With a new tantalising array of dishes, Cafe Natsu is presenting homely Japanese-inspired additions to its menu. These dishes are now available at both their Joo Chiat and Orchard outlets for you to try ranging from sweet to savoury!
Cafe Natsu New Menu
The Orchard outlet is debuting an all-day breakfast menu starting with the Eggs Benedict ($25). Their iteration features a 5-spiced pork belly and miso hollandaise, cut through with a red pepper kinpara (braised in soy sauce).
There’s also the Ham & Cheese ($19) sandwich with Kurobuta shoulder ham, burrata and nori; or the Umami Breakfast ($21) that presents scrambled eggs, XO, mushroom ragu and furikake.
For the Joo Chiat branch, they have a new hearty lunch menu including options like a Wagyu Hamburg Bowl ($36) and Teishoku Set ($32) complete with seasonal fish.
We got to try the new selection at Cafe Natsu Joo Chiat!
Appetizers
To begin, we tried two appetizers: The Chawanmushi ($8) and Karaage ($14).
The Chawanmushi came beautifully garnished with a generous amount of ikura and bonito flakes. It included clams and snow fungus to provide some texture, complementing the smooth egg.
With a crunchy exterior, the Karaage had tender chunks of chicken. Each piece was dusted with a spicy aromatic dong bei spice mix which made it quite addictive!
Teishoku Set
The set features a homely selection of dishes: steamed seasonal fish with cai po (salted vegetables), chestnut mushroom rice and pickles.
We got to try steamed sea bream, with a fine and sweet flesh that was amplified by the salty caipo. This was more on the salty side and accompanied the chestnut rice well!
The rice is cooked with a housemade mushroom broth, mushrooms and chestnuts. It was very lightly seasoned but had the recognisable umami from the ingredients, balanced out by the saltiness from the fish.
Pork Katsu Sando
A Cafe Natsu classic, the Pork Katsu Sando ($26) has received a flavour update! A thick-cut pork cutlet is sandwiched between lightly toasted bread, topped with doubanjang aioli and apple slaw.
The pork was juicy and had a clean flavour without any gameiness, complemented by the tang and crunch from the slaw! We felt the katsu could have slightly more seasoning to better mesh with the aioli, which was quite heavy in flavour. Nevertheless, it’s a hearty and satisfying dish.
Matcha Kakigori
A popular Japanese summer dessert, the Matcha Kakigori ($14) features shaved Uji Matcha shaved ice, gula melaka syrup and red bean.
The matcha flavour was present but not overbearing, and the shaved ice provided a great relief from the heat. When paired with the sweet red bean and nata de coco, it was a perfect bite!
Zenzai
The Zenzai ($14) is a hot red bean soup, served with glutinous rice balls and toasted mochi. This tasted similar to local red bean soup – not overly sweetened but with an earthy, red bean flavour. It might be too traditional or simple if you prefer Western-style desserts.
The chewy glutinous rice balls and slightly crisp mochi were great accompaniments! If you fancy more sour notes, try small bites of the dried sour plum on the side.
Drinks
We tried the Yuzu Spritz ($8) and Umeboshi & Ginger Spritz ($8). Both came unsweetened, which made it quite refreshing and enjoyable.
The Yuzu Spritz was our favourite of the two, with a familiar citrus flavour! On the other hand, the Umeboshi & Ginger Spritz is an acquired taste. It’s savoury and spicy without any sweetness. The flavour profile is complex and might not suit you if you like sweet drinks!
Japanese-Inspired Cafe In Sinapore
Cafe Natsu continues to innovate and create new dishes that incorporate unique Japanese flavours, located in equally central areas. Worth a visit if you’re planning on cafehopping!
*Follow MiddleClass.sg on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Telegram for more food, travel, and trending stories
