Solo dining at Brunetti Tanglin Mall. I’ve been aching to check out this atmospheric Italian café for months and finally got down to it this week.
I’ve been wanting to have a meal at Brunetti for years. Not exaggerating but each time I pass by it, I’m captivated by the delightful décor and all those colourful, colourful desserts. Regrettably, though, I hardly step into Tanglin Mall nowadays. Actually, I only visit once a year to take pictures of the Mall’s Christmas decorations. During those brief walk-bys, I’m invariably exhausted and encumbered like a donkey with my camera gear. The usual then happens. “I’d come next week.” “I’d visit next month.” Which, of course, I then forget to.
Well, not this year. Thanks to this mini blog genre of mine about themed / geeky restaurants, I made it a mission to finally check out the café. I literally skipped lunch before going so that I’d have room for double desserts. How did the visit go? Here are the pics.
According to the official website, Brunetti started in Australia, though its founder, Giorgio Angele, was trained in Rome. After migrating to Australia, Angele steadily earned recognition for his pastry skills, becoming a major figure in the culinary scene. Today, the Brunetti branch in Carlton, Melbourne, is an iconic haunt for coffee, gelato, and fresh savoury snacks.
As for the Singaporean Tanglin Mall outlet, I believe the key attraction is exactly what’s said on Brunetti’s promotional materials. It’s a Gelateria, Cioccolateria, and Pasticceria at the same time, with a selection of hot dishes added in for good measure. You could grab a gelato to go, or enjoy sweet pastry and tea. You could also do what I did, which was to have a full meal. One that’s capped by strong coffee and delightful dessert.
Regarding the gnocchi, this was terrifically rich and creamy, and without being heavy in the sense you feel bloated after just a few scoops. Prior to ordering it, I was concerned whether the dish would be too “veggy” but this turned out not to be the case at all too. The hazelnut complemented the pesto wonderfully, in addition to which is the interesting combination of mozzarella and Japanese edamame. Truly a beautifully harmonious symphony of flavours going on here.
For dessert, I decided to begin with something tangy. This wasn’t quite to my expectations though, I felt the lemon cream was somewhat too mild. Luckily, I eventually found the “action” at the strawberry heart. On hindsight, it’s probably better that way. Most diners would dislike the cheesecake being sour all over.
Update: Dec 21, 2018
Had my annual year-end solo dinner here, and of course took the opportunity to snap some additional pictures.
Brunetti is at 163 Tanglin Rd, #01-35, Tanglin Mall. Opening hours are from 9 am to 9 pm daily.
Read my other Geeky Restaurant Adventures posts.
O dear I love it all… now what am I gonna do… hmmm find a patisserie for those delightful looking treats 🙂
It’s nice to be able to laze in a café with lots and lots and lots of cakes, isn’t it?