Vineyard at HortPark

I remember eating at Vineyard at HortPark twice, and it had the perfect environment for a quiet and relaxing dinner. I decided to visit them again when they started offering the à la carte French buffet at only SGD 58 per person

Hidden within Hortpark, Vineyard is a popular wedding and solemnization venue, offering a natural garden backdrop ideal for outdoor ceremonies and elegant indoor reception areas. Offering farm-to-table French cuisine, the restaurant has a laid-back countryside atmosphere which is complemented by the natural greenery surrounding the restaurant

There is an indoor dining hall, an air-conditioned verandah, and an outdoor patio and most diners choose the indoor dining hall

We started the meal with garlic bread served in a basket. The bread was warm and crispy on the outside, as it was the usual baguette bread spread generously with butter, garlic and herbs, which made the bread very fragrant and perfect for soups and dips

There were 2 choices for soup: mushroom soup and the vegetable soup. The vegetable soup was a clear savoury soup with chunks of country vegetables, which was light and comforting, while the mushrooms were thick and creamy with a strong mushroom flavour

For starters, we had the country-style French duck rillettes, mushroom pate with apricot compote and mussels in white wine butter sauce. The mussels were fresh and juicy with a tinge of the butter sauce to complement the umami flavours of the shellfish. The duck rillettes and mushroom pate were creamy and seasoned well to be eaten with the bread provided

From the same starters menu, we got the Cheese Zucchini Croquette, Koji-Marinated Duck Fritter and sweet potato fries. The fried items in the starter menu were well-fried without any greasiness. I liked the cheese zucchini croquette as it was refreshing and crispy at the same time. The duck fritters had quite a bit of batter, which overwhelmed the taste of the duck

For mains, we took the duck confit, kind oyster mushroom steak and steak fries and gave the chicken leg a miss. While I did not taste the steak fries, my friend did say the steak was decently cooked. For my duck confit, it was nicely done but slightly dry, but I do love the country vegetables served together with the duck leg. The mushrooms were cooked to look like seared scallops, and while they do not bear the umami flavours of the sea, the mushrooms were delicious with the mashed potatoes and vegetables, and if I was not too stuffed from the bread we ate, I would have ordered another portion of the mushrooms

From the pasta section, we only tried the mushroom risotto, which was topped with ruccola leaves and truffle oil. The risotto was cooked al dente has bites of mushrooms, giving it earthy flavours. The risotto was decent, although not extremely astonishing

For desserts, we took both options: Limoncello Tiramisu and Chocolate Profiterole, which tasted decently sweet, so I took only small bites as I was cutting my sugar intake during dinner. My friend, who had a sweet tooth, liked the desserts, and there was no major complaint

Overall, the food was decent for the price, and as a buffet where you get to stuff yourself on meats and common French fare, I did not set my expectations too high. Some dishes were better than others, but if you are looking for a place with a nice, quiet atmosphere and don’t mind decent cafe food. Just don’t visit them with the expectation of excellent French fare

Address:  33 Hyderabad Rd, #02-02 Hortpark, Singapore 119578

Opening hours: 11.30 am to 3 pm and 6 pm to 10 pm ( 10.30 am to 10 pm on Sat and Sun)