There’s nothing too groundbreaking about an Australian-style cafe in Singapore. We mean, Singapore is basically filled to the brim with them. But, one that jazzes up into a swanky Asian bar by night? Now, that’s a head-turner.
S l a t e . is the latest addition to Purvis Street, a small hip district that foodies flock to for a dignified brunch or laidback evening hangout. Opened by the team behind Miam Miam, this cafe-bar prides itself on its evolving menu which goes from hearty brunches to modern Asian tapas.
The founding team had lived in Melbourne for about a year before moving back to Singapore, bringing back with them Aussie-inspired brunches and secrets to a great cuppa.
We dropped by during lunchtime and were warmly received by the very friendly owners.
Their spacious interior is a blend of clean and classy vibes, finished with pops of blue to lend a touch of serenity.
One of the first few things that’ll catch your eye is the hulking luminous shelf of spirits and wines that takes center-stage in the bar area. Their coffee machine sits quietly at the side, whirring away as it churns out flat whites and long blacks.
Their lunch menu features small bites such as Seafood Fritters and Thunder Fries while their mains saw a mix of Asian and Western dishes.
Our first dish was the Oxtail Ragout Rigatoni (S$16). Visually, it looked super appetising — a generous amount of rigatoni soaking in a jacuzzi of 8-hour-braised oxtail tomato stew and finished with a grating of Asiago cheese.
Thankfully, it tasted as good as it looked. The rigatoni was perfectly al dente and had melded gorgeously with the sauce, which was well-seasoned and lightly spiced. The oxtail was really tender and had completely soaked up the essence of the stew.
Sadly, the S L A T E . Chicken Rice ($13) didn’t fare as well. It wasn’t a bad dish, that’s for sure — succulent grilled chicken thigh, runny sunny side up and perfectly cooked rice. But, the whole dish didn’t seem to gel very well as a whole and felt slightly dull.
We would have preferred if more flavour was infused into the rice and for a complementing sauce to tie the whole dish together.
Although there were hits and misses, we thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience S l a t e. With their warm service, soulful food and great ambience, this establishment is just bursting with potential.
We’re sure that with the right tweaks and improvements, they’ll soon be on their way to becoming one of Bugis‘ most flocked-to dining spots.
S L A T E .
24 Purvis St, #01-00, Singapore 188601
Mon to Thu: 10.30am – 10.30pm
Fri: 10.30am – 11.30pm
Sat: 9am – 11.30pm
Sun: 9am – 4pm
Nearest Station: City Hall / Esplanade
Food is so not Aussie-style, seems like the owners are pretty misguided in terms of the cuisine that they are serving. Did not enjoy myself when I was there, as far as the food is concerned. Saving grace – the service is pretty attentive and personal.
Dear Ms Michelle,
I am Belinda, one of the owners of S L A T E.
I would first like to say Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback.
As a brand new restaurant of only 1 month old, we are grateful for any and all feedback because we believe in doing better everyday.
If it’s ok with you, we would like to ask for a few more details regarding your experience with us, such as the day and time you visited us, and what you ordered.
You are very welcome to reply me here, or you may also email me at [email protected].
Thank you very much for your honesty. I look forward to hearing from you!
Came here for brunch on a Sunday, the vibe of the place was super chill. The staff were really friendly the moment we entered! Ordered the Avocado toast, The Lot, vege chips and thunder fries.
Commendable notes: Their home-made butter was excellent I really recommend it!!! As well as the vege chips. The Lot had an amazing home-made salad dressing which comprises of soy+garlic+balsamic (which is funny because we don’t usually like balsamic) but the combination was pleasant! It’s great to know that many of their sauces and items are all home-made.
Overall, we had a perfect Sunday brunch!!(: will return to try their dinner menu.