Vegetarian Eats: Elephant Grounds BGC

Coffee, brunch, and dessert. Three words that I'm all too enthusiastic for - and all of which accurately depict what you can expect at the newly opened Elephant Grounds in BGC. I'm always ready to try out new cafes, no matter how long the queue outside can get. 

This cafe has been blowing up on my Instagram feed and has been highly recommended by some of my friends. The waiting time is about 20-30 mins on a regular day and to be honest, could have ruffled up my feathers quite a bit.  However, the New York-style-cafe aesthetic, the chill ambience, and the smell of caffeine and good food set me in a more patient mood. And if it wasn't already obvious, the wait was worth it. 

I first thought that Elephant Grounds was strictly a coffee joint. However, the menu is more expansive than I originally imagined with meals and dessert; But it's leaner than what you'd expect from your typical restaurant. Whenever a menu has a few items, it's always a source of worry for me as a vegetarian with limited options to begin with. However, with a few adjustments, I've found that you can make a dish vegetarian-friendly in a snap.

If I could recommend a delish dish perpetually and likely until I'm on my death bed, I'd strongly nominate EG's Skinny Nori Fries. For a few minutes, I couldn't stop raving about how good they are. Seriously, I had to stop myself. The crispy fries with the perfect seasoning can cure any craving for a li'l sodium. Heed my warning though, do not be deceived by the word "Skinny". If anything, skinny probably refers to the fries' shape, not how diet-friendly it is.

Skinny Nori Fries, a blessing from the Lord.

Even if I had fries, I had to order toast as well. I'm a sucker for carbs. I was surprised though when I ordered the Avocado toast - I don't normally like its taste. I was even more surprised taking a bite out of my toastie. Tucked beneath the many many slices of avo was a generous spread of a hummus-pesto blend. Perfection. And the bread? Sourdough. Baked right in their kitchen with a tough crust but soft and chewy on the inside. My knees got weak just describing the thing. The only adjustment I made was that I asked for them to give me a scrambled egg instead of poached. Just a personal preference. Even then, I'm glad I ordered it. 10/10.

Flash forward to the next morning after I had that fabulous dinner. Elisha and I went out after an intense Lagree workout session, hungry for lunch. Guess where we decided to go? None other than our beloved post-workout Sunday brunch scene: Elephant Grounds. 

I was talking her up about how good their food is. We were looking forward to this for a long time. With our legs shaking from the intense workout and our stomachs grumbling for nourishment, we were ready to feast. 

You can't say you experienced Elephant Grounds if you haven't had their coffee. I ordered a cappuccino with soy milk (surprise surprise). I took my first sip and loved the roasted coffee bean taste. However, other than that, their cappuccino was honestly pretty average. Just like any other cappuccino.

Elisha ordered their Salted Caramel Latte. Although I didn't get a photo of it, I suggest you order it if you love the flavour. Normally, salted caramel-flavored food / drinks are very sweet. However, she described is as having just the right amount of sweetness. Nothing crazy. She enjoyed it thoroughly and made me curious. I'll have it the next time 'round (oh, there will be a next time).

For food, I ordered one of their newest items. Their Egg Salad Toast was another vegetarian-friendly dish (if you ask to remove the furikake toppings - it's made out of fish). WARNING. If you're not fond of mayonnaise, this is not the dish for you. Mayonnaise is a hit or miss for me but for this particular dish, it was a miss. Towards the middle, I started scraping off the mayo because it was too much for me. The Avocado Toast still wins. If it's any consolation though, they used the same sourdough bread that I'm a really big fan of. 

I meant to write about their dessert but that deserves a separate post - ice cream, Yoghurt bowls, and cookies galore. I have a huge sweet tooth and am very excited to try their dessert selection. I'll be back at Elephant Grounds very soon enough, tugging along with me my big camera and armed with an even bigger appetite.