One corner in the Lion City that holds a special place in the hearts of many (including mine) is Bras Basah. Hence, on a beautiful sunny day, I made my way to the area to reunite with some locations I had been longing to revisit for some time.

Bras Basah comprises of a mix of office buildings, old churches, a local university and an art-centered shopping complex. This area is close to the famous Bugis vicinity in the island’s central business district. It is also an artsy district, with splashes of the visual arts making appearances here and there. If Bras Basah were a human friend of mine, I would describe it as a treasure with its charming, old-school character that is rather rare to find here, and it has a creative soul.

Stepping Into A Different Era

The first part of my adventure was having a wander around and admiring the architecture. After exiting the Bras Basah MRT train station (the MRT is the country’s subway/metro system), my trail began in the area that some churches call home. These churches take visitors back into different eras through their lovely façades and designs – some date as far back as the 1800’s and early 1900’s.

After saying “hello” to the churches, it was time for lunch/brunch at a nearby Starbucks located in the Lazada One office building (Lazada is an online shopping platform). This building is the temporary home of an inflatable golden monkey that seems like it is ‘scaling’ the building. This monkey is an art instillation by an Australian artist, with a message on sustainability. The monkey will be hanging around until August. I’m so glad I got to see it!

Lunch at Starbucks

Looking at all the savory selections, I couldn’t decide on which one to try! After admiring all of them, I was leaning towards ordering a wrap. This time, I chose the Truffle Scrambled Egg, Chicken, Kale & Cheese Wrap. Actually, I had it before many moons ago and remember it being as delicious as its name sounds. In the spirit of reuniting with Bras Basah that day, I thought it’ll be fun to also reunite my palate with this dish. And I ordered a cup of mint blend tea to complement my lunch.

Hot mint blend tea on a hot day sounds like a crazy idea (or it might actually be crazy), but it was surprisingly refreshing! I suppose it’s credited to the mint.

My tortilla parcel was packed with several delicious elements. Each element in this eat comes together as a whole to deliver a flavorful experience.

The first element that stands out is the first item in the headline’s starring lineup: truffle scrambled eggs. The eggs are perfectly scrambled, and it spells ‘truffles’ with its well-seasoned, truffle-looking appearance. Flavor-wise, truffles take the lead in the eggs. Its earthy flavor tone is one of the primary notes that comes through in the wrap, which makes it a truffle-y delight.

While the truffle scrambled eggs are a highlight in the wrap, the other elements are delicious too. The wrap also features sliced chicken pieces that are seasoned well and nicely tender. Veggies fill this wrap too. As reflected in its name, kale is indeed included in the wrap. But there is a little twist through an additional ingredient, which is also a veggie.

Even though ‘carrots’ aren’t in the wrap’s name and details, there is a nice portion of what seem to be shredded carrots. While this element does look orange-y like some cheeses, it definitely has a carrot vibe that would please anyone who loves veggie-filled wraps… and I’m sure Peter Rabbit approves it too! Speaking of cheese, melted cheese coats the bottom of the tortilla on the inside, and it goes perfectly with all the elements – especially the truffle eggs.

All in all, it is a delight for truffle-lovers.

Vintage & Artsy Vibes

Being energized from my lunch, it was time to continue exploring Bras Basah – this time, the mission was to visit the famous Bras Basah Complex. A top tip: if you plan to proceed with exploring this area at midday or in the early afternoon, be prepared for the tropical heat. In foodie terms, it feels like the quintessential outdoor egg-frying and ice cream-dripping type of heat. I was so grateful for my hat and water bottle! A hat, a bottled drink, and a pair of sunglasses are definitely necessary for venturing around the island at midday and in the afternoon. And some sunscreen will be ideal.

This shopping complex possesses vintage vibes, as it was opened in the early 1980’s. Being centered around the arts, the Bras Basah Complex is home to second-hand bookstores, music shops for musical instruments, arts supply shops and more. This time, my eyes were drawn to the street art.

The first mural I spotted at the Complex resonates with foodies! The one with the dinosaur reminds me of two posts I published a a few years ago – my take on the island’s beloved Milo dinosaur drink and Starbucks’ special “shiok-ah-cinno” frappe.

Being a bookworm, I adored the large whimsical mural dedicated to storybooks and fairy tales, despite a wooden plank leaning in the center! Mural-spotting was a fun conclusion to my mini adventure in Bras Basah.