Bringing an all-American vibe to the tropical greenery of Dempsey, Roadhouse, brought to us by the locally renowned Prive Group, miraculously brings a little bit of California to Singapore. Those familiar with the American west coast’s food scene may be pleasantly surprised to find a dining concept that seems to effortlessly emulate the Californian dining concept of pairing an incredibly casual ambience with insanely gourmet food. Saunter into the sunlit dining room to find a cosy space with cement floors, a long casual communal table, and several handwritten chalkboard signs casually showcasing the restaurant’s fit-for-a-foodie American fare.

What do we mean by fit for a foodie? Sure, with burgers, pie, and even some Tex Mex, the menu is no doubt American. But Roadhouse’s versions may impress even the toughest of gourmands. For instance, one variety of burger on the Roadhouse menu is the Simply Brie-vine Burger. Topped with grilled poached pear, rocket, sun-dried tomatoes, and of course, brie, this 170g burger patty is made of wagyu that is grilled in a Josper grill. Roadhouse also steps it up with its pie – filled with red-wine cherry compote and served with fresh cream, the Cheery Cherry Pie offers a sophisticated twist on an all-American classic. And gourmet mango salsa makes it into the fish tacos – and believe us, fish tacos are a rare find here in Singapore.

So save yourself the plane fare and gather a group for casual, gourmet grub at Roadhouse, where you’ll find a bit of the States right here in Singapore. (Feb 2012)

“Roadhouse is straightforward, with well-presented staples that are the draw – the Plain Jane burger impressed ($24) with its ripe, moist patty, and the crunchy onion rings were ‘big-ass’ as per the menu. The full-on Choc & Malt dessert ($12) begs for a visit all of its own – or, if you’re still hungry, it makes a satisfying pay-off to the meal.” -Time Out Singapore

“The burgers are some of the best we've tried. The kitchen's team not so little ‘secret' lies in the Josper Grill - a hybrid barbecue grill and oven that juicy meats and burger patties are cooked in.” -Asia Tatler Dining

You can’t go wrong with Roadhouse’s burgers, which are cooked in a Josper grill, which one Chopester has described as "the Rolls Royce of grills". What does that even mean? This luxurious cooking machine fuses the benefits of a charcoal grill and a oven into a single unit, creating patties which retain succulent juices into a seared char-grilled crust. Take a bite, release the juices, and experience a potentially life-changing moment. If you want six-times the impact, consider ordering The Terminator, which consists of six patties on a single burger. As we said, the Roadhouse burger could be life-changing.

Now, if you don’t get that emo over burgers, there’s plenty more to enjoy about Roadhouse. First of all, we love the laidback feeling of grazing over a gourmet meal in the bright, sunlit room. Making dining during the day even more appealing, the set lunch offers incredible value: 2 courses for $22 or 3 courses for just $3 more at $25. Starters include options like the spicy garlic parmesan buffalo wings (choose three levels of heat) and the Cajun chicken salad (Cajun chicken, rocket, tomatoes, cashews, and honey mustard). There are even more options for mains, which include the bacon-marinated burger, miso cod burger (another creation from the Josper Grill), and eggs Benedict.

Finally, it may be a challenge, but be sure to leave room for dessert. However, with options like the s’more ice cream cake (vanilla toffee ice cream layered with a graham cracker base and a fire-roasted marshmallow bubble), you may just have to make plenty of room to scarf down a dessert. (Feb 2012)