It was a lazy Sunday afternoon and after a hearty brunch prepared by my hubby, we decided to skip lunch and head out for an early dinner with friends. I had been meaning to revisit Cafe Melba after I had gone there with friends quite a while back, so that’s where we all went.
At Café Melba you’ll have the option of dining indoors or outdoors.
Where is it?
Cafe Melba is tucked away in the Goodman Art Centre, far from the bustle of the city. For lucky East Coast-dwellers, this is a great hangout spot, being just a 5- to 7-minute drive from Mountbatten Road.
If it’s your first time there though, I wouldn’t recommend going there without a GPS or walking from the main road, for that matter.
But once you know where Cafe Melba is, it will be much easier to find it the second time around.
The ‘big breakfast’ is one of their signature dishes. It is a pretty hearty meal!
The atmosphere
Cafe Melba is a laid-back Australian-inspired café, spacious and well-lit with an abundance of natural light, thanks to the restaurant’s glass exterior.
We got there around 5pm (yes, we had a very early dinner indeed!) and the place was half full. Lots of the people there seemed like they had come for brunch or lunch and were still hanging out, sipping a drink while their kids played.
The bouncy castle comes up on the weekend, and parents can sit just a few feet away to keep an eye on the kiddos.
You can choose a table inside or, like most of the parents who were there, choose to dine alfresco so you can keep an eye on your kids as they play.
The food
Café Melba serves bistro-type food and features a few surprises in the form of local flavours.
Café Melba serves a wide range of beverages from sinfully indulgent milkshakes (the peanut butter milkshake on the left) to awesomely healthy drinks like the carrot, beet and celery juice on the right.
Truffle fries
One of Café Melba’s specialties is the truffle fries ($13). Now, I’ve had the truffle fries at P.S Café and they are my benchmark for truffle fries.
The ones at Café Melba are at par but a tad bit greasier than the ones at P.S Café. That being said they are pleasantly addictive – we couldn’t stop munching on them!
We also ordered their pizza bread basket ($10) as a starter.
The wedges of pizza were super crisp and tasted very yummy and healthy. The dips were great, too.
Overall, I’d say that this is a light and tasty starter that is great for sharing.
This is a great starter option for sharing – and it’s healthy too!
For my entrée, I ordered the tomato and mozzarella sandwich with basil pesto ($18). This is a nice option if you want something healthy. Although it is nothing fancy, the flavours are clean and fresh.
Yet another healthy lunch option.
My hubby ordered the crayfish linguini ($27) from their selection of pastas. Café Melba also features the ‘usual suspects’ when it comes to pasta, i.e. carbonara, lasagne and aglio olio.
The linguini was quite delicious and the chef was quite generous with the crayfish, making it worth the amount spent.
Tip: If you like your food spicy like me, just ask the friendly staff to spice up your dishes and they will oblige.
This is a hearty meal and the chef had been quite generous with the crayfish!
Our friends ordered the beef rendang and the chilli crab pizza.
The rendang ($19) comes with a side of fries. Although I would have preferred steamed rice with it, the rendang was hearty and flavourful.
Beef Rendang with fires – an unconventional pairing but somehow works.
The chilli crab pizza ($18 for a 9-inch pizza) was my favourite of the day. The crab tasted fresh and the egg which was mixed in with it gave it an authentic ‘chilli crab’ flavour.
Who doesn’t love a thin crust pizza. This Chili crab pizza is great for those who love local flavours.
For dessert, you must try the Peach Melba. It is not too heavy but refreshingly yummy!
Is Cafe Melba kid-friendly?
It won’t take you long to figure out how kid-friendly this place is. They have a special kids’ menu and we were also told that most parents like to order from the main menu so kids can share their food with them.
We ordered fish and chips from the kids’ menu. It comes with juice and a scoop of ice cream — plus kids get coloured pencils and an activity sheet to help pass the time.
Oh! I must mention the ‘play area’ at Cafe Melba too! By ‘play area’ I mean a good old-fashioned grass field in which kids were having a ball running and rolling around.
Here’s another bonus for parents with kiddos — for added fun on the weekends, Café Melba brings out two bouncy castles for children to play on to their hearts’ content!
Kids having a ball in the bouncy castle on a sunny weekend.
Opening hours and reservations
This restaurant is open on weekdays from 10am to 10pm, and from 8.30am to 10pm on weekends and public holidays.
Do note that they DO NOT take reservations for weekends. So do come with some time to spare, especially if you’ve got hungry little ones.
Cafe Melba has a few cakes and tarts that customers can choose for their dessert.
Parking
When we visited the café, there was ample parking at the Goodman Art Centre and even at the small public car park just adjoining the Arts Centre.
The public car park accepts the cash card; however, if you wish to park at the Goodman Art Centre you will have to pay $1.10 an hour.
Location & contact info
Address:
90 Goodman Road
Goodman Arts Centre, Block N #01-56
Singapore 439053
Telephone number: 6440 6068
Website: https://www.cafemelba.com.sg
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