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True Breakfast, the popular Taiwanese all-day breakfast place has a second branch at Capitol. Apparently, the taste of the dishes here is not exactly the same as the Cuppage Plaza branch.
At the table next to ours was Lester Lee, a Taiwanese who was a regular patron of the original branch. “I just happened to be passing by and dropped in,” he told us, “I’m so surprised that I find the food here better at than the original place.”
Lester previously managed an F&B business in Taiwan and a seal of approval from someone intimately familiar with Taiwanese food speaks volumes about the authenticity of True Breakfast.
Before I get into the food, I want to say that this location at Capitol is fantastic. The area is bright and open, and there’s a nice vibe to it. Certainly a nice way to start a meal.
What I tried at True Breakfast
True Breakfast’s Signature (S$13.80) looks deceptively innocent. A generous layer of pork floss sits at the base, sticking to the coat of peanut butter on the bread. Above it is egg triple-folded, then a slice each of luncheon meat and pork chop. Apart from the height, it seems like an innocuous club sandwich. Wrong.
I took one bite and was blown away. The warmth and umami from the pork chop and luncheon meat, the soft and slightly salty egg, the sweet-savoury dance of the pork floss. And, sitting subtly in the background but still making its presence felt (tasted!) was the peanut butter.
Its stickiness and the wonderful tickling feel of the pork floss dancing about my mouth was culinary entertainment. My first thought was that True Breakfast’s Signature is the flagship on their menu for a reason. Each individual ingredient plays its role beautifully and it all comes together so well. Just wow.
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In terms of visual appeal, the Pork Floss & Cheese Omelette (S$9.80) was far more flamboyant than True Breakfast’s Signature. It is presented as 2 omelettes wrapped around pork floss and cheese.
It was packed so full of pork floss that the grass-like shavings were falling out in a cascade. The cheese was so bright orange that I first mistook it for egg yolk. Coming hot on the heels of the show-stopping signature dish, this was nice but not overly special. It is definitely a nice snack and, cut into 6 pieces, designed for sharing.
Also designed for sharing is the Hashbrown & Bacon Omelette (S$9.30). The hash was nice and crispy on the outside and wonderfully tender inside. I’m not a big fan of the bacon slices, though. They could have been slightly better done. Of the 2 omelettes, this was definitely the less appealing in terms of both presentation and taste.
You can add on 3 or 4 items (as much as will fit inside) such as Cheese (S$1.50), Ham (S$2), Tuna (S$3) and Bacon (S$2) to all omelettes.
I also had the Scallion Pancake (S$6.50), which is served as 2 pizza slice-shaped pieces. I laughed because the pancake part of the Scallion Pancake with Egg looks uncannily like prata. Then I took a bite and it seemed to me almost like they actually do use prata. (Yeah, they don’t, lol!)
Our order came with chilli sauce and a special thick soy sauce, which apparently is written like this: 醬油膏.
I tried them just to sample them for flavour but never felt the need for accompaniments with the dishes, which is quite an accomplishment by the chef.
Together with our food, we had Black Tea with Soybean (Cold) (S$3.50) and Cafe Latte (Hot/Cold) (S$5.80). My evil dining partner had asked for the cold Cafe Latte but stole my soybean drink after trying both.
The Black Tea with Soybean (Cold) was definitely the better of the two but just above average considering the food was really impressive.
Final thoughts
My visit to True Breakfast has given me a new appreciation for pork floss. Yes, I wanted that to be the first point in my Final Thoughts. I don’t know if it’s the quality of the floss here, if they use some magical Taiwanese brand or the way they prepare it but I loved the way it added to True Breakfast’s Signature and Pork Floss & Cheese Omelette, the 2 things I enjoyed the most here.
My True Breakfast experience has made me want to visit Taiwan for an immersive experience focusing on the foodie experience. Till then, I’ll be paying frequent visits to this cute joint for a taste of the rest on the menu.
Expected damage: S$8 – S$21 per pax
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