Oh, Surrey Hills Grocer has opened a café concept at City Hall, Raffles City.
While the first outlet is at the more-ulu Jurong D’Arena, the brand has opened other more central outlets at ION Orchard and a Deli concept at Raffles Place.
The space is inspired by the picturesque Surrey Hills in Melbourne, with a touch of Sydney’s suburb culinary charm. Thus the name.
This quaint café aims to embody the quintessential Australian experience, blending gourmet and farm gate authenticity.
Diners can also pick up some imported Australian goods, though the ‘grocer’ aspect is slightly smaller here.
Quite a suitable spot for café lovers seeking a more international spread; though I think this will create more competition for nearby P.S.Cafe – especially when they are both on the same level of Raffles City.
The menu is a repertoire of Australian and Singaporean fusion cuisine, with many new items designed by MasterChef Singapore 2 winner Derek Cheong.
Some mains include Fish & Chips ($32), Chicken Parmigiana ($32), Wagyu Burger ($32), Roast Chicken a la Chasseur ($36), and Steak Frite ($45). A friend did exclaim about escalating café menu prices in Singapore, which I had to agree.
Locally farmed and brined, the pan-seared Barramundi ($38) is served alongside burnt cauliflower and quinoa rice, bathed in a fragrant coconut broth.
The dish was well-executed, with the fish retaining its moist, flaky texture, complemented by the nutty quinoa and subtly charred cauliflower.
Their Laksa Prawn Linguine ($26) is another signature, featuring linguine sautéed with house-made laksa sauce, tiger prawns, sakura ebi, shredded cucumber, and kalamansi for the zest.
The prawns were relatively succulent, while the pasta was al dente, holding onto the aromatic laksa sauce splendidly. The sakura ebi added an additional layer of complexity.
The Lentil, Leek and Dill Soup ($16) was a hearty ensemble of ricotta tortellini, sourdough toast, pesto, and parmesan cheese.
The soup, creamy yet light, was bursting with flavour; while the tortellini was delicate and satisfyingly cheesy.
As we wanted something to share, we had the Crispy Soft Shell Chilli Crab ($25) topped with a flavour-packed Singapore-style chilli (crab) sauce, tobiko, mizuna, and shredded chilli.
This was okay – not as sweet as I initially imagined, and they did not tone down the spice levels too much.
Worth to mention is that the dessert menu is curated by ex-Antoinette chef Pang Kok Keong, with sweet plates such as Double Fried Donut French Toast ($22), and Mochi Egglet Waffle ($26).
The Banana Bread ($18) was delightful with its sea salt butterscotch, exotic fruit cream, crème chantilly, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
What I enjoyed most was the moist cake paired with rich butterscotch.
Coffee at Surrey Hills Grocer Café is sourced from Australia’s award-winning specialty roasters, including ONA coffee.
I did wish there was some kind of Kombucha served, considering this is an Aussie-inspired café and Derek himself is known for his innovative-flavoured Kombucha.
All-in-all, the pricing may be a little steep for some, but considering the premium ingredients, culinary expertise, atmosphere, and overall experience, this is a café that lives up to the hype.
Surrey Hills Grocer
Raffles City #03-42, 252 North Bridge Road, Singapore 179103
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)
Other Related Entries
The Rochdale (Rochdale Road)
State of Affairs (Sunset Way)
Cafe Margaret (Bali Lane)
Bloom Cafe (Killiney Road)
Mad About Sucre (Teo Hong Road)
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