Well Dressed Salad Bar & Café is an interesting and unique restaurant that triggers off curious thoughts on what the experience would be like. Don’t go by the name, this place serves way more than salads and coffee and is well-known for its creative dishes and its eggless vegan waffles and bakes. On a rainy Sunday morning, Ganesh and I set off, excited and intrigued for a sneak preview of their Breakfast Sundays – a brand-new Breakfast/Brunch Menu that launches on 11th August.
Well Dressed Salad Bar & Café is situated on level 1 of a quaint little shophouse in Chinatown; on level 2 of the same building is the famous Eight Treasures Vegetarian Restaurant, part of the same family. If you’ve never been to Well Dressed, it is worth mentioning that this unassuming little eatery has a cult following in the vegetarian and vegan community, what with their fabulous food and superb service always. Zenna, who is the brain behind Well Dressed is a passionate health and sustainability advocate. She believes in crafting each dish to perfection using the freshest plant-based ingredients, thereby making every meal a wholesome experience.
Getting on to the Sunday Breakfast, you’re welcomed with a drink on the house to cleanse the palate and prepare it for the choices ahead. The menu features Savoury Pleasures, Sweet Breakfast, Sides and Drinks and is available from 9.30 am to 11.30 am, so it can nicely double up as brunch for those who are not early risers.
Savoury Breakfast/Brunch Pleasures at Well Dressed Salad Bar & Café
Starting on a savoury note, the Sundried Tomato Waffles (S$13.50) are a fabulous innovation. With sun-dried tomatoes folded in the batter, the waffles are eggless and vegan. Accompanying the waffles is a side of baby spinach, sautéed garlic & thyme mushrooms, a dollop of avocado cream and a sprinkle ofchia seeds; the combo making for a simple, yet power-packed side. The carefully planned plate makes for a balanced treat and is highly recommended.
Breakfast Jack Submarine (S$13.50) has crispy ‘bacon-like’ pulled jackfruit on a bed of arugula leaves and tomatoes, generously drizzled with a vegan home-made hollandaise sauce (soy based) served between perfectly toasted bread. Also stuffed in the sub are scrambled tofu ‘egg’ and alfa-alfa sprouts, with a Cucumber Cilantro Lime Slaw on the side. The sub is indulgent but quite heavy on the tummy. It rates high on the protein meter too, so it might make for a good meal after a Sunday morning workout.
Happy Smashed Potatoes (Gluten-Free, S$15.50) are mashed potatoes that indeed made me happy. My favourite dish on the savoury menu, it gave me the feeling of a warm, home-cooked meal by mom. Baby potatoes perfectly tossed with lemon and herbs and smashed, the topped with a Chorizo Sausage Crumble that is made with Sunflower Seeds form the core of this dish. The protein fix comes from chickpeas and kidney beans tossed in tomato and scrambled tofu ‘egg’. A Garlic (soy) Sour Cream drizzle completes the the dish, I was highly impressed with the innovative use of ingredients
Sweet Breakfast/Brunch Specials at Well Dressed Salad Bar & Café
Well, I’m here for breakfast, so GIVE ME French Toast PLEASE! (S$11.50). Well Dressed’s version consists of thick artisanal bread dipped in a soy egg mixture and pan fried with a generous amount of cinnamon. Fresh fruit, berries, dried fruit and a pouring of Maple Syrup complete the ensemble; making for a sweet, indulgent treat which would appeal to kids and adults alike.
Next up, English ‘Tau Sar Paeng’ (S$9.50) are warm and soft scones, with a delectable red bean filling that comes as a surprise. Oil free, this dish uses coconut milk for the moisture. The scones – or call them biscuits if you will – have a light, flaky exterior and a nice nutty flavour and are served with Sweet Soy Cream and Matcha Chia Jam.
Bringing up the rear, KAYA Cheezse Waffle (S$10.50) is completely unexpected. This is a soft waffle made with scrambled Kroodi Truffi cheese bits in the batter that give it a sweet, tangy aftertaste. For the uninformed, Kroodi is Singapore’s favourite brand of raw, vegan cashew cheese; Truffi is flavoured with a home-made shitake powder and Italian truffle oil. With its golden-brown colour, the kaya looks similar to Hainanese kaya, it is made with pumpkin and coconut and is just the right amount of sweet. Home-made, crunchy, coconut and gula melaka granola and banana slices complete the dish. I loved discovering new flavours with each bite, and this was definitely the pick of the day for me.
Besides the mains, Well Dressed Salad Bar & Café also serves a few side dishes and an array of drinks – think Freshly Squeezed Juices, Banana Strawberry Oatmeal Smoothie, Turmeric Soy Latte, Coffees & Teas – as part of the breakfast/brunch menu.
This brunch menu will be available as Breakfast Sundays every 2nd Sunday of the month, and will debut on the 11th August as part of the extended national day celebrations. Seats are limited, and guests can pre-book by messaging on their Facebook or Insta accounts. You can also book by calling the restaurant on 6534 7787.
Well Dressed Salad Bar & Café is poised right next to the famous Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. So if you’re new to Singapore or you haven’t been to the Temple yet, plan for a relaxed breakfast or brunch at Well Dressed and follow it up with a trip to the temple.
VERDICT: Well Dressed Salad Bar & Café
We thoroughly enjoyed our meal and I could see that a lot of thought has gone into curating this menu that is healthy, tasty, creative, balanced and easy on the pocket. I was utterly impressed by the creative use of ingredients in almost every dish. So, make your date with Well Dressed Salad Bar & Café this long weekend and enjoy clean and sustainable plates that are also healthy and delicious.
Well Dressed Salad Bar & Café: 282 South Bridge Road, Singapore. P: +65 6534 7787. FB Page. IG Page.
Preethi & Ganesh are our favourite writer-photographer duo. While Preethi is juggling two hats being mom to a naughty and adorable three-nager, and working as a HR Marketer; Ganesh is a Technology Sales Professional by week and a sports enthusiastic and passionate photographer over the weekend. While Preethi is a foodie, music lover, ardent toastmaster and a travel buff; Ganesh enjoys running (6 full marathons and counting) and plays cricket for a Singapore League team. Luckily for us, they share a common love for all things food (as long as its vegetarian) and enjoy working together on articles – his captures add the spice to her words.
