Locals at The Lokal
Opened by Australian chef Darren Farr, the name of this cafe draws inspiration from the German word for 'local', simply because it's beside Goethe-Institut Singapore and not because they have German dishes on the menu. I always see long queues outside this cafe when my bus goes past.
Brunch is 'healthy and hearty', catered to both local and international palates - for toast alone, you have the options of traditional kaya ($5), sourdough, pumpernickel, rye ($6), or classic french ($16). Granola, salads, and sandwiches aside, they also have signature Lokal brunch items like the LOKAL Ricotta (with smashed avocado, pomelo, & almonds on sourdough, $20) and the LOKAL Spicy Baked Eggs (with mushrooms, onions, beans, potatoes, and 2 eggs, $20). According to their website, their butter, yogurt, sauces, and pickles are all made on-site. Gosh I'm hungry already.
You'll see this cosy and quaint space when you step in:
There are more seats at the back with bar stools for you to watch the chefs at work if you're lucky (depends on how you see it - some may not like the heat and smells of the kitchen, but watching chefs cook fascinate me. Some of my travel buddies will know ;)
I visited in the evening so I couldn't try their brunch menu, but their dinner mains didn't disappoint. I ordered the Grilled Pork Chop ($26) below. The name of this dish isn't particularly eye-catching, but I was attracted to the sides - apples, green beans, kale, and walnut salad. Always love a balanced meal. Unlike the usual fatty pork chops you find outside, the meat here was mostly lean, and the serving of greens was super generous! I completely recommend this! The green apple slices were a tad too sour for me though.
Tricia ordered the Potato Rosti ($15) below - before this, I thought the only rosti sold in Singapore were in Marche! The one in Marche pales in comparison to this, honestly. This was served with smoked salmon, trout roe, and crème fraîche. I had to Google to find out what that means (it originated in France, meaning 'fresh cream'. It's less sour than the classic American sour cream, with higher fat content).
The salmon and greens were fresh. Not sure how to comment on the roe, since I don't eat that much. Other than the rosti being a little burnt, this dish was great.
With Tricia (: One of my most treasured and trusted friends from secondary school and a sister in Christ. Can't thank her enough for being a constant supportive figure during a major transitional period of my life. There were shelves of books behind us here, but I'm not sure if you can read from them or are they just for display.
I'll come back again for brunch one day.
The Lokal
136 Neil Road Singapore 088865
Tel (65) 6423 9918
Mon 8 - 5 pm
Tues - Fri 8 - 10 pm
Sat 9 - 10 pm
Sun 9 - 4 pm
