Nestled on the third floor of the Singapore Institute of Technology building is 9th ave., a student-run restaurant which opened on March 11, 2019. The restaurant is named after RP’s address, 9 Woodlands Avenue 9, and is one of three training restaurants in RP which aim to hone students’ customer service and culinary skills under the guidance of lecturers.
When I walked in, I second-guessed myself if the restaurant was really a student-run facility. The atmosphere was cozy and I was greeted by the music and smell of the food. The open kitchen concept was a great touch as it not only made the restaurant look bigger, the patrons were able to witness their food in the making.
I had the roasted spring chicken with oven-baked vegetables ($9.50), one of their protein fixes recommended by the friendly waiter, as my meal. The chicken was cooked to perfection, and it was moist and juicy. The vegetables was blanched perfectly and was not soggy at all. The red wine sauce complemented the chicken very well as it was not too cloy and rich. Who would have thought that this was prepared by a student?
I had the baked cheesecake ($4.20) as my dessert. It had an interesting appearance – the cheesecake was shaped like a boat, with a buttery and sugary crust as its base. As I took my first bite, I was pleasantly surprised that there were apple slices lining the bottom of the cheesecake and also a lime glaze on top which helped to lighten the taste of the cheese.
To finish the meal, I had a macchiato ($2). Even though I have had better macchiatos which look and taste better, the price of the drink tips the scale for me.
My first trip to 9th ave. was worthwhile and made me consider coming back. I would definitely try the rest of the menu that the restaurant has to offer. Bearing in mind that this is a student-run restaurant, the food I had was splendid. The prices here are unbeatable as a dish would almost cost double in a similar restaurant elsewhere. For the Muslims, do note there are some dishes which contain alcohol so do check with the waiter.
9th ave. is opened from Mondays to Fridays, between 8 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. While no reservations are required for breakfast and high tea, don’t forget to book a reservation for lunch as the place is packed at that time. I had experienced this myself a day before I actually tried this place as I walked in with no reservation and they simply had no spot for me.
I had a pleasant dining experience and 9th ave. is another dinning option to check out if you are tired of the usual fare at the canteen.
