Suburban spoils

SINGAPORE — In line with Serangoon Gardens’ progressively cosmopolitan mix of residents, more creative eateries have sprung up over there in the past five years. They have not quite made it a hipster enclave — partly because the nearest artisanal coffee place (The Coffee Daily) is located two bus stops away, up Serangoon Garden Way, which makes it a fair hop, skip and jump away from dining hotspots such as Chomp Chomp and myVillage (the neighbourhood’s only mall). But the scene has remained competitive, and this battle for a piece of a relatively small pie makes the success of mid-range start-ups such as Chillax Cafe all the more impressive.

The brainchild of former MediaCorp 987FM DJ Darren Wee (who opened Babette, a casual French-Japanese resto-bar, along Tyrwhitt Road last year), this three-year-old casual outfit has clearly outgrown its modest start, when massage services were offered on the second floor. Wee did not think to put in doors and air-conditioning from the onset, as he wanted the cafe to have “a true al fresco vibe”. Thankfully, practical upgrades were considered and floor-to-ceiling glass doors were recently installed for an air-conditioned indoor dining space.

Its menu has also enjoyed an upgrade of sorts. Bestsellers such as its carbonara and chilli crab pasta dishes keep their place on the revamped menu, while creative new options for snacks and mains aim to do the same. We did find the root beer wings (S$9 for six pieces) a tad too sweet, but families with young children would giving thanks for these well-marinated gems. On the other end of the flavour spectrum, the breaded and deep-fried button mushrooms (S$9) dressed in a housemade salted egg sauce (they brine about 50 to 60 eggs for about three weeks) are just the kind of snack this eatery-cum-watering hole needs. They go well with two variations of poutine: Shoestring fries topped with spicy chilli crab sauce or shabu beef dressed with an aromatic truffle brown sauce (S$13 each).

Heartier mains include a well-stacked burger of pan-seared Aussie grass-fed sirloin steak topped with a poached egg between brioche buns (S$20). But the standout on this updated menu is also the star on its newly-launched brunch offering (available from 11am on Saturday and Sunday): The Marmite mustard pork burger (S$17). The umami-rich patty was moist without the need for fillers such as water chestnuts, bacon or breadcrumbs. I appreciated how the use of marmite was limited to a flavour enhancer, complementing a topping of caramelised bananas (which could have been browned a bit more though). The recommended brunch tipples are deviously potent. The Adult Milo Dinosaur (S$15), for example, is spiked with vodka and Baileys, while a vodka Bloody Mary (S$18) is garnished with fried chicken wings. These drinks might be pushing the limits of an ostensibly unaffected menu, but it is perhaps what a weekend indulgence calls for. Don Mendoza

Chillax Cafe

Where: 28 Maju Avenue. Telephone: 6244 5529. Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 3pm to 1am, Friday 4pm to 2am, Saturday 11am to 2am, Sunday 11am to midnight