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2014-07-01
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My last entry on Spruce was about 5 years ago and as I remember, food quality was merely average save for the beef burger. After all these years, it was time to see if things had changed.Brunch was a cheerier affair (as opposed to my initial dinner dining experience), with sunlight poring into the cafe and soft music playing in the background. Unlike 5 years ago, it didn't feel as stuffy and unwelcoming, probably due to the apparent difficulty in securing a reservation back then (I still think i
Brunch was a cheerier affair (as opposed to my initial dinner dining experience), with sunlight poring into the cafe and soft music playing in the background. Unlike 5 years ago, it didn't feel as stuffy and unwelcoming, probably due to the apparent difficulty in securing a reservation back then (I still think its a deliberate hype to get people interested in the place as the place wasn't exactly full when I dined there).
Spruce Mac & Cheese - The Mac & Cheese sported an unevenly baked top (one side was pale and the other was golden brown) coupled with a mildly creamy macaroni center. I personally liked the crunchy cheese bits but would have liked the cheese to be gooey. Overall a very average rendition.
The Tuna Burger - I honestly wouldn't had known that the patty was made from tuna if not for the name of the burger; The tuna taste was seriously lacking. I appreciated the touch of crispiness on the surface of the patty though. An average at best burger and not something I would ever order again.
Spruce Signature Burger - One of the main draws of Spruce, it's namesake burger. And it was as good as I remembered it to be. Well, almost. The moist patty was done medium as per my request with a nice uneven texture and a natural beefy taste. Topped with cheese, bacon lettuce and pickles (I personally like how the sourness of the pickles cuts through the semi molten cheese), it made for a great eat. Only gripe I had was the bun, which could do with more grilling and probably some butter. Oh and the fries were a little limp.American Apple Pie Ala Mode - We were informed that the apple pie was one of the best sellers at Spruce. And it was difficult to understand why. For starters, the back crust was way too thick and lacked the oven baked taste that I personally like. Also, the apple slices were rather bland and things might have been better if raisins were thrown into the equation. Truth be told, apart from the rather generic vanilla bean ice cream, the only thing that I found palatable was the lumpy biscuit crumble that sat under the ice cream.
Brunch cost the both of us just over $81 which wasn't really that expensive per se but factor in the quality of food and the value for money factor tumbles a few notches. Honestly the only thing that I liked about Spruce was it's burger, nothing else. Service seemed to have gone down a bit over the years. Will I be back? Maybe after a long hiatus but only for the burger.
See all my pictures at http://www.timelessfacade.com/2014/06/spruce-part-ii.html
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