There has been quite a fair bit of new F&B establishments that are in the midst of moving in to the area around Cross Street Exchange, Far East Square as well as Nankin Row — we had visited especially such as YUAN at Cross Street Exchange and the newly-moved Ollella that had just opened its doors at Far East Square not too long ago. Some folks might have heard about the new Breath Cafe — Breath Cafe had taken over another cafe that had previously operated in the same unit along Nankin Row; neighbours of Breath Cafe includes establishments such as Zhang Liang Mala Tang 张亮麻辣烫 and Koji Sushi Bar. For those whom have heard of Le’Tart — Breath Cafe is actually run by the very same folks whom are behind the Le’Tart brand, which is an online-based business focusing on the sale of dessert tarts with a physical location at MacPherson that is only open for self-collection or orders. One may find the naming of the cafe being a little odd; that being said, the decor pretty much answers for itself at Breath Cafe — the cafe is being filled with baby breaths from the Bimini vases on the tables to the ceilings even which provides for a patio-vibe that gives office workers around the ‘hood a bit of a respite from the stone cold workplace. Whilst Le’Tart specialises in desserts tarts, Breath Cafe is an extension of what Le’Tart is — Breath Cafe offers not only desserts such as entremets and other cakes alongside a selection of dessert tarts; it also aims to be a location that is fit for lunch / brunch with the menu featuring dishes ranging from croissant sandwiches to pasta, Spanish eggs and quiches. Beverages available at Breath Cafe includes espresso-based specialty coffee, a variety of tea, as well as sparkling and still water.

Skimming through what Breath Cafe offers for somewhat of a proper lunch, we found ourselves going for one of the quiches that is being listed on the menu since we were not quite in a mood for a cold pasta (the only pasta dish which they offer is a Truffle Capellini) — we also reckon that going for quiche is probably the closest to giving their tart offerings a go since they were sold out of their tarts with only one type of entremet being on display in their display fridge when we made our visit there on a weekday lunch service. It does seem that the folks at Breath Cafe do make their quiches from scratch upon order — or at least so since we made our visit for lunch on Monday (they are closed on Sundays). This also meant that there is some waiting time involved for us just to get the order served up at the table. The menu at Breath Cafe describes the Caramalised Onion Quiche to come with elements such as caramelised onions, wild mushroom and pastry — it also comes paired with a parsley and rocket salad that is being served on the side. Simple as it looks, we did feel that the Caramelised Onion Quiche was an item that we quite liked. Not only was it served completely piping hot since it was made only upon order for us, but the flavours hit the spot even though this was one dish that does not include any meat.

While one could definitely taste the mild notes of cream and eggs at the back of their tongue, the main star of the Caramalised Onion Quiche was undoubtedly the caramelised onions; these were cooked till soft and absolutely sweet — very delicious on their own. To introduce a bit of flavour contrast, sautéed mushrooms are added to not only give the quiche a bit of an earthy note but also a bit of a bouncy texture. We usually aren’t a fan of the greens that accompany such dishes (and especially so if they came with rocket), but the greens are drizzled with a dressing infused with yuzu that is zesty and refreshing at the same time — cuts through the inherent bitterness of the arugula. We had also managed to give the Breath’s Tiramisu a try during our visit to Breath Cafe; also the only item that was sitting in their display cabinet when we made our visit. Comprising of elements such as mascarpone, Bailey’s and coffee sponge, this carried notes that are reminiscent to the Italian classic dessert that features coffee elements — one that is undeniably smooth especially with the rich and luscious chocolate ganache on the exterior and mascarpone that didn’t feel too thick or jelat; we also liked how we did not have to deal with an overly wet sponge cake layer since Breath Cafe seemed to have taken the approach of serving it with a coffee-flavoured sponge than a coffee-infused sponge here. The savoury food does seem to be priced a bit on the high side with portion sizes veering towards the smaller side — the Caramelised Onion Quiche being the cheapest item at $10 while the most expensive would be the Lobster & Truffle Croissant Sandwich at $25; a spot more suited for weekend brunches rather than a filling work lunch. Looking forward to give their dessert tarts a go some other time though; something which we missed out on during this visit to Breath Cafe that also seems to be what they are all about!