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2013-10-07
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Selfish Gene Cafe is one of those cafes that I've been wanting to visit but somehow pushed to the back of my mind as new and exciting food places open each month. I decided to just try it out one weekend when I had to arrange a brunch outing with friends. One thing to note is that this place does not take reservation, they take in walk-in only. My group had 8 people and we were quite worried that we wouldn't find seats but luckily they had 2 long tables which were unoccupied. Perhaps it was less
The cafe is not that big and when you enter you walk through a "hallway" where they set tables and chairs for smaller groups along the walls. The long tables are towards the back near to the counter.
Very simplistic design - no decorations or fancy lighting and even the counter was quite simple. There is something unique at the spot where we sat - there is a glass ceiling, hence the light was quite strong at our area. I like the idea because you get plenty of natural light (good for photo taking!) and it's quite beautiful to see the sun beams filtering through the glass ceiling. BUT as the afternoon approaches, this area will get very sunny and if you are sitting directly under the sun rays, it will be quite warm. For people who cannot take the heat (like me), you might want to avoid this area.Also, ordering is self-service here. They will give you the menu and you head to the counter to place your order. After you pay, they will hand you a number plate and will bring your food to you.
As usual, I will order Iced Mocha whenever I go for brunch. The drink looks very "gao" (strong or thick) but sad to say it was quite diluted. I didn't taste much coffee in it and so it tasted like slightly diluted iced chocolate. I will try their hot drinks next time to see if they fare better.
I was super torn between trying their Breakfast Plate or B.O.B. but in the end I chose the B.O.B ($15.80) to test the standard of their eggs benny (if I'm not mistaken, this item is available on weekends only). The 2 mounds of eggs were super appealing and wobbly. I got two poached eggs sitting on thin slices of salty Norwegian smoked salmon, crème fraiche, all sitting on a slice of toasted multigrain bread. I am pleasantly surprised with this dish. The eggs were a touch overcooked (not as runny as I would've liked) but the overall combination of flavours with the smokey salmon was very tasty! I didn't think I would like the bread (usually I have eggs benedict with softer bread like brioche) but the multigrain bread was very nice! Crunchy crust with bits of grains to add texture and elevated the dish. The mesclun salad was also not bad with a tangy vinaigrette which helps cuts through the rich egg and salmon. The portion is not very big and I didn't feel super full when I finish this dish which is great because that leaves room for dessert!
Most blogs that I read about this cafe recommended the Banana Cake ($5.80) so I had to try it. It's very adorable! You get a mini-loaf of banana cake served warm with caramel, banana, crumble and peanut butter sauce. The banana cake was very very moist! I think serving it warm helps with that and somehow enhances the banana taste. It tasted quite fresh and not like those frozen cakes you get at some bakeries. I couldn't taste the caramel sauce as the peanut butter was too strong but I greatly enjoy this mini dessert. It's pretty small so not a problem to finish it by yourself. Overall, I think the food was pretty good and I will definitely be back to try the other items! And since it's at the quiet Duxton area, you get to escape the bustle of the town areas. Perfect for a day to chill out with friends.
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