Catalunya Sundays 'Brunch with Passion'!
Catalunya Sundays 'Brunch with Passion' is a breath of fresh air as far as Sunday brunch buffet offerings go in Singapore. In addition to a wonderful spread of food, diners are treated to energetic performances, slick showmanship and friendly service with a warm smile.
Lola Cocktail @ $14
Amontillado Sherry & Catalunya Blue Cheese Syrup
I'd heard a lot of good things about Catalunya's Blue Cheese Cocktail, named Lola, so I was more than happy to try it when my hosts offered me a glass during the brunch tasting. I love Blue Cheese and expected a stronger cheesy flavour. The cocktail was a lovely balance of sweetness from the Sherry and nuttiness from the blue cheese syrup. It wasn't pungent nor excessively creamy, probably pretty safe even for those who are not fans of Blue Cheese. Somehow, it reminded me of a much milder version of Bleu d'Auvergne that had been drizzled with sweet honey. Definitely a Must-Try!
Catalunya Sundays 'Brunch with Passion' Menu & Map
Image courtesy of Catalunya Singapore
To help diners get acquainted with the delectable spread that awaited them, each guest is given a map so they know where to look for their favourite items.
I was hungry as I had a pretty busy and hectic morning trying to finish some work and settle some matters at home before rushing to Catalunya for brunch. The freshly baked breads that were laid out at the counter looking alluring but I had to resist since we had quite a lot of dishes to try and I was trying to reduce my carbohydrate intake to avoid gaining weight. Besides, we already had a portion of Catalan tomato bread on the table.
Pa Amb Tomaquet (Tomato Bread)
Pa Amb Tomaquet is a traditional Catalan dish that comprises bread that had been rubbed with garlic and tomato before being drizzled with olive oil. Rustic and comforting, it was an appetizing way to start brunch.
In addition to cold cuts and a lovely selection of cheese, the brunch spread has a good selection of salads. However, I think you should save room for the wide selection of egg dishes that Catalunya offers.
Scrambled Eggs with Chorizo
Catalunya offers its Sunday Brunch crowd eight types of egg dishes. These include four types of Omelettes and four toppings to go with a plate of fried eggs or scrambled eggs on a bed of potato. As the servings are rather generous, you should order a few variations to share. I loved the spicy Chorizo slices that topped the scrambled eggs and enjoyed mashing the chunks of potato before drizzling some sauce over the mash.
Estrellados Paletilla
Scrambled eggs with Iberian Shoulder Ham
I loved the Palettilla for its rich umami flavour and also because I preferred my scrambled eggs without any sauce.
Bikini Sandwich
Iberian Ham, Cheese & Truffle
Great for sharing with friends or having it all to yourself, the Bikini Sandwich is a Must-Try! Wedged between batons of grilled bread was a tasty filling of savoury Iberian Ham with creamy molten cheese and earthy truffle. The Bikini Sandwich was to die for and most definitely worth wrecking my low-carb diet plan for. Actually, I must confess that I've never actually succeeded in going on any low-carb plan for more than a meal. Diets and I are like oil and water, hence it will be a long time before I can get into an actual bikini.
Tortilla de Trampo
Potato, Chorizo & Onion
Tortilla de Trampo is one of Catalunya's signature dishes. A smaller and more refined looking version of a traditional Spanish tortilla, the texture was fluffy and creamy with a lovely zing from the Allioli (Catalan version of Aioli - a garlic mayonnaise sauce) that was slathered over it.
Deconstruction Omelette
Another of Catalunya's signatures is the Deconstruction Omelette. Served in a martini glass, the frothy layer of potato and egg foam reminded me of egg white cocktails like a Pisco Sour albeit with a lot more foam in this version. Marrying traditional flavours with modernist cuisine techniques, this is an interesting dish that I unfortunately didn't get to taste very much of as there was too much food on our table. I intend to savour this more fully the next time I visit Catalunya.
Empanada, Quiche & Stew Station
If you have a good appetite, you'd love this counter because you'd be spoilt for choice between the hearty stews and tasty empanadas and quiche. I had to give this counter a miss because I was getting full pretty quickly and had to save room for their brunch highlights.
Seafood Fideua
Thin noodles and seafood cooked in a paella pan
At about one o'clock, the music changed and became a little more upbeat as the staff got ready to serve their specialties. One of the specialties that was served that day was a Seafood Fideua. Presented with much finesse as the server danced along the corridor showing the dish to diners before putting it down onto a service table and portioning out servings for each table.
Aside from Paella, Fideua is one of my favourite Spanish dishes. The thin strands of pasta had absorbed the rich flavours of the seafood broth that it was cooked with and is worth a try if you love seafood pasta dishes.
The star attraction on the brunch menu is Suckling Pig "Segovian Style". Here's a video showing just how festive the mood is during Sunday brunch at Catalunya Singapore. Isn't it cool?
Suckling Pig "Segovian Style"
This little piggy had been roasted to such tenderness that it could be carved easily with a plate! Yes, no knives were used to cut this half of a piglet into sections.
The crackling was crisp and the flesh was tender but there was a slight hint of piggy flavour that I wasn't too hot on so I slapped on some allioli to help counter the taste. If you love Spanish-style roast suckling pigs, this is worth try.
The service crew at Catalunya made a lasting impression on me as it's so hard to find warm and friendly service crew in Singapore. Here's a waiter presenting a salt-crusted whole fish before taking it to a service tray for the final touches.
Salt Crusted Whole Fish
The rock salt crystals were set ablaze to render a smoked salt flavour to the fresh whole fish that lay beneath. The juicy chunks of fish were drizzled with fragrant olive oil before being served to diners. This dish showcased the natural sweetness of the fish enhanced with a hint of salt and olive oil. I felt it could do with some sea salt flakes for added flavour but the Allioli was perfect for this dish. I definitely suggest asking for more Allioli to go with the suckling pig and salt crusted fish unless you hate garlic.
Roasted Veal Shank
This waiter felt quite self-conscious because of the number of cameras that were pointed at him as he presented the Roasted Veal Shank to our table. This was delicious as the fork-tender, smoky-tasting chunks of meat seemed to melt in the mouth. Worth a try if you like veal.
Towards the end of Brunch service, it looked as if most of the service crew were prancing through the dining hall as they presented a wide array of desserts to curious diners. Like the rest of the spread, the selection of desserts changes almost all the time.
Occupying the counter that previously held the selection of baked goods and stews, guests didn't have to worry about manoeuvring around tight spaces as there was help on hand at the dessert station.
The crew presented the various options and plated guests selections. The desserts were pretty and not too cloyingly sweet from the tiny bits that I sampled. Truthfully, I was a little disappointed that there wasn't any churros that Sunday, I hope I will be luckier the next time I visit.
I had some artisanal Yoghurt with sugar-coated nuts instead in a bid to have a healthy end to a decadent meal.
Catalunya serves brunch from 12.30 pm to 4 pm every Sunday. Priced at $98++ per person, the brunch spread includes juices, tea and coffee. Add $48++ per person for unlimited Cava, wine and cocktails. Catalunya was running a full house that Sunday as their Sunday brunch is really popular. Reservations are recommended at least a few days ahead to avoid disappointment. As you can see from the video above, the atmosphere is infectiously exuberant and guests are likely to start dancing when the mood hits.
PS: Thank you, Catalunya Singapore, for the hospitality.
Catalunya Singapore The Fullerton Pavilion 82 Collyer Quay, Singapore 049327 Phone: +65 6534 0886 Email: reservation@catalunya.sg Web: www.catalunya.sg Facebook: www.facebook.com/CatalunyaSingapore