Brunch and Bubbles on Bridges Street!
Ah breakfast, the most important meal of the day. Whether you’re a crispy-bacon-and-eggs-lover, or a fluffy-pancake-stacker, there’s bound to be something to satisfy you at The Bottle Shop.
Though a fusion brunch isn’t a regular option for me, I was more than happy to have try something new. With a laid-back vibe, friendly staff and a homely feel, we were fans as soon as we stepped into this quaint spot. The space is on the smaller, intimate side (like most new joints in our overflowing city), but its split into sections to craftily display their international craft collection.
As a little weekend bonus, this brunch offers free flow for just $100! Inclusive of two house selected taps of craft beer, house red, house white, coffee and tea, the deal lasts for 100 minutes (beginning from the start of the table tab). Available from 9am to 3pm every Saturday and Sunday throughout October, this offer is really too good to pass up!
Given that it was 11:30am on a workday, we (sadly) had to pass on the bottles and bottles of beer this place is known for! Though we did get to sip on heavenly hazelnut, and vanilla infused beers straight from the tap, we ultimately settled on coffee and tea.
Our Sassy Partnerships Manager, Surmayee, began with the chocolate mocha, made with Raiz the Bar chocolate. As delicious as liquid chocolate is, I was still set on my drink of choice: the Red Flat White. Caffeine-free and flavour-full, this new discovery of Rooibos was just my cup of tea (pun intended). The modest staff admitted that they were still working on improving their “coffee artwork”, but we drank it so quickly, we barely had a second to notice.
The brunch menu is conveniently split into sweet and savoury, and we began with The Spicy Baked Eggs. The unique combination of flavours included a tomato-base, chunky chorizo and generous dollops of creamy goats cheese, which was delighfully different to any other “egg and toast” we’d ever had when paired with fresh brioche.
The sweet Fried Bioche with Kaya was next to arrive – and it was every bit as glorious as it sounds. Soft, fluffy and filling, this one ticked all the boxes. To top it of, the fresh strawberries, blueberries and raspberries cut through the sweet maple syrup and copious amount of kaya (for all the coconut lovers!). Though I’m not personally a Vitasoy fan, the pana cotta definitely brought back nostalgic childhood memories.
Think “thick, stacked, traditional pancakes” with a flavour upgrade that happens to be bright green! Yep, we’re talking Pandan Pancakes with fresh berries, nata de coco coconut jelly, Happy Cow dairy-free ice-cream and salted palm sugar syrup… a winning combination. Though I would ask for the red bean paste on the side, it actually didn’t overpower the other flavours like we thought it might. After shamelessly stuffing our faces, Surmayee and I both admitted that these were some of the fluffiest pancakes we’d ever had!
After the meal, we were treated to little pots of freshly made yogurt and honey; the perfect end to a sugar-filled brekkie!
If you’re looking to try new, fun flavours, don’t miss the brunch at The Bottle Shop. We loved that this was a brunch we really couldn’t (read: wouldn’t be able to) make at home. With intriguing combinations, colourful presentation and a free-flow drink option, this brunch spot is a must-try.
The Bottle Shop, 15 Bridges Street, Central, Hong Kong, www.thebottleshop.hk
Tania & Surmayee