Many people have walked around Orchard Central and it would be almost impossible to miss Dean and Deluca, which took up the space left vacant by Gelare Cafe. The cafe space is ever-changing due to accommodate the retail section of Dean and Deluca, but for the better as the seating spaces have increased. I like to be nearer to the counter rather than at the far end nearer to their delicatessen. The place is usually noisy and full of people around brunch time, and it only really frees up around 2pm. This is in spite of the 37% user review reflected on hungrygowhere. Given it's location, I would say it's a nice place for friends to meet as the high (or lack of) an immediate ceiling means that the place feels spacious. The seats are also adequately spaced so that one can have his or her own private conversations. I like to drop by to just get a few muffins for breakfast the next day as they are cheap and good ($3.50 for a very filling and wholesome muffin). Their regular mains are good, but not extremely so. Their drinks are rather underwhelming as well, and perhaps this is why they've garnered such low ratings. This is because their prices aren't exactly for the budget-conscious. Therefore, I don't usually go for their mains but I usually like to custom my meals ala carte as I get what I want at a slightly cheaper price.
Pan-seared Salmon steak, Herb Mixed Vegetables
Normal-tasting salmon that is a little on the dry side. Needed much more of the lemon butter sauce but couldn't get more. The more fatty parts of the salmon tasted good though, and they're pretty stingy with the greens. I ordered mixed herb vegetables which included beetroot, pumpkin and potatoes to accompany this dish so I managed to get this combination for under $15.
Angus Beef Bulgogi Aglio Olio Linguine
Extremely tasty and it only costs $13.50. You're unlikely to get this deal at the moment, but one can always hope. I got this under the "Pasta of the Week" promotion, which recently increased their price to $14 for the week's pasta. Not sure if this promotion is still ungoing though, but it was certainly good over the weeks when it lasted. The linguine was adequately tasty and not too oily, which I enjoyed. The angus beef was also very flavourful and slightly spicy. The portion was also enough to satisfy me, and it's certainly a steal for the price.
Spicy Marinara with Soft Shell Crab
Another one of my catches during the promotion! The pasta here is definitely more moist due to the tomato base sauce. I liked the taste of the herbs they used to season the pasta, and the mashed tomatoes were good. There was a decent portion of soft shell crab, which was nicely battered. However, the crab was a little cold by the time I ate it, but it was still tasty nonetheless. It tastes better on its own and just perhaps with a dash of the tomato or tabasco sauce. Otherwise, the batter will turn soggy and the crab won't be as pleasant-tasting.
Boston Shrimp and Avocado Sandwich
Another budget alternative, one can always try the Chef Special that is slightly cheaper than their all-day breakfast mains. However, the quality of the chef's special changes and it really depends on the individual if you want to go for it. Here, the sweet taste of the shrimp bathed in a light mayo sauce tasted great. The avocado was fresh and sweet too, and hence it provided a nice texture to the sandwich on a whole. There is a sizable portion of a side salad, and potato chips that go well with the BBQ sauce that they provide. Or you could be like me and have chips drizzled with Tabasco sauce. Not the most orthodox way of eating it but oh well.
Portobello Cheese Burger
Angus beef steak, with porotbello mushrooms (obviously, lol!), gouda cheese, tomato and lettuce. The bread patties simply cannot contain the burger, which is almost certain to fall apart when you try to eat it. The beef patty is good, definitely very tasty and juicy. Only eat this if you do like beef, as the taste can be a bit strong. The lettuce and tomatoes are normal, but sufficiently fresh. The gouda cheese is a good alternative and goes well with the burger on a whole, and having just the portobello mushrooms with the gouda cheese is pretty heavenly. Their serving of fries is quite large, so it might take a while for you to finish it. That being said, the burger isn't that filling on its own. Have this with the BBQ sauce that they provide at the counter. However, it was slightly expensive in my opinion for a burger.
Chicken bacon and Apricot Roll
Another one of my budget selections! This is pretty filling on its own, and it wasn't as dry as I had expected it to be. The chicken bacon is extremely tasty, and goes well with the flaky pastry of the roll. The apricot flavour is nice too, and the sesame seeds help to make the roll more fragrant overall.
The New Yorker
One of Dean and Deluca's signatures, I had high hopes for this, especially since I was paying $25 for it. Scrambled eggs and smoked salmon in a sesame-seed bagel accompanied by a vine-ripened tomato. Although I wasn't disappointed by the dish's taste and appearance, the price was rather high. For the same price, I would have gotten much larger servings and better service at Wild Honey. The smoked salmon had a strong smoked flavour which was enjoyable, but the slices were bordering on stingy. The scrambled eggs were good, and so was the freshly-baked bagel. However, this dish is certainly not filling because of it's small size. I would have liked another vine-ripened tomato too because mine was a little small for me.
The verdict for Dean and Deluca? I would say that it's a nice place to start your day for brunch, and perhaps for their stack of pancakes which look delicious. I wouldn't come here specifically for their drinks or for their food though. Definitely a bit overpriced for its quality. If you don't mind experimenting with their ala carte dishes, you probably can come up with something nice and value-for-money. This is because I find their normal menu much nicer than that of their all-day breakfast. However, with it's location at Orchard and the relative ease of getting a seat, it's definitely a good place (for larger groups especially) to meet up. I would recommend, however, their baked goods such as muffins and cakes, especially for a takeaway.
Expect to pay: $20-30
#04-23/24
Orchard Central
181 Orchard Road
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