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I enjoy fancy candlelight dinners in steakhouses over sips of wine, but more often than not, I find myself clad in slippers and shorts relishing in old-school Western delights found in the comforts of my neighbourhood. Somehow these rustic plates of meat sprawled over french fries and canned baked beans, to me, seems to be much more attractive than most of the intricately plated dishes. Call me a commoner—this I will not deny.
It has been some time since I’ve been on the search for good neighbourhood Western food, and on a recent trip home, a hawker stall managed to catch my eye. Decked in a gorgeous combination of blues and browns, The Queen’s Grill exuded a sleek, modern vibe similar to that of a grill kiosk usually found overseas.
Situated along Serangoon North Avenue 1, right across Serangoon Garden Secondary School, this hawker stall serves up an array of Western delights with their signature dishes being a good ol’ plate of Grilled Chicken and Tiger Fish & Chips—now, sign me up already.
What I tried at The Queen’s Grill
Well-loved by students and residents living around the area is The Queen’s Grill’s Grill Chicken (S$7.90), a quintessential dish representative of most hawker Western food stalls. Here, the charred surface of the Grill Chicken gave way to a thin layer of fat that was on the verge of melting into the meat below.
Soft and undeniably tender, the chicken itself had an uncommon depth of flavour and tension. However, it was ultimately the umami-rich, black pepper sauce that brought the entire dish together. It performed as a reliable supporting role on the plate with a hit of savouriness and a touch of heat that complemented the juicy cut of chicken.
The Queen Ribeye Steak was a powerful and dramatic plate for just S$15.90. Weighing in at a whopping 200g – 230g, this chilled ribeye steak was well worth its weight in gold.
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Cooked to a perfect medium-rare, every bit of the ribeye steak was as succulent and exclusive as it sounds. Elevating the brilliance of this dish was a coating of The Queen’s Grill’s special compound herb butter that was texturally sinful to the lips, making every bite a poetic mouthful that is all sorts of savoury and flavoursome.
Meltingly tender and bursting with its natural flavours, the Queen Ribeye Steak is the real deal; a dish I would choose to have over that of a famous steakhouse any day.
The Queen’s Grill sizzles up a stellar, elevated version of the classic fish and chips in the form of their Tiger Fish & Chips (S$10). Generously coated in Tiger beer batter are thick fillets of Pacific Dory fried to a gorgeous golden brown served alongside a combination of tangy, fresh coleslaw and a handful of crisp fries.
Probably my favourite dish of the entire meal, I particularly enjoyed the Tiger Fish & Chips for its satisfying crunch, all without being overly greasy or dry. Its golden brown battered coating shattered between my teeth, revealing a delicious contrast of moist inside and crunchy outside.
The dish was further enlivened with a serving of light and fluffy tartare sauce that harmoniously blends the fresh sweetness of the dory fillet together with the slight acidity of the creamy sauce—complex yet intricate at the same time.
The Queen’s Grill also takes huge pride in its Japanese fusion dishes. Their Yakiniku Beef Olio (S$9) comes along as a must-try item.
As compared to the earlier dishes, this was much lighter on my stomach. Here, each strand of pasta was delightfully coated with olive oil, combining the best of aglio olio and stir-fried yakiniku beef. The noodles retained a subtle whiff of garlic that is slightly pungent, yet beautifully so, making for the ideal pairing alongside the sweet-savoury thinly sliced yakiniku beef.
Final thoughts
Hearty, fuss-free, and highly satisfying—that’s the impression which The Queen’s Grill has left on me. From a fine cut of steak to a comforting rice bowl, there’s surely something for everyone. At its heart, the dishes here comfort the soul and generously fill the tummy and without a shadow of a doubt, this will be a place I’m sure I will frequent, time and time again.
Expected damage: S$7.80 – S$16.80 per pax
*This post is in partnership with Queen’s Grill.
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