Jurisdiction: Cafe / Brunch.
Outcome: Unanimous Verdict.
Ratio decidendi: It won’t take you long to conclude that Three Williams know what they’re doing. Depth (or should I say breadth) of quality on the menu stems from the stellar execution of sure-fire flavour combinations. Breadth of menu potential makes this my go-to weekend brunch spot.
Salient features: Corn fritters ($18), brisket naan ($15), brioche french toast /w berries ($16)
Scope of discovery: above and duck naan ($16), the merchant ($13), french brioche toast /w caramel bananas ($16)
Case note: The proof they say, is in the pudding. In the case of Three Williams, the proof is in the number of repeat visits. To borrow some sporting terminology – the squad depth (i.e. menu depth) is incredible. I’ve already made 5 visits and easily see myself going back again – well above the typical 2-3 visits it takes me to exhaust a menu.
The corn fritters here are easily the best I’ve ever tried. There’s no clear-cut element that I can point to as the differentiating factor, just simply intelligent design and flawless execution. It begins with corn fritters that are tasty in their own right, classically paired with with a ‘Goldilocks’ balance of tomato & capsicum salsa and sour cream. Throw in Nuremberg sausages and bacon to kick it up a gear and build out bulk and substance with roasted potatoes and what you’ve created is a #winner.
11.30 marks the start of the lunch menu and more importantly narnie o’clock. Three Williams signature naan-style flat breads which comes with – you guessed it – three choices of fillings. My pick so far has been the wagyu beef brisket served with slaw, gherkins and a chipotle mayo with surprising (but still very subtle) heat.
The herb rubbed roast duck ain’t no slouch either combining pleasingly well with roast pears, rocket and aioli. The narnies/naans have good volume and a ‘soft bite’ to them, making for sturdy filling housing if you ditch the cutlery and go the two-handed eating approach (highly recommended – things just taste better when you use your hands). Also reminded me very much of Gardenia bread – coz it’s “so good you can even eat it on it’s own”.
Last but not least comes to the crunchy brioche toast. To my surprise I found the fresh berries version with roasted pecans and maple syrup to be more to my liking. Despite its relative simplicity over the banana version, I appreciated the refreshing aftertaste provided by the berries and yoghurt which made for a ‘lighter’ note to end the meal.
I think the caramel banana version will appeal more to chocoholics given the deep and heavier flavours of the belgian chocolate and caramel. Pretty hard to start your day with this and not feel sinfully guilty for what you’ve just consumed (for breakfast!)
dimsumforone 