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It could be the after-effect of the Covid-19 pandemic that hit the whole world or Singapore’s recent GST hike, but the number of F&B businesses closing is at an all-time high. Curious Palette is one of its recent victims, as they will be closing permanently on 2 Apr 2023.
It isn’t all sad news because this means we at least still have a few days to patronise the well-loved cafe. So if you’ve not been here, it’s never too late!
At the end of Feb 2023, the news came officially as an announcement on their Instagram page. The post stated that “time began slowing down for [them] sometime last year when the realities of [the] industry became difficult to ignore.” With that, I couldn’t exactly make a definitive reason for their closure— was it the over-saturation of cafes, high rental costs, or its hidden location that limited their traffic? We can only keep guessing.
Well, I didn’t expect that this more-than-a-decade-old cafe will be closing so soon…
For the uninitiated, Curious Palette is a cafe that sits hidden at a corner shophouse at Prinsep Street.
They were initiated by the same ol’ folks that started Strangers’ Reunion, and progressively opened several sister companies like Curious Palette herself, and Wakey Wakey, all of which are cafes that specialise in brunch spreads and their amazing magic potion— coffee.
They’re currently set in a beautiful 200-seater space that they now share with Strangers’ Reunion, housing a coffee roaster and doubling up as an event space as well. If you’re lucky, you might have caught a live band playing in their cafe before.
The space is filled with natural lighting that lightens the mood of anyone who steps into their space; Curious Palette has been a cafe of solace that provides a comforting hug.
One of their best selling desserts would be the Berry Ricotta Hotcake (S$18.90), a hot seller for them, and a dish that will be dearly missed.
What differentiates their hotcakes from the rest is the crispy exterior of a “cake” that breaks into a moist yet steamy centre that pairs nicely with the vanilla ice cream. Topped with vibrant berries of strawberries and blueberries, I know for sure that this dish is up for the ‘gram.
If you’ve yet to visit Curious Palette and you want to try them out before their closure, the Prawn Mentaiko Belacan Pasta (S$24.50) is a definite must-try. This is a decade-old dish and has been one of the top favourites since the start of their business.
The pasta is tossed in a creamy mentaiko and butter sauce, which is juxtaposed by the spices of the belacan— an unusual matching, but opposites usually do attract.
Despite its cosy interior, we typically associate Curious Palette’s food to being restaurant-standard. It’s a pity that they are going so soon.
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