No office towers throw shadows on The LoKal's shophouse unit in Bukit Pasoh, yet you'll struggle to find a seat among white-collared types deep into lunchtime on a weekday. Modelled after Melbourne’s brunch institution, Pope Joan, The Lokal is staffed by a team headed by Aussie chef Darren Farr, who brings experience from the original Tetsuya in Sydney. With blue Peranakan-style tiled walls contrasting against dark timber floors, the rustic, hipster-pleasing interior features quirks like upside-down potted herb plants that teeter precariously from the ceiling, while natural light floods in from the window over the kitchen to put their chefs in the spotlight. Most dishes sport familiar-to-locals ingredients, but with restaurant-level finesse and more forgiving prices. The blackboards detailing the day's specials are always worth considering before you pick from the menu. For a light lunch, go for options like the Slipper Lobster Roll ($26). Gherkin, coleslaw and lemon mayonnaise elevate curls of slipper lobster, packed in between a hotdog bun. But if it's eggs you're after, the Pimp Your Breakfast beats any morning-after brunch: you have the freedom to assemble your very own plate. And what an assortment The LoKal puts out. Cram your breakfast with eggs done three ways ($5-$6), goopy cauliflower and cheese ($6), as well as your pick of protein – we recommend the mackerel ($7) smoked in-house over cherry and apple wood chips. The chef-y leanings of this more-than-a-café extends into dinner, when a more serious appetiser-mains-dessert programme serves up plates of roasted kampong chicken ($30).
Tavsiye
