[CLOSED] Grand jeté cafe & bar

Lunch at @grandjetesg
Ebikatsu Sandwich (S$16.90++)
Served with pineapple juice
Available from 11am - 2pm

Headed down to Takashimaya for some shopping because things just kept breaking of the late — was more of just looking for a quiet spot that I don’t have to jostle with the crowds to dine at since I was hungry and didn’t really want to do all the shopping before I had my dinner. Got reminded of Grand Jete Cafe & Bar — a Japanese cafe that serves up pasta, sandwiches, and rice dishes that is hidden in a corner outside of the mall at the other side of the driveway away from the taxi stand.

Remembered how I did enjoy their Mentaiko pasta quite some time back, as well as their signature Apple Pie which seemed to have been quite a thing back then — decided to go for their Ebikatsu and Egg Mayo Sandwich this time round for how I have had multiple pasta dishes over the week, and how I am very much into fried Ebi patties in sandwiches and burgers. Was pleasantly surprised with the execution of the sandwich; the bread of the sandwich comes well-toasted and came all crisp — slightly buttered for a light savoury note while the other elements such as the prawn cutlet, egg mayo, lettuce and tomato cones in between. The greens and tomatoes were pretty fresh, but the star that took the show was the Ebikatsu that came with chunks of prawn flesh without much use of fillers; the fried, golden brown exterior being all crisp and the entire patty did not feel particularly greasy. The egg mayo features diced hard boiled egg that came in consistently-sized cubes; makes for a good texture whilst not being too heavily doused with mayonnaise — sufficiently creamy without being particularly jelak. Shoestring fries were sufficiently crisp, though the fries were also admittedly a little over-seasoned with salt.

Admittedly there seems to have been a change of ownership at Grand Jete Cafe & Bar; there has been substantive changes made to the layout, and the menu has also seen a revision (missed those illustrations that they have for the various items on their old menu) — there is now a section dedicated for light bites, while there are also a few collaborations with other merchants, including one with gelato from Denzy Gelato where the gelato is served with a Monaka Waffle that is exclusive to Grand Jete Cafe & Bar. A rather forgotten spot in the heart of Orchard Road that works great for a quiet meal away from the hustle and bustle of the malls.

[ Café Food Review — Did I finally find a replacement for P&W?? ;u; ] Starting the weekend by rinsing off my (honestly embarrassing) spell of mediocre culinary experiences with today’s gem: Grand Jeté Café at Taka!

Those who’ve followed me from back in the probably know I used to live out of Patties & Wiches. But alas, the pandemic finally did them in, and I haven’t made any headway in finding a replacement…until now!

For those wondering how they’d missed out on a new café opening in Taka, it’s because GJ isn’t new! It’s been there since 2017, but likely only accessible IF you know where it is. (Here’s a hint: It’s outside Tower B, to the left of the turn into Taka — not the main mall building)

GJ specialises in Western-Japanese item, and does the full-works. By that, I mean they’ve tonkatsu, soba, curry, pastas, you name it, jazzed up with either Japanese or SEA influences. Honestly quite impressive given the size of the place. And the food is not that pricey either (it’s a good bit cheaper than P&W)!

When we visited, it was one of those awkward 4pm-not-sure-if-lunch-or-linner kinda meals. I figured their signature Tonkatsu Sando was a safe bet for a between-meal snack, while a certain someone — who was so enamoured by their fried croquette on his last visit — decided to replicate his prev order. To help wash our fried items down, we got a side of kimchi — a little unorthodox for a café run by a Japanese lady — and a pot of lychee green tea (which was marvellously fragrant, but sadly no top-ups).

Oh boy, the food was much better than I’d expected! Don’t be fooled by the deceptive size of my ‘wich — it filled me up quick! The katsu was lean yet juicy, and was encrusted in crust that had an almost biscuit-like texture to it, which paired really nicely with the blooms of cabbage shreds, and did not overwhelm the thin bread slices.

Their croquette was where their frying technique really shone. Clad in vibrant orange, these nuggets were delicate and dry on the outside, and revealed a languid pool of pale gold within. I’m not one for croquette, but my goodness, if this is what all those anime protags have been munchin’ on, no wonder they always look so smitten!

While eating, almost half my sandwich fell onto my chair, and then it bounced and fell onto the floor 🤪 RIP tonkatsu sando 🥪

Today’s cafe hopping adventure takes us to Grand Jeté Cafe & Bar at Takashimaya. It’s been here for a few years but I’ve never eaten here. Been dying to try their Tonkatsu Sandwich [$13++] which looked so yummy online. We ordered an Earl Grey tea [$8++] too. The tonkatsu was really delicious, it didn’t have any gristle or fat. Felt a bit let down by the cabbage, it wasn’t cold and super crispy like I expected. Didn’t really think the sesame fit in with the sandwich and found the bread a tad chewy. The fries were nice but a little salty. The tea was concentrated and bitter but the waitstaff were very nice and topped it up with hot water. The homely ambiance reminds me of the fictional cafe in Before The Coffee Gets Cold. An ideal cafe for a chat with friends or a brief respite away from the crowds.

Was pretty excited to have my sandwich here but sadly it was rather disappointing. The flavours were nice but the ebi katsu was SO tiny it barely filled up half the sandwich. One serving is only half the sandwich - whatever you see in this picture. The chips were also a bit soggy.