The Ranch

Ambience: Casual, cosy, quiet little cafe, hidden at the end of one of the nondescript lorongs in Geylang. The darkened interior offers some respite from the blazing hot sun outside, but the seats near the entrances can still be quite glaring. It was still a little bit warm inside the middle of the restaurant where we were seated, but it wasn't too uncomfortable. There was a party of officeworkers celebrating a birthday at the next table which gave the whole place a homely vibe. You get the idea that most of the customers are regulars.

Parking: There isn't much kerbside parking and the summon-auntie is quite regular in Geylang, so you'll have to park at the open-air carpark one street before.

Menu: We usually pop by for a quick lunch, so we look out for the really affordable and fast-service two-course set lunches (from $7.90). As it was a hot day, we decided against the deepfried Fish & Chips and settled for the Grilled Chicken set instead, served with soup of the day.

Service: We were served by an polite young man who seated us, presented menus, served iced water, took our orders and served with the professionalism and efficiency of a well-trained server. He was very helpful with our selection, knowledgeable about food offerings and even endured our friendly banter. At billing, he followed up with an enquiry of our meal experience, which was again a very personal touch. Wonderful!

Flavours and Presentation: The mushroom soup was served in a cute ramekin with a sprinkle of herbs on the top. Classy. However, the soup itself was a little watered-down and it wasn't hot. Bit of a let down as the flavours of the soup would have been better appreciated at a higher temperature. Good amount of soup, not too filling.

The mains came arranged carefully on a large platter. There was a generous serve of mixed salad (green and red lettuce with two wedges of tomato) and a large piece of grilled chicken, skin-on. The chicken chop was plump and juicy without being oily, and the grill flavour on the skin was nice and smoky without being overpowering. A home-made mushroom sauce was drizzled over the chicken but fortunately did not detract too much from the grilled flavour. Instead of the usual fries, there were about three large spoonfuls of baked beans (cold from the can) to complete the presentation. Sure to be a hit with carb-free dieters.

Verdict: Affordable, value-for-money set lunches if you want to enjoy conversation with friends and colleagues. There nearby coffeeshops are not as conducive to conversations. Staff interaction makes for a very pleasant experience.