SIM Undergrad Serves Shiok Baked Curry Rice From His Parents’ Terrace House

Nightlife stint motivated him to start a café

Before Room Café, Bryan spent two years working as a floor manager at the now-defunct bar Stickies from 2022 to 2024. “After my experience working in nightlife, I realised I enjoy interacting with people. I did consider venturing into nightlife but it’s not a very sustainable industry right now, so the next best thing was a café,” Bryan shares.

A front porch that turns into a cosy café 

Bryan opened Room Café in May this year, fuelled by his love for cooking. “I like to cook for myself, especially Western food, and I usually cook for family and friends during Christmas, so that’s where my passion grew," he recalls.

His family’s home has a spacious porch that transforms into his café setup during operating hours. He lives with his parents, his girlfriend, his older brother and his sister-in-law. 

When the café is open, the family cars are moved out, and the space is transformed with foldable camping chairs and tables Bryan bought from Taobao. The setup has four to five tables that seats around 20 diners.

Where did he learn to cook? “I learned how to cook when I was 15. It started from cooking for myself for supper. I love spicy food, so I always cook aglio olio with chilli, fishballs, and canned mushrooms for myself. From there, my love for pasta grew,” he smiles.

Parents initially hesitant about running a café at home

Bryan’s parents, who once owned a café 20 years ago selling Western food and bakes, now run a business selling electrical components such as printed circuit boards. 

Their old café experience inspired Bryan, but they weren’t immediately sold on his idea. “I think at first, my parents were a bit sceptical about whether I could deliver in terms of food or if I would get tired of the job,” he reveals. “But I was prepared to try it out and take up the challenge.”

Mostly a one-man operation

Most days, Bryan runs the café entirely on his own: taking orders, cooking every dish, and preparing all the drinks. During busier periods, his girlfriend and parents step in to help. “They help out less now though because I try not to trouble them too much,” he says.

Signature dish inspired by Pizza Hut’s curry baked rice 

But his parents have had a hand in shaping the menu. “One of my signature dishes, the Curry Baked Rice, is actually inspired by Pizza Hut’s curry baked rice which was a childhood favourite of mine,” Bryan tells 8days.sg. “My dad helped me with the curry recipe, it’s a nonya-style curry.” His mum, on the other hand, taught him how to make her Basque burnt cheesecake.

Balancing work, school, and his personal life 

“My family and I are still learning along the way,” Bryan admits. “We face challenges like having to compromise on our personal space and time. Sometimes arguments happen, but I know it’s out of love and because they’re worried for me.” 

⁠⁠Has running Room café affected his studies, or vice versa? “It hasn’t affected my studies, but the time I spend on schoolwork could definitely be used to think about how to improve my café,” he says. 

Time with his girlfriend also takes a hit. “It’s a challenge [finding the time to] spend with my girlfriend. I think she gets bored on weekends when our friends are all out,” he shares.

His solution? “I try to prioritise whatever I want to do. If I want to take a break, I'll just announce on Instagram that we won’t be open on a certain day,” Bryan explains. “So far, I think most of my customers are pretty okay with it, no one has been upset if I close up which I really appreciate.”  

He typically takes one Friday off each month, depending on customer flow. So check his Instagram account before visiting.

Supportive neighbours and friends

How is business so far? “I’d say business is pretty decent — I can make a profit. The crowd is pretty substantial, and I don’t really have to worry about whether people will come,” Bryan says.  

His lunch crowd usually consists of customers from beyond the neighbourhood, while dinner sees many neighbours dropping by or taking away food. “So far I’ve not gotten any complaints from neighbours, in fact they’ve been very supportive!”

Bryan owns two maltipoos, so the café naturally became pet-friendly. “People bring their cats and dogs. There was someone who even brought their pet parrot,” he laughs.

Dreams of opening a proper café someday

The home café, Bryan says, is his way of learning the ropes before eventually opening a proper café someday. “The goal is to open an actual café, but I’m not there yet and I don't have the capital yet,” he explains. “I’m not super confident to be the sole boss of a legit café, so I would say running a home café helps me learn the back-end stuff and [improve my] cooking. Eventually, if I open my own café, I’ll have a certain standard at least.”

Real estate agent next? 

With one last module before he graduates, Bryan is already thinking about his next move. “I’ll probably work another job as well after graduating to save up [for the café] as fast as I can. Media isn’t out of the question, but I think the fastest route would be to become a property agent as I’m also interested in that industry.”

Why real estate? “My parents move house a lot — we’ve relocated about eight to nine times already. So I kind of have an understanding of how it works. Definitely not to the technical detail, but that’s something I can learn,” he reveals. “My parents enjoy moving house because they enjoy the change of environment every few years and it’s kind of like an investment in a way.”

According to Bryan, his degree is simply a backup “I think my parents are happy with whatever I choose to do as long as it’s an honest living,” he says.

His menu also includes a selection of coffee and matcha drinks, along with a Basque burnt cheesecake for dessert.

The dishes are neatly plated and look straight out of a proper café, though some flavours feel a little too understated — understandable for a young home café boss still finding his groove.

When we visited, these were some of the dishes we tried:

Truffle Shroom Carbonara, $12 

Mafaldine pasta cooked nicely al dente, tossed in a light, creamy sauce with sautéed mushrooms and an egg yolk, finished with a sprinkle of parmigiano reggiano. A decent pick if you prefer your carbonara on the lighter side.

Curry Chicken Baked Rice, $14 (8 DAYS Pick!)

If you’re visiting, here’s hoping the Curry Chicken Baked Rice makes the menu — it’s comforting, cheesy, and filling. It’s packed with tender, well-cooked chicken and potatoes, while the curry carries a gentle, warming spice that hits the spot. It’s finished with gooey-crispy cheese that ties everything together.

Smoked Duck Aglio Olio, $15 

Toothsome bite spaghetti slicked in chilli and olive oil, with a dollop of truffle paste on top. The pan-seared store-bought smoked duck is the star here — tender, savoury, and properly smoky. That said, the dish could use a heftier hit of garlic.

Burnt Cheesecake, $6

Creamy, rich, and velvety without feeling too heavy. While the cake delivers on texture, there’s a distinct flavour profile we can’t quite put our finger on that we found quite overwhelming and an acquired taste.

Iced Matcha Latte, $6

Made with oat milk, this is a simple, no-frills matcha latte — easy to drink with a mild earthiness.

Super Creamy Biscoff Latte, $7.5

This latte is creamy with a gentle sweetness from the Biscoff. The Biscoff flavour isn’t very pronounced, with the coffee leaning mild and milky rather than rich and strong.

Room Café is located at 148 Loyang Rise, S507453. Opening hours change weekly, check Instagram before heading down. 

Photos: Dillon Tan