So today's order was non-asian (after weeks of having noodles, dimsum and korean). I also had a craving for a good brunch place and I also wanted to do something different.
After going through numerous sites and various reviews, one place kept on popping up as highly recommended: Rider's Cafe. It looked like the perfect match for what I needed: brunch and somewhere out of the way (ie something different).
Riders Cafe is an al fresco restaurant. Located within the compound of Saddle Club of Singapore, it is not easily accessible (ie car or taxi only). But once your inside, it will be a treat. Today was a good day and saw some horses out and about. You can smell them but nothing too bad which can ruin your meal (not unless you are very very sensitive). Reservations are highly suggested (we waited almost an hour just to get a table for two).
Random shots @ Riders Cafe:
Any guess on what this is?
Our Orders
Truffle Fries - $10.00
My first knee jerk reaction to this was, PS Cafe's truffle fries was better. But when I started eating it, I can't stop. The fries just had the right amount of truffle oil. It was not overpowering nor did it leave a oily trail in the mouth. This was a good appetizer.
Blackstone Benedict: Looks good but the egg was over cooked.
The first set of eggs benedict looked good but unfortunately it was overcooked. This was after waiting for the seats for an hour and another 30 mins for the food. Service was pretty apologetic though and they promised that they will expedite a perfect benedict. So after 5 mins, we got this:
Blackstone Benedict Part 2: Looks good, smelled good, was very good. Good save: $16.00
I forgive them... These are excellent egg benedicts. Between this, PS Cafe, and Jones the grocer, this is the champ. The egg (part 2) was cooked perfectly. Pair that with a crunchy toast and bacon... YUMMY. Plus under the eggs is a secret which I found to be very good. There is a toasted sweet tomato under the eggs. Mix them all together (hollandaise, eggs, bacon, sour dough, and tomato) and you have a perfect brunch!
Shepherd's Pie - $22.00
Didn't know why i ordered this. I liked it but halfway through I felt so full. It was quite heavy as there is a thick mashed potato under that layer of cheese. Underneath that mashed potato is a generous amount of beef ragout. This tasted good but somehow I was wishing I ordered something else. (Which I will do as I will visit them again :D)
Salted Caramel Brioche - $12.00
What can I say, salty + sweet = the best dessert. What you see above is the best $12 dessert in Singapore. I loved everything in it: from the crunchy brioche drizzle with salty caramel to the vanilla ice cream and the sweet crisp on top. I would suggest to eat this fast as when the ice cream melts, it does become very very sweet.
Our dessert and coffee pic. Macchiato - $3.50 and Latte - $4.50
You'll need the coffee with the caramel brioche to add some bitterness. Trust me, the pairing of the caramel brioche and the machiatto was perfect.
Price and Value
We paid $80 for all of the items above and you know what, it was worth it. I want to try the other dishes and I didn't feel like that this place was overpriced like those brunch places in the city. I did find the Shepherd's pie to be a bit simple but I have my eyes on the french bread which was a crowd favorite earlier. This could have been a 4.5 I think if I ordered that but for sure we will be back for more!!!
Rating:
Food - 4
Ambiance - 4.5
Value - 4
Service - 4
Overall 4 of 5
Repeat Factor (No!! No! Yes Yes! Yes!!):
Yes!
Address: 51 Fairways Drive Singapore 286965 Bukit Timah Saddle Club
Tel no: +65 6466 9819
Website: http://www.riderscafe.sg/
Reservation is recommended specially on weekends (you've been warned). Walk-in wait is about 30 mins to 1 hour.
