The Place SYIP first opened last June in Farrer Park and was instantly a hit in the neighbourhood with its minimalist space and soothing aesthetics. The popular café which was started by a pair of sisters just opened a new second outlet in Bendemeer at Luzerne building, just few minutes’ walk from Boon Keng MRT Station. The new space of SYIP Bendemeer is very spacious and is definitely one of the most spacious we have seen in Singapore’s context, especially in the city district. 

There are different dining sections at SYIP Bendemeer where you get a good dose of natural light at the metallic industrial seats near the entrance. 

Head inwards and there are regular dining tables which overlook the coffee counter. 

Towards the end of the cafe space are cosy booth seats if you prefer to dine in privacy. 

The Food For once, no Eggs Benedict on the menu. That is a good start, I told The Rantee, one of the most overdone brunch dishes in my opinion. 

I took interest in The Breakfast Tart (S$21), a puff pastry decorated with bacon, mushrooms, leek, scrambled eggs and dressed in ikura caviar beurre blanc. The name itself sounds promising, and the taste does not disappoint.

I like the crispy puff pastry and the beurre blanc is buttery enough for me which I scooped it all with the pastry. 

I was also recommended the Octopus Mentaiko Rosti (S$23) where the potato rosti is topped with charred octopus, mentaiko mayo, ikura and bonito flakes. Expect a crispy rosti texture which is made better with the sinful mentaiko mayo. Overall, this is quite a unique and positive take on rosti. 

For sides to share, I ordered the Shimeji Mushroom Fritters (S$12) with yuzu brown butter dip. An addictive and crispy snack to share, this reminds me of the Taiwanese street snack. 

There are other mains dishes on the menu to consider as well, such as the Mentaiko Shrimp Burger (S$20) and Tiger Prawn Squid Ink Linguine (S$22). 

For sweets, the Kaya Butter French Toast (S$17) sounds too good to pass for me. This is a combination of sweet and savoury as it also comes with a 63 degrees Celsius eggs by the side.

The brioche French toast is decorated with bits kaya and served with Furikake butter by the side. Personally, I wish the kaya flavour had more oomph and a stronger pandan element. The addition of the eggs also seems a tad incongruous for me. 

In terms of drinks, go for the Matcha (S$6) latte if you love your green tea where the matcha powder used is by Niko Neko, a popular matcha specialty brand from Kuala Lumpur. 

The Black (S$4.5) and White (S$5.50) coffee I tried are also robust in flavour where SYIP uses Single Origin Ethiopia beans from Compound Coffee during my visit. Alternatively, there are also options like Hojicha (S$6) latte or various tea flavours by local tea brand Antea Social. 

Rants The dining section near the entrance is quite cold. Note that no reservations are taken for now as well. 

Will I Return Again? Finally, there is a decent cafe in Boon Keng and SYIP is a strong addition and option for residents here. It is a convenient city fridge location with ample parking in the building, and I like that the menu deviates from the typical brunch fares with a strong character of its own. The spacious layout also makes it a conducive space to dine in. 

This was an invited tasting, though all opinions expressed are our own.

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 4/5
Hole in the pocket: 3.5/5
Ambience: 4/5
Overall Experience: 4/5

SYIP (Bendemeer) 
72 Bendemeer Road (Luzerne Building)  
#01-05 
Singapore 33994 

Opening Hours 
Monday to Sunday: 9am to 6pm 

Ranted by The Ranter