Invited Session: Cafe on the Ridge

It's not often that I actually get offers to attend food samplings or tasting sessions, but a lunch invitation right from home in NUS? Now that's something special to me. Much thanks must go to the lovely people from the National University of Singapore Society (NUSS), Ikram and Gayle, for having me over for lunch at the members-only Cafe on the Ridge at the spanking new NUSS Kent Ridge Guild House.

While most of the NUSS Guild Houses are strictly for NUSS members and NUS Faculty Staff, the Bukit Timah Guild House along Cluny Road meanwhile is open to the public, and I also hear that its restaurant The Dunearn is helmed by someone who was previously from Les Amis. Lush greenery surrounding a newly restored colonial bungalow (winner of the Urban Redevelopment Authority Architectural Heritage Awards too!), this place really sounds like an epicurean Eden and I'm definitely making a visit here next month. And if you're interested, The Dunearn is also holding a blogging contest! Details on that would be posted up very soon, so stay tuned!

Of course, before I get too carried away, let us return to the Cafe on the Ridge :)

Soups and Appetisers


Cafe on the Ridge boasts value-for-money three-course lunch set meals at $19.90++, where you get a choice of a salad, a soup and a main course. While Ikram had the Onion Soup, I opted for the Lobster Bisque instead, and boy was it thick and flavourful. Of course, it was more soup than anything else since there wasn't much lobster meat in it. The Prawn Cocktail Salad and the Grilled Chicken Salad meanwhile were quite alright, admittedly not the most appealing for a seasoned meat-eater like me.

Garden Salad


It certainly looks pretty, which explains for the name that I came up with (because I didn't take down the actual name haha!). Best for those on detox after a weekend of gastronomic indulgence.

Seafood Aglio Olio


Ikram's personal recommendation was spot-on, and this is really one of the much better renditions of the seafood algio olio pasta that I've ever tried. I'm not kidding, and it's not because I'm obliged to give a glowing review just because it was an invited session. Put tiger prawns, scallops and squids in a slightly spicy, well-cooked and well-oiled pasta and hey, this is a winner.

Nasi Goreng Istimewa


My best friend, whom I brought along for lunch, got herself the in-house favourite. I've read a lot about this dish on Keropokman's blog, and I can definitely see why it is so popular. There's fried rice with a sunny-side up yes, as well as achar, prawn crackers, ayam masak merah, beef rendang and sambal prawns. That's a lot of things for lunch right! The best friend likes it a lot, so one more fan for the Nasi Goreng Istimewa!

Tenderloin Steak


Ikram had the tenderloin steak, but I have to admit that it didn't look as filling as my pasta or the best friend's fried rice. Maybe we should try the steak at The Dunearn, I saw it on the placemat and it looks very enticing indeed! Once again, look out for details on the blogging contest soon!

Service
Excellent. Of course, we're invited guests so we were treated especially well :)

Price
$19.90++ for the three-course set lunch.

Place
NUSS Kent Ridge Guild House.

Pictures taken with the Canon EOS 500D.