AMBER@WEST is tiny, with enough seats for just 30 people. But this Western restaurant inside ITE College West's Clementi campus serves a big purpose.

This is where the college's students - both those training to cook as well as those manning the front of the restaurant - get their first real experience of serving a paying public.

Students in the culinary course assist a team of chefs-cum-instructors in the kitchen, while another group waits at tables. Customers comprise mainly ITE staff and students, but the restaurant is also open to the public.

With starters and desserts priced at $3 and main courses from $5 to $13, you can easily get a three-course meal here for less than $20.

The selection looks impressive, with fancy dishes such as beef carpaccio, seafood bisque and sea bass en papilotte (cooked in a paper parcel).

When we were invited to lunch earlier this week, the team of instructors and students presented a special three course set lunch outside the menu.

The meal started with an unusual chilled carrot soup. Odd, though, that it was described in the menu as a carrot parfait, which is a frozen cream dessert.

It was a bit sweet, so the name was not exactly off the mark. Plus the two slices of caramelised orange decorating the side of the plate did look like dessert.

The dish certainly scored for creativity even if not everyone would take to starting a meal with a sweet soup.

The main courses were more conventional, with a choice of roasted lamb crusted with spices and roasted chicken with wild mushroom risotto.

I had the lamb, which turned out to be tender and free of any strong smells. And the accompanying caramelised onions lifted the flavours nicely.

It was not fine-dining but well-prepared nonetheless. The dish was nicely presented, too.

The meat was placed on a bed of green lentil puree, while on the side of the plate were flourishes of bright yellow mustard and red tomato puree.

Dessert was rather simple. A chunk of pan-glazed pineapple sat next to a scoop of lime sherbet. It was not terribly exciting and the sherbet, infused with lemongrass, was a bit too sharp for my liking.

No complaints about the service though. The students knew we were there to review them, but, barring a few nervous moments, everything went off without a hitch.

Overall, it was a more than decent meal, and one that put Amber on par with a lot of eateries that charge much more.

The students are definitely learning something right.

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