Brunch First!

By Shradha Aswani

As an ex-pat in the city, Bangkok’s many cafes were the first to climb up my list of to-dos. So when the opportunity to experience Bru Café’s expansive selection and vibrant ambience arose, I was quick to volunteer and delighted to have the chance.

Owned by Thai-Indian Karanbir Sachdev, the all-day café boasts brunch, dessert and beverage items from across continents, neatly stacked in an affordable and dynamic menu that updates itself every quarter. Resting quietly at the further end of Sukhumvit Soi 20, the restaurant’s elegant exterior and pristine vibe invited me in, promising to brighten up the rest of my day, which, as you will later find out, did happen!

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
On the mundane Wednesday afternoon, I visited the café, the space greeted me with ample parking for me to appreciate the decision to get there in a car. Friendly smiles of the staff welcomed me in with the sawasdee kha I am still replacing my namaste with, and led me to a bright corner table next to an outsized window. A generous dose of the sun helped me settle in the café’s light wooden interior and pastel décor. The kitchen, front lined by a smoothie bar, was blurred away by distance, but the yummy food smells that filled the space were enough to keep me engaged.

FOOD AND DRINK

I started the culinary ride with Mushroom calamari (THB 160), a crispy fried appetiser with a creamy dill dip, well-suited to tease your senses. The dip also accompanied their Mushroom and falafel soft shell tacos (THB 90 each). The falafels were fresh, crispy, and soft in the right places, and went well with the lettuce and tomatoes
that filled the taco up.

Next, we continued our meal with Turkish eggs (THB 220), listed on their menu’s breakfast/brunch section. The dish essentially had a pair of eggs, poached well and served over Greek yoghurt with dill and deliciously pungent garlic, mixed with oil and butter. Crispy sourdough bread made a great side.

An alternative from this part of the menu is the Shakshuka (THB 220), that you could try if yoghurt is not your jam. It is a preparation of poached eggs served in a moderately spicy tomato sauce. The sourdough bread accompanied this serving as well, which you can use to scoop up more of the comforting sauce.

You could also try the Poached egg & guacamole (THB 220), which entails a sour-bread base topped with guacamole, a pair of poached eggs, and pumpkin seeds, with a side of sautéed cherry tomatoes; a twist on that Millennial favourite, the avocado toast.

Out of the three, I would say the Turkish eggs were my personal preference.

For drinks, I started with the Hot coconut crème brulee (THB 120), an exciting take on the French Crème brulee dessert. A caramelised coconut top layered the hot latte, satisfactorily strong. Iced toffee (THB 150), another one of their signature drinks which consists of a cold cappuccino mildly flavoured by caramelly toffee, could be your preference if you are not a hot-beverage person like me.

Their Lychee sea beach craft soda (THB 150), made with homemade lychee syrup, is also a great option if you are in the mood for soda and ice instead of coffee. Its Himalayan salt seasoning stands out through its overall sweet taste.

MASALA RECOMMENDS

With a touch of cinnamon and a blast of berries, the Mixed berries pancakes (THB 260) were the poetic end to a scrumptious meal. They were spongy and adequately sweet, with just the right tinge of salt to leave you with a memorable aftertaste. Suited to kick-start an action-packed day or embrace you on a muted, sombre evening; the pile of pancakes balanced itself seamlessly, like the many flavours that blended into it, including the
whipped cream and yoghurt berry jelly that the dish came with.

The Hot masala chai (THB 90), perfectly simmered with cardamom and ginger, was a nostalgic treat to my Indian palette. Despite being relatively new to the city, I think it would be safe to say that Bru would
easily make it to the top few places that get chai right.