The Place It is my first time to Aussie-inspired café Carrotsticks & Cravings, even though it just opened its third outlet in the heart of the CBD along Stanley Street. The interior of the Stanley outlet boasts a coastal-inspired interiors by award-winning interior designer Isabelle Miaja, along with a couple of alfresco tables. 

The Food The food menu is presented under four categories; Morning Specials, Bowls, Open Herb Sourdough and Sandwiches. I had the outlet-exclusive Stanley Breakfast for 2 (S$46) which pays tribute to the brand’s founder and owner’s Australian and Israeli roots. 

Each platter comes with a Israeli salad; finely chopped Roma tomatoes, cucumber, yellow capsicum, red onions and mint leaves tossed in extra virgin olive oil, two freshly-baked puff pastries filled with cream cheese mixed with dill and lemon juice, oven-roasted eggplant seasoned with flaky sea salt served on homemade hummus topped with whole chickpeas, and four bite-sized falafel patties. Half an avocado; sliced and sprinkled with crumbled feta cheese, a dollop of homemade Labneh; a tangy and thick strained cheese, and a side of smoked salmon or chicken leg ham.

The platter is also complemented with a sourdough bread basket, choice of two eggs; poached, scrambled, sunny side up or omelette, and two coffees. Alternative milk options such as almond, coconut, oat, soy and skimmed are also available. Portion wise, I think it is even good for sharing for 3 persons.  

I also tried the Red Shakshouka (S$18), a vegetarian dish made tomatoes, peppers and onions spiced with a combination of cumin, coriander and paprika. It is topped with poached eggs and served with sourdough on the side, and I find the flavour to be slightly spicy but manageable. A hearty dish if you are up for something punchier in flavours. 

You can’t go wrong with the Signature Smashed Avo (S$18), a tasty rendition topped with feta cheese, pesto herb oil and lemon wedge. There is also some sprinkle of their proprietary housemade dukkah blend that comprises over six nuts and spices. Add-ons include pomegranate (S$2), poached eggs, leg ham and smoked salmon (S$6 each, S$8 for any two add-ons). 

For bowls, there is the Dukkah Salmon (S$28) which comes with a slab of chilled Norwegian salmon sprinkled with house-made dukkah (almond, hazelnut, cumin and coriander seeds mix). Served over a bed of brown rice, asparagus, roasted pumpkin, rocket leaves and pomegranate, the portion is quite generous even for two! 

For desserts, there are gluten-free, vegan and refined sugar-free options in the form of cakes, tarts and other bakes. Popular options include the Peanut Butter Slice (S$6); Keto Bomb (S$3) made with coconut oil, peanut butter, almond and cocoa; Carrot Cake (S$9) and Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake (S$9). 

Beverage wise, the coffee is prepared from AllPress beans, along with smoothies and fresh juices as well. 

Rants The indoor seats are limited and it can be quite warm at the alfresco seats during the day. 

Will I Return Again? It is nice to see a cafe which opens near Telok Ayer even on Sundays, and Carrotsticks & Cravings is a good option for a fuss-free brunch post workout, or the occasional weekday brunch treat. 

This was an invited tasting, though all opinions expressed are our own.

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 4/5
Hole in the pocket: 3.5/5
Ambience: 3.5/5
Overall Experience: 4/5

Carrotsticks & Cravings 
5 Stanley Street 
#01-01 
Singapore 068724 
Tel: +65 8028 6651 
 
Opening Hours 
Monday to Sunday: 8am to 6pm 

Ranted by The Ranter