Bottomless Brunch in Singapore: PS.Cafe Ann Siang Hill Introduces Free-Flow Wine Brunch
PUBLISHED March 19th, 2018 10:00 am | UPDATED May 18th, 2020 04:24 pm
Best known for popularising truffle fries in Singapore, the PS.Gourmet group has been growing quietly, but steadily since its inception in 1999, charming diners with generous portions and interiors inspired by the colonial era and the sophisticated yet laidback cafes of Europe. As wining and dining became more popular in Singapore, PS.Cafe kept up with the times (no doubt contributing to its longevity in our fickle dining scene) and now offers a comprehensive selection of wines to go with their hearty bistro fare. Earlier this year, PS.Cafe Ann Siang Hill launched a weekend free-flow wine package to with their a la carte brunch plates – did lazy weekends in the city just get better?
Compared to the indulgent hotel champagne brunches (such as mezza9, which we experienced last month), the food menu is available at the usual a la carte pricing with the option of unlimited prosecco, rosé, red, and white wine at $70++. We tried the sparkling and the rosé, a finely-bubbled Villa Sandi Valdobbiadene Prosecco and a bright Marqués de de Riscal Rosado. Both had a good acidity, but the Spanish rosé’s intense floral and red fruit bouquet and a lovely finish stood out. We like that the white and the red wine came from the same vineyard as the rosé, so one could explore the vineyard’s terroir in a more complete manner in one seating.
As with this format of brunching, we didn’t overeat (much). In three hours and over two bottles of wine, we tried the Crispy Calamari ($17), the Portobello Brunch Soufflé ($27), the Steak Frites ($38 for 180g, $54 for 220g), and the Spicy King Prawn Aglio Olio ($29). The squid rings were well-battered and well-fried so the duo of dips that came with it wasn’t really necessary. PS.Cafe didn’t butcher the classic steak and fries combo; the medium-rare 180g corn-fed petite tender (a cut from the shoulder of the cattle) rang in with a slight sweetness amidst the beefy flavor even if it could use a bit more charring on the outside. The accompanying porcini mushroom sauce was tasty enough that we asked for more to finish up the pile of shoestring fries. Just note that the 220g of steak is a different cut of grain-fed ribeye.
The breakfast soufflé was disappointing; the smoked bacon wasn’t crispy, the double baked cheese soufflé was stodgy and soggy (though we did spend a few minutes taking photos), the wilted spinach was under seasoned but there was too much balsamic vinegar in the portobello, and the poached egg was overcooked. One thing on this plate we did enjoy eating were the pesto-topped tomatoes.
I requested for a spicier plate of pasta, and they delivered. The large prawns – way larger than most cafes’ variation of this staple – were juicy and almost crunchy, but the toasted sesame breadcrumbs take care of the latter in dish. I would have voted for using spaghetti instead of spaghettini; the thin strands were not overcooked but were too thin to hold up against the prawns. A safe choice at PS.Cafe, and certainly not a bad one.
For dessert, we eschewed their signature Sticky Date Pudding ($15) in favour of the Florida Key Lime Pie ($13) and the Dark Chocolate Banana Cheesecake ($15). Sour, sweet, and tangy, the delicious pie filling of the former was greatly let down by its bland biscuit base, which tasted like they might have forgotten the sugar.
The base of the cheesecake fared better. Chocoholics need know that it’s not as chocolaty as it sounds with, just a one centimeter layer of dark chocolate (the Double Chocolate Blackout Cake is still the one for you.). That said, the banana fans will be mighty pleased with it.
PS.Café Ann Siang Hill is located at 45 Ann Siang Road, #02-02, Singapore 069719, p. +65 9797 0648. Priced at $70++ per person, the free-flow wine brunch is available 12-3pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
