“Straight-forward Brunch”
Tucked away in a corner of the ultra chic Klapsons boutique hotel is The Sleeping Rhino (there isn’t really an explanation on the name though – it’s just random). The resident restaurant in the hotel serves your average international fare and has recently launched a new brunch menu that starts at 7am every day and ends at 11am (2pm on weekends).
With its sleek contemporary decor matching the whole vibe of the hotel, on first impression, it makes for a pretty good place to chill and have a slow weekend brunch.
Not having an astoundingly large brunch menu, The Sleeping Rhino has instead opted to feature quintessential dishes synonymous with brunch like pancakes, Eggs Benedict and toast.
A cute buffet spread of cereal, juices, fruit and yogurt come with brunch as well, much like a fruit/salad bar.
Crab Cake Benedict ($12). The usual, two poached eggs with hollandaise sauced served on slices of toast. The deep-fried crab cake was a nice touch though, with a crispy golden brown breadcrumb coating. I would have liked more crabmeat in the patty rather than just fillers, but it’s reasonable given the price of the dish.
Croque Madame ($17). A variation of the croque monsieur with added fried egg- A classic combination that can do no wrong. This dish is an open-faced grilled sandwich with ham, cheese and melted cheese sauce topped with a sunny side up. The slices of ham were pretty generous but it could have definitely used more cheese sauce.
Homemade Pancakes ($12). Standard pancakes with some berries and raisins, icing sugar and golden syrup. Sufficiently fluffy and pretty filling for brunch.
French Toast Salpicon Fruits with Cheddar Cheese Filling ($15). It sounded pretty exciting on the menu but the reality did not live up to it. The slices of plain white bread didn’t really soak up the egg mixture thoroughly, leaving a great french toast exterior but an interior of plain white bread.
I would have liked better contrast of sweet and savoury flavours from the fruit and cheese inside, and the cheesiness of the filling could definitely be more flavorful and noticeable.
For a fuss free, straightforward meal of your basic brunch fare in a laid-back environment, The Sleeping Rhino is the place to go. Weekday timings for brunch is a bit tight though at The Sleeping Rhino, ending at 11am more like breakfast. Weekends’ extension till 2pm makes for a more leisurely brunch timing.
If you’re staying in the hotel or in the area looking for a quick brunch fix, you could head over to The Sleeping Rhino to satisfy your cravings.
Expected damage: $20-$25 per pax
