COCONUTS HOT SPOT — Organic clean eating is the way to go, so says CBD cafe Kitchen by Food Rebel. It opened its doors in January this year, but recently underwent a menu revamp to introduce new options and keep things interesting.
Tucked away on Stanley Street in the Telok Ayer area, the cosy space exudes chill, unpretentious vibes. No matter if you’re a health food noob or an expert on all things nutritious and natural — everyone’s welcome to treat their taste buds to wholesome meals here.
Everything’s made from scratch — including the sauces and salad dressings — and you won’t find any MSG, artificial preservatives or processed sugar anywhere. While vegans and vegetarians are more than welcome to stake their claim on the cafe as their new hot spot, meat lovers can breathe a sigh of relief ’cause the menu also features chicken, beef and fish dishes (no dreaded mock meat here). An added plus — especially for those with allergies — is the inclusion of gluten-free and dairy-free items.
For breakfast, the cafe offers grab-and-go options to cater to those in need of a quick pick-me-up. Choose from the cinnamon spiced overnight oats ($8), house-made granola with yogurt ($9) or a variety of chia seed puddings ($6.50) in mango, dragon fruit and chocolate flavours.
There’s also the acai berry bowl ($11) chock full of goodness like acai, mango, banana, chia seeds, granola, mixed seeds and goji berries. If you’re hankering for something heartier, try the Rebel Breakfast ($14) of free-range eggs, spiced chickpeas, mushrooms, peppers and avocado on sourdough rye toast. Or go carb-free with the Ultimate Breakfast ($15), which slaps a hunk of Aussie grass-fed beef on the Rebel Breakfast and removes the bread.
Other breakfast options include the free-range three-egg omelette ($6) and buckwheat porridge with cashew butter ($9).
Lunch time brings in salads like the Thai-inspired quinoa ($16), baked pumpkin with feta and beetroot ($16), and super-food ($17) of pomegranate, cranberry, mixed nuts and seeds. But we’d recommend the delish Buddha bowls ($19 each) if you’ve got room in your stomach for the generous portions (and a tad extra cash in your wallet).
The chicken protein bowl is a lovely mix of hormone-free chicken, hummus, avocado and pumpkin, while the vegan sweet potato and chickpea bowl consists of beetroot hummus, quinoa and a tofu-avocado mix.
If salads are a little too ‘healthy’ for you, try the sandwiches on olive baguettes (gluten-free breads are available upon request for an additional $2). For $14 to $18, you get to pick from grass-fed beef, hormone- and antibiotic-free turmeric baked chicken, organic tofu and avocado, and lots more.
Or you can go for mains like the Rebel Pie ($18) of sweet potato mash on beef bolognese, pan-seared barramundi with leafy greens ($21), zucchini ‘noodle’ bolognese ($18) and the Rebel hormone-free chicken burger ($21) with baked sweet potato fries.
As for drinks, besides the usual array of coffees and teas, you’ll also find a selection of organic juices and good-for-you smoothies (all $9) like the Incredible Hulk, which is a mix of oats, orange, ginger, banana and spinach, or the Super Berry of mixed berries, banana and coconut water.
After a visit to the cafe, if you find yourself convinced to try out this new healthy lifestyle, pick up a couple guilt-free snacks or sugar-free cakes by the counter to bring home.
Granted, your bill may come up a little on the steep side, but you really can’t put a price on your health.
Kitchen by Food Rebel is at 28 Stanley St. Mon-Fri 8am-6pm.
