Situated between Bugis and Lavender MRT, Symmetry is one of those long-running players in Singapore’s cafe scene, having been around for close to five years. The cafe is open seven days a week, with different operating hours on certain days to cater to the brunch crowd at different times of the week.

With a relocation in the works for a friend of mine, a farewell get-together for foodies and Instagrammers was in order, and what better place to celebrate Singapore’s cafe culture than a late brunch-cum-dinner preview on Symmetry’s alfresco area?

Symmetry’s menu is split into three sections: brunch, lunch, and dinner – each with their own combination of dishes to whet your appetite.

For starters, we had their famous Truffle Fries ($15). Crisp and covered in grated aged parmigiano-reggiano and dollops of truffle sauce, these are the fries to die for. I also think that anything that’s fried and covered in lots of toppings qualifies for the ultimate hangover cure.

I especially loved the sauce – so sinful but so good! And the fries stayed crispy throughout our long afternoon there, not bad at all. 😀

Typical of any cafe, Symmetry’s brunch offerings are mostly egg-based, yet each creation brings something to the table in terms of texture and flavour. The Broccolini Salad ($17), for one, serves up eye-pleasing colours with a combination of crushed almonds, low temperature eggs, feta cheese, cracked wheat, dehydrated berries, and sesame.

I really liked how the broccolini was firm, yet not so much that it made it difficult to chew on. The cracked wheat added an interesting texture to an otherwise mundane bowl of greens. Yum!

Another intriguing item from the brunch menu would be the Crab and Sweet Corn Zucchini ($18); the chilli jam added some sweet and spicy notes in contrast to the savouriness of the spring onion ricotta cheese.

Not something I would go for as a main, but it would be neat to share with another diner just to break away from all ’em savouries.

On the other hand, the miso and ginger flavours were missing from the Charred Mackerel ($22). If you’re a fan of mackerel, you will definitely love the strong flavour of the mackerel flesh. The roasted bell pepper compote fell a little flat on the bed of scrambled eggs and toast, though it was a decent dish overall.

That said, you can still indulge in the usual suspects like Salmon on Toast ($24), which is served with an eye-popping, almost neon pink beetroot sauce. I didn’t get around to trying this cos there was just too many dishes around, but it sure looked good! Almost like a photo worthy brunch for your inner fashionista.

Another crowd-pleaser, the Big Breakfast ($24) comes with two eggs done your way, maple fried bacon, smoked salmon, chicken cheese sausage, sautéed mushroom, potato hash, and artisan toast with a pat of – berries butter?!

Yes, even I didn’t believe it at first. It tasted like normal, rich butter, but with hints of the sour berries here and there, if you were wondering. Pretty unique. 😉

The Symmetry Eggs Sur Le Plat ($24) – which consists of pork sausages, smoked paprika, cherry tomato, creamed baby spinach, eggs, cheddar cheese and toast – screams comfort food. I can imagine digging a piece of toast into the pan for some warm, cheesy goodness. 😀

If you’re not a fan of cheese, you can always go for the Pot Roast Smoked Ham Hock ($24). The pork sausage had the right amount of heat, and was just heavenly when combined with the chipotle camellia bean ragout. 

And what’s brunch without a hearty bowl of Granola ($15)?

Symmetry’s Granola is a golden bowl of soy curd, poached pear, maple sap jelly, flax seeds and white bran – couldn’t get enough of that jelly! Although the poached pear was a tad underwhelming, the crunchy, sweet granola was more than enough to satisfy my sweet tooth.

Otherwise, one could always go for the Museli ($16), a bright combination of multi grains, blueberry greek yoghurt, attack honey, semi-dried banana, and seasonal fresh berries. Now that’s the stuff that you wish you would find in your morning cereal or yoghurt.

Another favourite at Symmetry is their Waffle ($16) – light, fluffy darlings topped with berry ice cream, banana, syrup, and whipped cream. Because really, sweet, senseless indulgence – why the hell not. 🙂

But it’s dinner time when Symmtery’s gastronomic genius really comes into play. The deceptively simple-sounding Tomatoes ($21) is one such case – juicy cherry tomatoes dressed in black olive oil soil, honey citrus emulsion and served with thick burrito cheese and toast. Those vibrant colours in the photo don’t do justice to the taste that exploded in my mouth!

Another offering from Symmetry’s dinner menu: the Black Angus Steak Tartar ($21), served with rosemary mustard, picked egg yolk, and charred ciabatta. Just thinking of how well that smooth yolk went with the steak tartar is making my mouth water! Now I’m craving for more. 😀

The highlight of our dinner tasting, though, is the Beef Short Ribs ($36) – 12 hour braised cubes with potatoes, watercress, and brown butter emulsion that sent me into gastronomic heaven from the first bite. Out of all the mains we sampled, this was my absolute favourite. Juicy, succulent and hearty – all the qualities that make for the perfect cut of beef.

Just look at it. Orgasmic.

After all that good food, it was time to refresh ourselves with a couple of fruity, non-alcoholic concoctions:

Symmetry may be a little out of the way compared to the likes of Artistry and The Lab, but their well plated food and thirst quenchers are worth the trip. Thanks for hosting us and treating our eyes and stomachs to such a sumptuous weekend feast!

Address: 9 Jalan Kubor
Contact: 6291 9901
Opening hours: 
Monday: 10.30am – 9pm
Tuesday to Thursday: 10.30am – 11pm
Friday: 10.30am – 12mn
Saturday: 9am – 12mn
Sunday: 9am – 7pm

Website / Facebook / Instagram
Menu 

Directions: Alight at Bugis MRT and take Exit B. Walk straight until you reach Jalan Kubor after a 5 – 10 minute walk. Symmetry is located at the beginning of Jalan Kubor.

chueonit.