Crackerjack Review: Weekend Brunch At Tanjong Pagar With Nothing More Than $20++

Perhaps better known for its collection of Korean restaurants and watering holes, Tanjong Pagar Road isn’t a typical go-to spot for brunch. But a relatively new joint is choosing to serve brunch and buck perceptions of this part of town.

Began trading by the people behind 28 HongKong Street, Crackerjack is branded as neither a restaurant nor a cafe, but an “all-day drinking and dining venue”. Food at Crackerjack We started off with Sourdough Bread ($8++ for two slices) , which was served with a gin-infused marmalade and butter.

Like eating an actual orange, the jam was intensely sweet and sour at first, then finished off with the slight bitterness of the rinds. Instead of being the star of the dish, it simply existed as a platform for the spreads.

It was also too dense and not sour at all, which kinda misses the point of a sourdough. Their Sweet Potato Hash ($13++) might not look like much, but was easily the most balanced dish of the day.

The fattiness and saltiness went well with the crunchy capsicum and kale. When combined with the mushy roasted sweet potato, there was a combination of textures and flavours that I’d definitely order again.

Of all the brunch items, I was the most excited for Quinoa Fried Chicken ($16++) . Breaded with quinoa, this dish required months of refining, as the quinoa needed to be slightly cooked to ensure it wouldn’t become overly hard after frying, but fully cooked quinoa would refuse to stick on the chicken thigh.

I enjoyed the crunchy beads of deep-fried quinoa, which was very different from the crunch of breadcrumbs. That being explained, the chicken was under-marinated, and had very little savour.

While other types of fried chicken get away with under-seasoning by introducing a saltier batter, quinoa tends to be resistant to seasoning. It is a dessert commonly seen at American fun fairs, and is basically a fried roti jala made with waffle batter, topped with amaretto cream, bananas, candied bacon, and liberally drizzled with caramel.

Instead, the bacon here is so crisp, it slipped apart when poked with a fork. Ambience at Crackerjack With lots of wooden fixtures and ceramic crockery, Crackerjack teleported me to an Australian cafe.

There are two timings for brunch at Crackerjack. 10am to 1pm is the “Kid Friendly” timeslot, and “1pm to 4pm” is the “Adult Friendly” timeslot. The verdict I must applaud the spirit of adventure here, especially with the Quinoa Fried Chicken. I just wish more care was taken in ensuring other parts of the dish worked as well.