Argentinian-inspired weekend brunch with style.
BoCHINche, the coltish Argentinian eatery popularized for its steaks and South American produce, has spun out several novelty brunch dishes to welcome the new year.
Perched atop the bustling Common Man Coffee Roasters, BoCHINche offers a more laid-back and mellow ambience and I was charmed to find myself settling in for an Argentinian-inspired BoCHINche brunch one early Saturday afternoon.
The chefs and waiters serving us at BoCHINche were very warm and they did their best to juggle the numerous orders whilst trying to make us feel at home. It is always lovely to be made to feel welcomed at a restaurant and it goes without saying that those who served us on that Saturday afternoon were full of playful smiles and good humour.
The first drink we ordered was the Chimichurri Bloody Mary ($22) which was an interesting blend of spice-infused vodka, tomato juice and a mysterious BoCHINche mix. The drink was tangy, more savoury than sweet and laced with a sharp twinge of spice but it was an amusing concoction that I enjoyed to some extent nevertheless.
While I am not a fan of spicy drinks, I did, however, appreciate the fact that this drink does indeed represent the feisty nature and seductiveness of Argentina.
The second drink we had (which I took captive after my first sip) was the Bemberg Fizz ($19). This drink was an elegant mix of a French liquor yellow chartreuse, Chamomile syrup, lemon, orange bitters and golden beer. I adored this drink for it was fizzy, sweet, refreshing and heavily saturated with chamomile essence.
There were dried bits of chamomile flowers used to garnish the white, foamy top of the drink and while they did get in the way of my drinking, the aesthetic value they added to the drink made their nuisance forgivable.
To start us off, we were served the sweet and savoury Classic Provoleta, Almonds and Oregano Honey ($17).
The dish came seasoned and thick in a hot pan, alongside a box of toasted bread. The gooey, caramelized cheese went very nicely with the fluffy parts of the bread while the crunchy bits of almond topping gave the dish a lovely added texture. The cheese did harden after a while but it was still deliciously packed with flavours so we enjoyed it nonetheless.
The next dish we had was the Sea Bass Ceviche, Lemon Curd, Coriander and Pickled Radishes ($16).
This was the most refreshing dish we had not only because of how the zesty flavours came together very nicely but because the originality of the dish was rather impressive. The raw sea bass was springy and soft and paired the tangy, sour sauce very nicely. Meanwhile, the honeyed lemon curd balanced out the dish by giving it a dash of sweetness.
For one of the main Brunch dishes, we were served the Faina & Fried Eggs, with Crushed Avocado, Coriander and Aji Molido Creme Fraiche ($22). This simple dish of faina, eggs and avocado mash was surprisingly dynamic flavour-wise with the acrid Aji Molido Creme Fraiche, milder-flavoured eggs and the pasty guacamole sauce.
The parsley also added a nice hint of freshness to the dish. While I am not an advocate for the healthier food choices in life, I was definitely very taken by this dish and its supposed simplicity.
One other main brunch dish we had was the Smoked Salmon & Scrambled Eggs, Grilled peppers salad & BoCHINche’s sea black pudding ($26). The name alone is a mouthful and it is needless to say that every morsel of ingredient in this dish filled us right up.
Seated atop a rather ordinary thick slice of toast was a symphony of sorts – the fresh succulent salmon, the juicy grilled peppers, the small vinegary capers, with a creamy side of eggs and a rather intimidating tube of sea black pudding.
Aside from the delicious combination of flavours, I was rather amused to learn that the sea black pudding oozed with mashed up squid and fish and marine animal types, instead of the conventional pig intestines.
This hearty dish made for an excellent Brunch meal and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for something filling on a weekend morning/ afternoon.
If you are the typical kind of sweet-tooth like I am, you can opt for the sweeter dishes featured under their Desserts. We had the Milk Cake, Passion Fruit Sorbet & Toasted Almonds ($14) which was so gloriously sweetened I made sure I had plenty.
The milk cake was dense with honeyed milk and so wonderfully soft. The accompanying scoop of refreshing Passion fruit sorbet helped to balance out the sweetness with its tangy tartness. A truly beautiful pairing.
Last but certainly not least, the chirpy chef at the counter served us a dollop of Bacon Ice Cream which is ordinarily served with a Brioche French toast and House-cooked ham.
It was absolutely divine. One might think the combination of bacon and ice cream is absurd and that it can’t possibly taste good but if you do have that impression, you are terribly mistaken.
The sweet, silky goodness of the ice cream was so perfectly balanced out with the salty bits of bacon that I found myself scooping larger spoonfuls of ice cream with each bite. Simply because of how prodigious this ice cream is, the Brioche French toast, House cooked ham & Bacon Ice Cream ($20) is a definite must-try!
All in all, my brunch experience at BoCHINche was an absolute delight, from the friendly waiters and chefs to the delicious new creations on the menu. I highly recommend any looking for a good brunch spot to check this lovely place out (and since BoCHINche is located just a walking distance away from the riverside, you can take a breezy afternoon stroll after your meal!).
Expected Damage: $40 per pax
