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I recently stumbled upon Gills N Shells, a seafood-centric restaurant located at Hotel Boss that has a nice view of the Rochor River that I think would be fantastic for groups of friends who love seafood.
Starting off with a round of Oyster Shooters ($7 per shot), it was a nice starter with the fresh, sweet oyster providing a contrast against the burn from the vodka and the acidity from the lime juice used.
Most people tend to swallow the oysters whole, but I’m a firm believer that a few good chews will help bring out the briny, creamy, sweetness of the oyster.
The Crab Nacho Chips ($8) were pretty large for the price, with generous chunks of cooked crab meat sprinkled over crunchy chips drizzled with nacho cheese and topped with chives, kidney beans and jalapenos. The crab meat was sweet, but a little dry, perhaps tossing them in a bit of mayonnaise would have helped.
Overall, I thought this was a decent sharing platter, with the jalapenos providing a kick of heat to spice up the dish.
I definitely had to try the Hae Bee Hiam Pasta With Soft Shell Crab ($15). The taste of the prawn paste coating the pasta was strong, with a very slight spice present.
The soft shell crabs on the side was meaty with a light, crisp batter that went well together with the stronger taste of the prawn paste.
If you rather have a choice of what goes into your food, opt for the Create Your Own Pasta (starts at $15) option. I went with the salted egg base and the Maine lobster (additional $18) as my ingredient.
The lobster was cooked perfectly boasting a sweet and juicy meat, but I thought that the salted egg sauce coating the pasta was a little grainy and made the entire dish too dry for my liking.
And finally, the highlight of the meal: the Seafood Basket ($88 all in a basket). Comprising of a whole Boston lobster, snow crab legs, prawns, a salmon fillet, two oysters, mussels, white clams and scallops. This basket is definitely something that will cause everybody at the table to whip out their phones when served.
Steamed with pandan leaves and saltwater, I had mixed opinions about this basket — most of the seafood such as the lobster, salmon and shellfish were cooked nicely, but the prawns and king crab legs ended up too salty due to the saltwater.
I thought this was a great dinner, with portions enough to feed three hungry diners. We were filled to the brim and satisfied with the freshness of the seafood presented to us.
I would definitely recommend Gills N Shells the next time someone asks what’s there to eat at Lavender.
Expected damage: $20 – $50 per pax
