Fine fuss-free food at The Fine Palate Cafe

PUBLISHED January 22nd, 2012 05:59 pm | UPDATED February 28th, 2021 06:50 am

My my my,  51 Waterloo Street seems to be quite the place for hidden gems. Not only does it house a host of smaller galleries which we recently wrote about here, but it is also home to The Fine Palate Cafe. A spin off from Fine Palate Catering, it’s a much needed tranquil spot right off the commotion of Bugis where you can enjoy solid, homely, unpretentious food served up with a laid back vibe and a little bit of New York jazz in the background.

We actually came down here first time for brunch, but then because I couldn’t decide whether I wanted brunch or lunch that day (a frequent occupational conundrum), in true piggy style I came back to do lunch a few days later and so this feature is therefore a combination of the two .

Before whichever you decide to have (and there’s also dinner to consider) is be served up, you’ll get to savour some of their home made focaccia bread which is light, fluffy, crispy and flavoursome. A good start there.

It had been a long time since I’d tucked into some eggs royale having overindulged in 2011, so this was a nice start to my benny obsessive habit. The organic eggs used in the Salmon Benedict  ($18) a.k.a eggs royale here were done perfectly – lush, runny and oozing with yolk ready to be mopped up with a perfectly toasted muffin and exactly the right amount of buttery Hollandaise sauce – for I can’t stand it when this dish is drowned in it. No I just can’t stand it!

And the smoked salmon was spot on – not too hard, not too soft, not too salty and not too oily and it didn’t do that annoying thing when it starts to partially cook under a too-hot egg. Yes even the rocket was lovely and fresh – this was all simple attention to detail that went a long way.

The Provencal Omelette ($16) was a light fluffy omelette with a tasty spinach, mushroom, vine, cherry tomato and feta cheese filling. If you’re a bacon lover – as my dining partner for the day was – then you can add this on as a side for $5.

OK now time to fast forward and switch. The main reason I wanted to come back and try the lunch menu is because on it I spied the Tuna and Capellini ($20). This seared yellow fin tuna dish was delicious, fresh tasting and had a little kick to it. Served over this very thin variety of pasta (kinda like a skinny version of spaghetti) it went perfectly with the tangy sesame shoyu dressing. Yup I’m glad I came back to try it.

I swapped dining partners that day so they could pick up on eating the thing that I can’t, so thankfully they were able to delve in on the Gelantine of Chicken Thigh ($18) which came wrapped up in parma ham, served with pistachio and tarragon sauce plus mashed potato. After a a gruelling morning at work, this apparently did just the trick – it was just the satisfying, comfort food she needed and was a perfect balance of textures.

The Fine Palate Cafe is a great spot for genuine, honest food in laid-back-chic surrounds. It’s simple and sincere yet delivers quality food across the board and so on that basis, it’s got the thumbs up from us.