Cuisine: Asian/ Western
Address: 200 Netheravon Rd, Singapore 508529
Nearest MRT: Nil, bus 29 (alight Aft Cranwell Rd)

A quirky, antiques-filled restaurant & bar with an eclectic international menu & a leafy garden patio. I had heard some good reviews about this cafe tucked in the far eastern part of Singapore and decided to come here to check it out one fine day. It was drizzling a little in the morning when we reached, but luckily with our rental car we did not need to walk much.

A sneak into the history:… previously known as Block 20, Changi Camp, it was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a fault control and telephone exchange, operated by the 19 Signal Regimen. In fact, this general area was known as the Changi Military Base in the British times.

The interior is decorated with all things of the past – literally a museum filled with retro memorabilia, paintings, vintage vehicles, nostalgic gadgets and antique furniture. The menu is also carefully curated to incorporate various local flavours with a contemporary twist. Take a moment here, relax, imagine, savour, enjoy, and reminisce the old days gone by.

With a mix of indoor and outdoor seating areas, you are spoilt for choice. Even though we arrived around 8.30am, there were already a few tables occupied inside the restaurant.

The breakfast menu has a range of items and cost a fixed price of $21. If you order before 9am, this would include a free coffee or tea. I suppose this is to entice the early birds to come to the cafe before 9am. I’m not sure why the staff passed us the drinks menu which is mainly alcoholic drinks, do we look like we drink alcohol for breakfast?

While the decoration of wine bottles and antique ware may seem odd, but it does brighten up the place and brings about a sense of nostalgia.

To start off the morning, I had a flat white to go with my meal. The coffee flavour was strong and the milk froth was simple yet elegant.

My wife ordered the ham, cheese and tomato croissant. It’s basically these three ingredients and mesclun salad by the side. The croissant was lightly toasted, so it was crispy. A simple dish yet it was satisfying.

For me, I had the smashed avocado and eggs. It includes a sunny side up, mashed avocado, norwegian smoked salmon, tomato salsa, corn and sourdough bread. Well, it was yummy and this is a standard cafe dish. I wish that the avocado was not mashed as it tends to turn brown quickly. A few slices of avocado in the original state would have been nice. The sunny side up passed the test as it oozed out and soaked through the slice of bread.

I really like the decoration and vibes at the cafe. With its slightly out-of-the-way location, only those who are willing to venture would be rewarded. They also have a weekend brunch, high tea set (from $19 per pax) that are worth checking out. There is a private car park which can accommodate around 10 cars, so it is advisable to come early on weekends or avoid the main mealtimes. We hope to come back again to try their other dishes, or maybe in the evening to try out the cocktails.