The cafe scene in Singapore is saturated with a plethora of cafes that more or less serve up grub that’s pretty mainstream, namely typical brunch items such as eggs Benedict, french toast, granola bowls and the likes. Newly-opened Kafe Utu, however, stands out from the crowd.

Proudly proclaiming themselves Singapore’s first Afro-themed cafe, they dish out brunch-style classics underscoring heavy influences from African cuisine that are sure to trump your typical eggs and toast any day. Aside from that, they also brew seriously good coffee.

Upon entering, we were blown away by the gorgeous, rustic interior of the cafe. Period.

The place has a modern African theme going on and is beautifully furnished with wooden counter tops, metallic fittings, warm colours and breathtaking paintings.

Our first order of business was the Utu Plate (S$18). This colourful ensemble features two slices of sourdough toasts that were topped with marinated goat cheese, cumin roasted tomato, raw garlic, curried avocado, arugula and a side of butter and jam.

The idea of eating raw garlic doesn’t really sound that appetising but surprisingly, it worked. It also added a nice sweet yet spicy flavour to the mix and really complemented the creaminess of the curried avocado.

From the Mama Africa section of the menu, which features some of their more traditional African dishes, we had a go at their Swahili Fish Curry (S$29). The curry consists of tender slices of red snapper fillets and coconut rice that was doused in a sauce made from tamarind, coconut milk, house curry paste and habanero.

The curry packs a punch and massive amounts of flavour without being overly spicy.

A visit to Kafe Utu would be a wasted trip if you left without trying a Mandazi, which is a classic African fried bread that originates from the Swahili Coast. These doughnut-like treats have a sweet and slightly savoury taste to it which make them incredibly addictive to munch on.

The ones here were also sprinkled with a generous amount of coconut flakes and cardamom, which added a subtle sweetness and spiciness to the bread.