We were impressed by the Taro Latte. The bold, purple provided the perfect juxtaposition to the green mug it was served within. Silky smooth and very creamy, the forth gave way to a rather flavoursome and very pleasant taro aroma. While the taro flavour became more muted as the drink progressed, it was overall highly pleasant and a great start to our breakfast.
The Denny Benny looked absolutely sensational. Topped with two perfectly poached eggs, sprawling underneath was a crispy soft shell crab fried to a beautiful golden brown. The tempura crumb provided an exceptional crunch, and the textures were well contrasted by the exceedingly runny poached egg. This was served on top of a lightly toasted and soft beetroot-coloured english muffin, providing a slightly spongy feedback. Drizzled all over was an abundance of very colourful and bright yellow turmeric hollandaise. Despite the vibrant colours of the whole dish though, we felt that the flavours could’ve been much bolder, from the hollandaise to even the soft shell crab itself.
We also enjoyed the Breakfast Pizza. With a nice thin base and a crispy crust, we found the tomato base sweet and rich. This was accompanied by soft tender slices of ham, as well as a sweet and very refreshing beetroot relish that provided an earthy sensation. While we would’ve preferred more cheese throughout, the brie and cheddar within was of high quality and provided good flavour. Customising the dish by topping it with a sunny side fried egg and some mushrooms provided a creamy and juicy sensation, and made the already flavoursome pizza even more palatable.
We ended our meal with the very photogenic Oreo Waffle. Quite literally spilling out of the bucket, we found the waffle spongey and soft, with a pleasant vanilla flavour permeating throughout. This was well complemented by the aptly sweet white chocolate ganache, providing a nice milky creaminess throughout. The softness was well contrasted by the crunch of the Oreo biscuits as well as the crisp tartness of the fresh berries throughout. Unfortunately, the weakest part of the dessert would be the Oreo ice cream, which was far too icy on this occasion and wasn’t nearly as creamy as we had hoped.
The Mediocre
The Iced Mocha was also a spectacular sight. Served individually, you were meant to theatrically pour the hot glass of chocolate-infused milk into the sparkling sphere of frozen coffee. The sphere melted on impact, and initially provided a nice coffee flavour that blended well with the chocolate milk. However, the outer layers of the sphere soon melted away and so did the coffee flavour as the inner sphere was merely just a block of ice. Lots of fun, but didn’t quite deliver on taste.
Despite the brilliant views and beachside location, the prices are undeniably on the high side. Charging $6 for a mere 5 slices of king oyster mushrooms seems a bit rich, even when you are right by the beach…
The Bad
Nothing.
The Verdict
As the sister cafe to the now famous Glass Den, Butler’s Den provides patrons with a meal that is creative, very photogenic and undeniably Instagram-able. However, the flavours universally fell short on expectations given how brilliant the dishes were all presented, and generally could’ve been bolder and more forward – to match the vibrance of both the colours of the dishes as well as the location it is situated in.
Would Penguin Eat Again?
Sure. I’d be back for more outrageous desserts for sure!
Penguineats would like to thank Butler’s Den for inviting us.
