Strangers' Reunion: A New Return to Kampong Bahru
Last year, in the midst of seeking cafes to visit, I was dismayed to find out that Strangers’ Reunion had closed its doors for refurbishment with no reopening date in sight. Fast forward several months, and by November 2020, the Kampong Bahru Rd staple had returned, albeit in a space next to the one it used to occupy— which has now been taken over by Kream & Kensho, which is a Japanese-fusion inspired cafe.
Read: A Full Review of Kream & Kensho
The space it gave up to Kream & Kensho was a pretty big outlet, and the new shop next door is a much smaller and narrower place.
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To adapt to the new space and the lack of a proper kitchen ventilator, the brunch offerings here are quite different.
Upon speaking to the staff, they mentioned that the new menu focuses on smaller dishes that are more oven-based.
At the time of my visit, their menu was in the soft launch phase with a selection of salads, sandwiches, toast, and buttermilk waffle dishes.
Do note that they have recently refreshed their brunch menu!
I decided to go with the Strange Puff (S$16.90) which sounded intriguing— a pastry stuffed with chicken cooked in red curry with potatoes, lemongrass, kaffir lime, buratta and topped with herb salad. The puff was soft to bite into, with a crisp texture added by the crust. It started off strong, and the spice of the curry certainly added a kick to it. Towards the end though, I thought the level of spice overpowered the taste of everything else and it got a little repetitive towards the end. I would have definitely enjoyed it more if the flavours were a little more balanced, or if I was a bigger fan of spicy food.
We also had the Maple Syrup Buttermilk Waffles (S$11.90) with seasonal fresh fruits. Fans of soft waffles will be happy here, though I would have liked the waffles to be a little crispier. The selection of fruits was nice enough and not too sweet, balancing the sweetness of the waffles nicely. It would have been nice if they were a little more generous with the portion of fruits served though.
Over on the drinks menu, you’ll find a menu that will please most, with a cup of espresso beginning at S$3.50. We had the Oatgasm Bottled Brew (S$7.90) and Iced Latte (S$4.90) which were reliably good.
All in all, Strangers’ Reunion is an aesthetically pleasing space to while away an afternoon, with a decent selection of food and coffee.
It’s nice to have them back, but in an age where new cafes are popping up all the time of all different iterations, themes and concepts, Strangers’ Reunion isn’t the most exciting offering around in 2021; and I wonder if being reliably good enough is, well, enough.
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WHERE | 7 KAMPONG BAHRU RD, SINGAPORE 169356
