta Ribs dishes look like…
I’m not surprised. I find Spruce to be wildly disappointing in terms of value, food quality and service, despite the lovely atmosphere. This seems no different…