The breakfast club. Wild Honey.

There’s always a queue outside Wild Honey at Mandarin Gallery.

Seems people can’t get enough of all-day breakfast/brunch. And they’re prepared to wait at least 30 minutes or more for a seat, to get a choice of brunch plates from around the world.

Don’t expect to find anything particularly surprising on the menu – they’ve taken the usual pancakes, eggs, sausages, waffles, paired them up in different combinations and given them a belonging to a certain country.

The dish I enjoyed most at Wild Honey was actually not any of the breakfast plates but the Goat’s Cheese Salad.

Fresh salad leaves accompanied by beautiful deep-fried slabs of goat’s cheese. What’s not to like?? (Unfortunately I lapped up my salad before remembering to take a photo. Oops.)

I’m also a huge Eggs Benedict fan – which they call the European. Unfortunately my poached eggs came a little overdone, which kind of ruins the whole point about Eggs Benedict really. But the Hollandaise sauce was nicely done and the ham was a bit more like prosciutto than the usual sliced meats. 

The European - Eggs Benedict served on brioche

The Tunisian breakfast is supposed to be rather popular, but it turned out to be maggie-mee-seasoned tomato sauce in a pan with eggs. And some chilli. Not so great after all.

However, Wild Honey does a very soothing honey, vanilla, cinnamon drink, served warm, called Nature’s Remedy. It’s the perfect antidote to a long day, or a non-alcoholic nightcap to clear a stuffed nose or revel in warmth.

What irks me, though, is the semi-self-service format – they don’t take reservations so you have to wait to be seated. But then ordering is self-service at the counter, and you pay upon ordering where they charge you service charge although they haven’t done much “serving” up to that point! Subsequently, the food is served at your table but none of the wait staff are particularly warm and welcoming.

It’s a very strange not-here-not-there way to run a restaurant. I’m ok if it’s novel and it works. But I don’t think it actually adds value to anyone’s experience really.

Pity because the place is actually quite cozy with cool art-deco-type furnishings.  

All in all, I doubt I'd be back often, unless I'm craving a fancy-ish meal, mediocre service and prepared to wait for them.