Steep is the newest Muslim-owned cafe opened at Jalan Besar, not to be confused with Steeped Tea Bar at Bugis.
Jalan Besar has been gaining quite a bit of traction the past months with new café openings such as For The People, Sweets Craftsman, Three’s A Crowd, Main Street Commissary to La Vie.
Sounds a little crazy, I know.
However, Steep is that not near to the ‘Chye Seng Huat’ cafe cluster but closer to Jalan Besar MRT station, a short walk from Berseh Food Centre.
Stepping inside, Steep is clean and minimalist, simply decked in black and muted colours (which may seem a bit scarce for some).
To accentuate the monotone colour scheme, their espresso machine, coffee cups and saucers, stools and photos hanging on the wall are all dark grey or black in colour.
Offering Melbourne-inspired brunch food on their menu, café hoppers can expect Granola ($9), Steep’s Breakfast ($17), French Toast ($15), Grilled Cheese ($9) and Ham & Cheese Croissant ($7). Options seem to be on the safe side though.
The remaining menu consisted of 6 other mains such as Egg on Toast ($6), Eggs Royale ($14), Aglio Olio ($14) and Truffle Cream Pasta ($12).
The Steep’s Breakfast ($17) came with an assortment of colourful components in a single plate.
The components included tater tots, roasted tomato, herb sausage, sautéed mushrooms, sourdough, turkey bacon, mixed greens salad and a choice of egg – poached, scrambled, sunny side up.
The scrambled egg had a surprise element with cheese was added for more creaminess and richness.
The French Toast ($15) was the only sweet option on their menu when I visited, made from brioche, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, kiwi, maple granola, toasted almonds.
There was also a dollop of mascarpone, further drizzled with berry compote with honey thyme syrup by the side.
There was a pleasant balance of textures between the crunchy maple granola and soft and eggy brioche, though I would have preferred a thicker slice in the latter for a better textural bite.
The combination of citrusy and zesty berry compote with sweet honey thyme syrup was considered balanced.
Here at Steep, they are using 2-beans-blend from Colombia and Brazil, roasted by Penny University for their espresso-based drinks.
You can find the usual Espresso ($3.50), Piccolo ($4.50), Black ($4.50), White (5oz $5, 7oz $5.50) and Mocha ($6) with add-on options (+$1): Espresso, Soy, Oat, Chocolate and Vanilla.
My cup of Flat white ($5) was full bodied, smooth and robust with distinctive notes of hazelnut chocolate with a slight citrus orange peel.
For the non-coffee drinkers, Steep also offers Iced Tea ($6.50), Bottled Juice ($6.50) and Hot Tea ($5) from The 1872 Clipper Tea Co.
Hopefully Steep will be able to offer a wider selection of options on their menu in the future.
Perhaps they can incorporate more unique brunch dishes, to provide a more complete and different café dining experience to differentiate from nearby competitors.
Steep
32 Dunlop Street, Singapore 209360
Opening Hours: 9am – 5pm (Mon – Sun)
Other Related Entries
For The People (Jalan Besar)
Sweets Craftsman (Jalan Besar)
Three’s A Crowd (Little India)
Main Street Commissary (Rowell Road)
La Vie (Jalan Besar)
* Written by Nicholas Tan @stormscape who loves all things [NEW]. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.
