We Revisited SYIP’s Farrer Park Cafe In 2026—Does It Still Hold Up Today?

SYIP is a popular brunch cafe in Farrer Park

When it first opened four years ago in Farrer Park, SYIP drew plenty of crowds for their aesthetic space and tasty all-day brunch. Since then, the cafe, started by two sisters, has grown a lot more popular, even expanding to another outlet in Bendemeer.

SYIP: Minimalist Cafe Opens In Bendemeer With Mentaiko Shrimp Burgers And Octopus Rosti

We first visited them during the peak of the cafe craze, and were impressed enough to rate them a high 8.5/10! But with plenty of new contenders popping up since then, we returned to see if they’re still worth that score.

Food at SYIP

My colleagues and I kicked off brunch with their best-selling Creamy Chicken Scrambled Egg Croissant ($20++). The plate was a sight for sore eyes—and our then rumbling stomachs—with the overflowing scrambled eggs and sauce cascading down the buttery croissant.

Despite the time we took snapping shots of the croissant, it held up remarkably well and didn’t ever turn soggy. Instead, it was light and fluffy on the inside, while crisp and flaky on the outside, thanks to the blanket of soft scrambled eggs that shielded it from all the sauce. It also helped that the croissant was cut into three and arranged as separate towers, minimising the surface area that sat in the puddles of sauce below.

The pieces of mushroom and pork sausage did well to provide firmer textures that varied from the softness of the eggs and croissant, and overall brought the dish together more cohesively.

The cream sauce was rather light; definitely not the kind that easily becomes jelak after a few bites. Admittedly, we did feel that there wasn’t any other flavour profile except cream, but this wasn’t a major issue, as the subtle flavours complemented the rich and meaty pork sausage.

If you’re looking for something to satisfy your inner carnivore, try their Wagyu Slider Egg Benedict ($24++). Each plate comes with two open sandwiches, each topped with a hefty Wagyu beef patty, guacamole, caramelised onions, gherkins, cheddar cheese, and finally, crowned with two poached eggs and Hollandaise. Everything was delicately balanced on a soft and slightly chewy English muffin.

As soon as it reached our table, my eyes locked onto the gorgeous eggs. Cutting into them revealed soft, silky, cloud-like whites and a golden, runny centre. Both eggs were doused in a buttery sauce, lending a delicious creaminess that paired perfectly with the savoury beef patties.

The dish also came with plenty of sweet, jammy caramelised onions and a spread of fresh guac for an added creaminess and nutty finish. All this may sound a tad overwhelming on paper, but everything worked in harmony, with the crunchy gherkins also helping to cut through the heavy combo with a bright tang.

That said, we felt that the burger patties weren’t the juiciest. Don’t get us wrong—they were seasoned well and packed with flavour, but they leaned on the drier side. We also would’ve liked one of the eggs to be a tad runnier, as parts of its yolk were slightly clumpy.

SYIP also offers non-brunch food such as rice bowls and pasta. Being a signature item, we went with the Iberico Jowl Butadon ($19++): freshly-steamed Japanese rice topped with a load of pork cheek slices, juicy sauteed mushrooms, yellow pickled radish, shredded nori, and a creamy egg yolk.

The pork cheek was the star of the bowl. Each slice was soft, tender, and slathered in a delicious sweet-savoury glaze, zhnged up by the creamy egg for an extra layer of indulgence. The tangy-sweet pickled radish was a nice touch too, lending a refreshing break between the rich flavours.

On the flipside, the rice was a major letdown. Though seasoned well with an umami-rich furikake blend, the rice was very dry and clumpy. It was a shame, especially since the rest of the dish was so well-executed flavour-wise.

From their array of desserts, we had their Kahlua Tiramisu ($12++). Given that the sisters used to focus on only tiramisu in their home-based business, it’s safe to say that they have ample experience in this area.

Our dealbreaker for any tiramisu is the texture of its ladyfingers, and thankfully, SYIP’s passed the test for us. They were not overly mushy, and thus each bite wasn’t too saturated with the boozy coffee liqueur. I confess that tiramisu is not my area of expertise, but I found the balance between the liqueur-soaked ladyfingers and sweet mascarpone cream to be well-executed. In fact, it was so good that we finished the entire dessert in one sitting!

As chocolate fans, we also loved how it came with a generous dusting of cocoa powder, plus a scatter of crunchy chocolate balls and shards for added texture.

Since SYIP serves specialty coffee, we knew we had to try some. We went with their popular Biscoff Cream Latte ($7++), a unique creation blending espresso with milk and smooth Biscoff cream, finished with crushed Biscoff biscuits.

If you’ve got a sweet tooth as we do, this drink’s the one for you. It may not be what coffee purists are looking for, but the sweet caramel flavours helped to mask the bitter taste of espresso that I haven’t learned to fully appreciate.

We also tried their Iced Dirty Matcha ($7++). Matcha fans will surely appreciate this drink. It wasn’t overly sweet nor milky, and instead had a nice earthy, grassy flavour that paired great with the bitter shot of espresso.

SYIP sources their coffee from Compound Coffee Co. But if you’re not a huge fan of coffee, they also offer a large selection of other drinks, including various matcha concoctions and lemonades.

Ambience at SYIP

The cafe offers a comfortable space to dine in, accommodating around 40 diners at a time, in tables of four to six. Whether you choose to dine at their indoor area or breezy al fresco seating, you’re guaranteed a relaxing atmosphere to enjoy your meal. With its clean cream walls, wooden tables, and bright lighting, there are also plenty of opportunities for you to take a pretty IG story.

They’re known to get quite busy during peak hours, so we recommend making a reservation online before heading down to avoid any disappointment.

SYIP’s Farrer Park outlet is located along Owen Road. It’s just a quick four-minute walk from Farrer Park MRT Station, and it’s not too hard to navigate, even for someone as directionally challenged as I am. Because the walk is not sheltered, do make sure to bring an umbrella during wet weather.

SYIP – Eatbook review

Since opening four years ago, SYIP has and continues to attract crowds—and we can see why. The overall flavours hit the mark, and the prices were relatively affordable for cafe fare. That said, we have to deduct several points for the not-so-great execution of some elements. Still, we see ourselves coming back if we’re in the area, especially for their drinks and desserts.

If you’re looking for other cafes to frequent, check out Lantine in Farrer Park for an IG-worthy dessert cafe with elegant “Neo-Chinese” decor. Otherwise, read our guide to the best Hong Kong cafes in Singapore.

10 Hong Kong Cafes In Singapore To Feel Like You’re In A Mongkok Cha Chaan Teng

Address: 79 Owen Road, Singapore 218895
Opening hours: Daily 9am to 6pm
Website
SYIP is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by Nathania Tay.
This is an independent review by Eatbook.sg.
By: originally written by Enya Tan on 15 February 2022.