Brunching at Tiong Bahru Part 1: Flock Cafe

My wife just turned 29 this year, but I feel like she is a tita at heart. She was never one to go clubbing or bar hopping, but she's a late riser on weekends. When she got to Singapore, she found a thing that was just right for her; brunch.

Tiong Bahru became one of her favorite places, and I think it is for most titas and titas at heart. It is home to some nice bookstores, artsy bakeries and cafes, and of course, brunch places. The nostalgic ambiance of the whole neighborhood also draws you to walk around and explore the place.

I planned to buy some fresh meat at Tiong Bahru market, one of the biggest wet markets we have around the area. However, I learned that Mondays are not the best days to come by as the meat vendors aren't selling much. Instead of going home empty-handed, my friend Steph and I decided to have brunch around the area.

You'll find this store by walking around.

We found Flock Cafe on one of the buildings around the neighborhood and decided to give it a shot. It's a bit hidden, and you'd probably miss it if you were in a car. They have slightly dim lights, but their space is not too cramped and their music is not too loud. It's an accommodating space for those who need to work but can't think inside an office.

Sorry, I already had a bite before taking a picture. 

On brunch places, I usually have the Big Breakfast selection, but when I saw that their steak was cheaper than the Big Breakfast, I decided to go with it instead. Proteins for brunch because why not. I ordered a medium-rare steak, and went with a mushroom gravy instead of a pepper sauce. Mashed potatoes and some boiled vegetables served as a bed for the steak. I thought it was nice for them to smother just one side of the steak in sauce, so that I can still have a taste of the meat without the sauce.

For the price, I thought it was a great value. I was served a generous portion of meat, the mashed potatoes was just right, and there were enough greens to go along with it. For the dish itself, I thought that it was more rare than medium; there were some parts that were bloody, and I felt some portions were more chewy than others. The mushroom sauce/gravy tasted creamy, and it helped mask the rareness of the meat. The generous amount of sauce helped me make it a dipping sauce for the veggies.

Come for Seconds: For the weekday morning ambiance, I probably would, but if this were located anywhere else, I wouldn't go out of my way to have find it.