The Farrer Park hood welcomes another brunch cafe with an interesting name of CAFÉ REN – literally meaning “human cafe”.
If you are a fan of home-based business (KUKI), they are from the same team – focusing on open-faced molten lava cookies.
(Just a note: while their address on Instagram states 130 Tessensohn Road, 681 Race Course Road would be a better indication for those driving / grabbing.)
The 36-seater space has a simple and minimalist interior, while considered nothing fancy but at least homely and cosy.
In terms of the menu, they offer a concise Brunch menu (available until 3 pm), All Day Brunch, Sharing Plates, and Desserts.
On their Brunch menu, you can expect Ren Full Breakfast ($23), Mushroom Cheese Toast ($16), Egg, Pork Rosti ($18), Avocado Mentaiko & Egg ($18), Mango Sticky Rice Oatbowl ($15), and Banana Split Yogurt Bowl ($13).
My favorite was the Avocado Mentaiko & Egg ($18) that came with optional add-ons such as Smoked Salmon ($5), Maple-glazed char siew ($5), Folded/Gooey Egg/Sunny Side Up ($3), and Sautéed mushrooms ($4).
It was simple but the flavors were well-balanced with a nice savory and spicy kick from the mentaiko, contrasting the smooth and creamy scrambled egg.
The team has also incorporated Japanese elements, from the mentaiko to the salmon roe and Furikake flakes (sesame seeds, seaweed, dried fish), which made the dish more flavorful.
On a side note, I do wish they were more generous with the scrambled egg instead of serving a relatively small portion on the sourdough toast.
The Pulled Pork Roll ($19) came with marinated pulled pork sandwiched between brioche buns, accompanied by scrambled egg and thick-cut fries.
Unfortunately, the pickled cabbage added to the pulled pork was on the sour side, overpowering the sweet and savoury pulled pork.
One cannot leave Café Ren without trying their famous Pistachio Lava Cookie ($10), served with a scoop of ice cream.
The Pistachio Lava cookie had a crispy outer layer and a fudgy core filled with robust and nutty pistachio filling.
I highly recommend getting the Bronte Pistachio ice cream, as it would add a more nutty flavor to the combination, giving it that extra punch.
To satisfy your sweet tooth, do check out their Sweet Potato Cheesecake ($12), Artisan Gelato & Crumble (Single $6, Double $11).
Using a 3-beans blend of Northwest Panama, South America, and East Africa for their espresso-based drinks, they offer reasonable prices at $4 for a cup of Black and White, $5 for Mocha, and $6 for Affogato.
Non-espresso options include Uji Matcha Latte ($5.50), Sweet Potato Latte ($6.50), Dark Chocolate Latte ($5.50), Passionfruit Sparkle ($7), and Matcha & Mango ($8).
I recommend adding an additional espresso shot to their White ($4) which tends to be weak, with tasting notes of wine, almonds, and caramel.
Their Matcha & Mango ($8) was refreshing, offering a good balance of earthy flavours from the matcha and fruitiness from the mango.
Farrer Park is home to many cafes, such as Daizu Cafe, SYIP, and Cherry & Oak (Owen Road) – just to name a few.
With more cafes in Farrer Park, cafe hoppers now have more options to enjoy their brunch and coffee.
CAFÉ REN
681 Race Course Road, #01-305, Singapore 210681 (Farrer Park Exit B)
Opening Hours: 9am – 6pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon
Other Related Entries
Daizu Cafe (Rangoon Road)
SYIP (Owen Road)
Cherry & Oak (Owen Road)
* Written by Nicholas Tan @stormscape who loves all things [NEW]. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.
