Bonjour by Ma Cuisine: A brunch spot by a Michelin-starred French restaurant with great food and vibes

Are you tired of paying over the odds for generic brunch food? While Singapore has no shortage of glamorously decorated cafes, the food can sometimes be rather underwhelming and run-of-the-mill.

If you’re on the hunt for a place where the vibes and food are both immaculate though, Bonjour by Ma Cuisine is a new cafe that should be on your radar.

Located along Craig Road, it’s the day-time alter ego of Ma Cuisine, a French restaurant that has been awarded one Michelin star every year since 2018 (except 2020, when the Michelin Guide was halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic). 

Everything is housed on the ground floor of a vintage shophouse. Set under a chic red awning, the al fresco area feels extra idyllic, with daylight trickling onto the suite of rattan chairs and tables — a bit of a Parisian cafe vibe.

Being a brunch spot, though, Bonjour by Ma Cuisine operates only from 8am to 2.30pm on weekdays, but offers a pretty extensive menu with a whole smorgasbord of hearty French dishes at a more reasonable price.

Elegant and decently priced

If there’s one thing that has people coming to Bonjour by Ma Cuisine, it’s the croque madame truffe (S$28.80) — its version of the classic French sandwich, jazzed up with truffles.

Its ooey gooey eggporn might be the focus for most people, but the dish was exceptionally executed. The sandwich itself was delicately airy and crunchy, while the yolk added a good touch of silkiness.

More importantly, the truffle came through nicely and elegantly, blending nicely into the rest of the ingredients, without tasting overly pungent or overwhelming.

For the pasta-crazed foodies, the linguine au parmesan (S$14.80) was another must-order amongst all of Bonjour by Ma Cuisine’s signatures.

Delicate, springy, and perfectly al dente ribbons of linguine, enrobed in plush and creamy parmesan, for S$14.80? Hell yeah.

Once again, execution was key for this dish. It’s exceedingly simple, but Bonjour by Ma Cuisine keeps the balance pristine, as it tasted rich and fragrant and not anywhere near heavy and cloying — a problem that plagues similar pasta dishes.

Another much-recommended signature is the quenelle de brochet sauce nantua (S$20.80), which was markedly different from your usual toasts and pastas.

This dish is a local delicacy from the region of Lyon in France and is basically a dumpling-esque dish made with fish and flour, amongst other things, and served in a seafood sauce.

It can be a bit of an acquired taste but, once again, Bonjour by Ma Cuisine got all the basics right as the quenelle texture was soft and pillowy — vaguely reminiscent of fish-paste yong tau foo — while the sauce was an addictive blend of crustacean sweetness and brininess.

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Sweet endings

Bonjour by Ma Cuisine’s savoury items were what impressed us the most, but the sweets were pretty impressive too, in their own right.

Those who love caramelised sweets would probably be infatuated with the pain perdu kaya ou creme anglaise (S$14.50), a French toast served with kaya cream.

Oh boy, the caramelisation on the toast was sublime, as it crackled melodiously and exuded a toasty, almost-toffee-like fragrance.

On top of that, you get a delightful dose of light kaya notes from the cream — light and tasteful, not at all obtrusive.

As with any cafe, Bonjour by Ma Cuisine provides many different forms of caffeine, ranging from espresso ($S4.80) to affogato (S$7).

If caffeine isn’t a key consideration though, we recommend getting the chocolat Viennois (S$12) instead, for a thirst quencher.

The chocolate was thick and exquisite with floral undertones and the accompanying cream was so fluffy and creamy — nothing like your usual cafe hot chocolates. 

If you ask us, this is the cafe that all brunch aficionados need to visit.

Bonjour by Ma Cuisine has shown that it’s one of the best new cafes in Singapore and has likely become one of our favourite places to visit when in Tanjong Pagar — especially considering how expensive quality French food can be.

For more ideas on what to eat, read our stories on where you can feast on the juiciest satay and the heartwarming story of family-ran Japanese hawker stall Unkai.

Enjoy up to 50% off when you dine with GrabFood Dine Out.

You can also book a ride to Bonjour by Ma Cuisine for some of the best French food in Singapore!