Miyama

Miyama is a minimalist cafe based on omotenashi, the Japanese concept of hosting mindfully. The extended-hours spot serves homely breakfast and lunch dishes, right through to house-made desserts that beckon a post-work drop in. Owners and partners Monica Nguyen and William Luu took cues from the cafes their travels in Japan and Thailand, where many cafes stay open until the early evening.

Made in-house by a team of pastry chefs, the sweets on offer here are all vegetarian and halal-friendly, thanks to Nguyen’s exclusion of gelatine and alcohol from her recipes. One standout is the beautifully presented strawberry shortcake, which comes in a clear glass cup that puts its meticulous multilayered construction on display. The banoffee tart sees neat and decadent layers of velvety cream and banana hugged by a biscuit crust.

The savoury menu is focused on hearty brunch food. A slow-cooked, vegetarian Japanese curry base is made in-house and then paired with protein options like Wagyu beef, chargrilled seasonal vegetables or tofu. The oishi teishoku, meanwhile, is a set meal of rice, miso soup, and small servings of typical Japanese dishes like teriyaki chicken, onigiri, potato salad and seaweed-salad inari.

To drink, there are fruit spritzes in three flavours – yuzu, green grape and grapefruit – and an iced matcha-strawberry latte. More drinks, made with seasonal ingredients, are in the works for summer.