As a family, we spend a lot of time in the River Valley area for my son’s school and extra-curricular activities. We also lived in the area for almost seven years before we became a family. So, needless to say, we’re no stranger to the Robertson Quay area by the Singapore River which houses numerous restaurants, from new trendy ones to the tried and true ones that has been in operation for decades. We often found ourselves going for a stroll by the river all the way to Great World City.
This year I took a short break from accompanying my son to his activities when I gave birth to my second child. But now that I’m fresh out of that “fourth trimester” haze, I’ve started going out again. While strolling through our familiar river walk, we noticed a new restaurant has opened up where Kubo used to be. It’s Toma by The River, newly opened in June 2024. We had a glance at their menu and decided to give it a go for their breakfast menu, which they serve til 3PM on weekends.
Here is what we ordered:
I went for the Caprese Sandwich ($18) which was described as butter croissant sandwich, rucola, roma tomatoes, cherry bufala mozzarella, balsamic, basil pesto.
I have to admit I only glanced at the details, so I was in for a surprise when they delivered a croissant sandwich. I even thought they delivered the wrong dish since I didn’t expect it to come with croissant. Yes, I know croissant was the first ingredient they listed, but I did not expect it from a Caprese sandwich. I expected it to be served on ciabatta or focaccia.
In any case, the dish itself was very tasty. I liked the addition of pine nuts and crushed pistachio for some texture.
My husband ordered the Potato Hash (S$20), described as home-made potato hash, guacamole, cherry salsa, dukkah, poached egg, ketchup & home-made mayo, balsamic.
I had a bite of the potato hash, and I have to say it was also very delicious. The aromatic cumin flavor really came through from the dukkah, which I think pairs really well with guacamole. Side note: I always add a dash of cumin when I make guac at home, so this taste profile is right up my alley.
While the flavor and presentation of both dishes impressed me, I was not super impressed with the portion size. They’re barely a meal to me, more like… a snack.
Another thing we were not impressed is my husband’s coffee. He ordered long black, but was served almost boiling hot. I feel getting coffee temperature wrong is such an elementary mistake, so I’m docking some points from them in my book.
That said, if I happen to be in the area with friends, I wouldn’t mind coming back here since really, the food is not bad and the vibe is on point. I would not come here if I was hangry because I would be very disappointed. I suppose if you have a small appetite, this place will do.
Looking for a place to eat in Singapore? This post is part of my reviews of restaurants and other food places in Singapore. For more posts like this, check out “Dining Out in Singapore” category