Cafe RAF at Grafunkt Design District, Funan (Closed)

Homegrown furniture retailer Grafunkt opens a 13,500 square feet showroom in Funan Mall and calls it the Grafunkt Design District. Every district in Singapore must have a hip F&B outlet, and so Grafunkt Design District has a Cafe RAF. The stylish new RAF Cafe in Funan serves specialty coffee, cakes and simple affordable meals.

Grafunkt Design District is located on the fourth level of Funan Mall. The bar of RAF dominates the entrance to Grafunkt. There are high bar chairs at the counter. A small dining area is just behind the bar. The area is separated from the rest of the Grafunkt showroom by low open shelves. There is an eclectic mix of furniture, with the pieces, we supposed, taken from the furniture retail stock.

The cosy seating area of Cafe RAF offers unique views – a view of designer furniture and home decor accessories on one side and the Funan Sky Garden on the other.

If you prefer to people watch, there is another seating area out in the atrium, which is opposite the entrance to the showroom.

Menu of Cafe RAF

Cafe RAF is described as a “partnership with alumnus of Three Michelin starred Guy Savoy & Eleven Madison Park. Dishing out a slice of Melbourne with specialty coffee, honest delicious meals & the simple things in life done well“. We cannot find more information about the team in the kitchen of RAF but the food menu offers typical Australian casual cafe items. There are acai bowls, all day breakfast and mains such as pasta, steak and fish.

Hot and cold beverages, cocktails, beers and wine are available at RAF Cafe in Funan. Below are pictures of the drinks list and menu.

Currently, Cafe RAF has a reasonably priced 2-course set menu and a 3-course set menu.

Set Meal at RAF Cafe in Funan

The set meals of RAF Cafe in Funan are available for lunch and dinner except that the 2 course set is not available on weekends and public holidays. We had a 2 course set ($18) and two 3 course set ($24) and so got to try every item on the set meal menu.

Starters

The 2 starters were mesclun salad and tomato soup. The salad had a light dressing. Cherry tomatoes and raisins added contrasting textures and sweetness to the salad. The salty-sweet-tangy combination of the various ingredients was a balanced and delightful one.

The creamy tomato soup was tangy, not too thin, but not overly thick. It went well with the toasted garlic bread.

Chicken Fish & Pasta

The harissa chicken thigh looked kind of pale and ordinary. However, the fried chicken with the garlicky North African spice paste was packed with complex flavours. The chicken had thin crispy skin with tender meat inside. It was an enjoyable dish.

The pan seared snapper had a rather insipid appearance. The taste of the fish was fine but not that exciting. The dish was saved by the Spanish romesco sauce which had a zippy peppery flavour.

The mushroom carbonara was surprisingly good. The orecchiette, pasta shaped like small ears, had a nice interesting variable texture, soft in the middle and chewier at the edges. The creamy mushroom carbonara sauce was deliciously rich. The mushrooms added a bouncy texture and earthy flavours. It was a simple meatless pasta dish that was well done.

Deserts & Coffee

The desserts were coconut panna cotta and lemon meringue tart. The look looked inviting. It was nice but we thought it was too sweet overall. We liked the plain looking coconut panna cotta better. It was creamy and delicate, with a custard-like texture. The berries balanced the sweetness with a bit of tanginess. We enjoyed the panna cotta.

The 3 course meal came with coffee. Cafe RAF’s coffee had a well-balanced coffee taste and a satisfying aroma.

Nice Cafe in a Furniture Shop

We are familiar with the very popular cafe in another furniture shop, IKEA. Well, the furniture at Grafunkt Design District would be a few notches above what you will find in IKEA. The food and coffee at Cafe RAF are similarly different from the cheap and nice food and very average coffee at IKEA. However, the prices at Cafe RAF are reasonable and still affordable even for the ordinary patrons. We hope Cafe RAF will be successful but, for selfish reasons, we hope it will not become as crowded as the cafe at IKEA. We like RAF Cafe in Funan as a cosy haven with good food, and where we can feel relax and feast our eyes on beautiful designer furniture.

Ratings:
Food: 3
Service: 4
Value: 4
Atmosphere: 3
Overall Rating: 4 TOPs

RAF
107 North Bridge Road
04-27 Funan Mall
Singapore 179105

Tel: +65 6336 6046

Opening Hours: 11.30 am – 9 pm

Nearby MRT Station: City Hall

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