Dean & Deluca

Dean & Deluca opened to eager anticipation in Singapore back in the fall of 2012. Thanks to the cult TV show Felicity, everyone wanted to have a taste of the cool New York icon that is Dean & Deluca. For months after, the gourmet store was swamped with diners. You could not get a table even if you waited in line for half an hour. The fact that reservations were not allowed exacerbated the maddening lengthy queues.

Apparently, the crowds have somewhat subsided. Addie and I took the opportunity to pop by for brunch last weekend. As it turns out, I can't understand the hype at all. The food's overpriced and disappointingly under par. Service is non-existent because it's a self-serviced joint. Just think of this as a upscale canteen.  With mediocre food.

We also checked out the grocer's section, and everything is, as expected, correspondingly overpriced. You're much better off at TORQUE at Sime Darby Centre. This branch is such a poor imitation from the famed New York institution, a far cry from what I thought it'd be.

The American Country Breakfast ($22) was so staid and disappointing. The eggs were overcooked, sausage dried out, potato patty tasteless, dry and burnt, wholegrain toast dry and chewy and hard, and even the mushrooms were lacking in flavour. The only good thing about this was the bacon, which isn't saying much. Seriously, if I'm going to pay Wild Honey-esque prices for the mains here, I better be getting quality food, especially since I don't get service here.


The Cafe Latte (5.50) was just barely passable. Frothy and creamy but this could do with a lot more body.



Dean & Deluca
181 Orchard Road
Orchard Central #04-23
Tel: 6509 7708
Open Mondays to Fridays from 11am to 10pm
Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 10pm

Comments

Anonymous said…
NO LATTE ART MEANS FAIL.

Prof.
21.1.13
Bern said…
substance means more to me than aesthetics
21.1.13
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