Kafe UTU Review: African Cafe With Interesting Brunch Dishes Like Curry Avocado At Nett Prices

Food at Kafe UTU The first level of the three-storey space was packed when I came here on a Friday afternoon. Thankfully, the food Gods love me, and there was one table to spare for my colleagues and I. As we were all small eaters, we decided to share two mains and a side: the Pulled Pork Breakfast ($25) from the brunch section; Caribbean Goat Curry ($28) from Mama Africa; and the Buttermilk Fried Chicken ($18) from the Kidogo (Bites) column.

Serving us the plate of crispy fried chicken, the friendly waitstaff proceeded to explain the three house-made sauces that came along with it – Congo Bongo, Fresh Mango Chilli Marmalade and House Chilli. It felt like it was air fried too, as there was no sheen of oil.

It offered a symphony of flavours and textures, where each element complemented the other perfectly. Crowned with minced garlic and a drizzle of lemon, the mashed avocado had a mellow zing, followed by a tinge of spice.

The fresh garlic helped highlight the buttery richness of the avocado, without overshadowing it. Put everything into your mouth and experience the various flavours dance across your palate, with a subtle sweetness followed by an explosion of spices.

That said, while it was no doubt delicious and redolent with heady spices, we did find that this dish paled in comparison to the rest. The curry was nothing amazing, tasting exactly like any other mutton curry you’d find at a good prata shop.

And while the cubes of lamb were meltingly tender during our first visit, our second trip there proved otherwise – it was tough and required much jaw work. The grains did not clump together, and it was extremely fragrant with lemak notes. Kafe UTU takes pride in their coffee too, so we decided to try their Iced Latte ($6.50) to cool our tongues down from the spice overload.

Even though it came in a tall glass of milk, the robust flavour of the shot of coffee was pronounced. Ambience at Kafe UTU Kafe UTU is unlike all the garden-themed or minimalist cafes you’d find in Singapore.

Head up to the second storey, and you will find the lounge area – marked by a glass shelf full of tribal leather bags and comfy sofas. The waitstaff here are extremely friendly too, adding on to the inviting beauty of this new cafe.

I foresee this space to survive Singapore’s competitive culinary scene in years to come, as it provides both great food and good vibes.