Offshore Bar & Grill: Capturing the smoky essence of kelong-to-table

When I hear Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, I immediately think of boarding a ferry to Batam; wind in my hair and sun in my eyes. However, a trip down to the local’s favourite island wasn’t why I was heading there today. I left my passport at home and made my way down to the said ferry terminal to check out the newly opened Offshore Bar & Grill for some yummy barbecued treats. 

There I was, looking out onto the Strait of Singapore behind a meshed fence, enjoying the fresh salty air and of course, taking a moment to savour the lovely view. Nothing quite like escaping the hustle and bustle of the city than kicking back by the sea with a good meal.

The folks at Offshore were kind enough to get my barbecue going by setting up the grill in the middle of my table. The whole ordeal reminded me of a simple time when we could gather in groups by the beach for a BBQ. Alas, we’re down to two pax per smoky table now. 

What I tried at Offshore Bar & Grill

Okay, before I bring you on a visual tour of what I had, I’d like to put it out there—in case you missed it—that this is, in fact, a self-barbecue joint. Choices aplenty, I opted for the Happy Feast Starter Package (S$69++ per person).

The starter pack comes with a whole baked seabass on top of a buffet-style selection of fresh seafood, meat, vegetables and a range of homemade sauces.

I started off with the whole baked seabass and I can tell you the freshness of the meat blew me away; I was completely floored with its sweet yet delicate melt-on-your-tongue flesh. 

After two trips down the buffet line, I got myself a range of meat and seafood. My table was filled with saucers of sliced cajun pork, Balinese beef, dong bei beef, ginger sauce beef, seabass, salmon fillets, and different types of meat skewers. If you’re not a fan of getting your hands dirty, the buffet line also offers a range of cooked food to indulge in. 

At this point, I was excitedly placing the already marinated raw meat and fish on the grill to cook. Just look at that medley of char-grilled goodness. One thing to note: you will definitely be heading home smelling like you’ve come fresh off the grill, so be prepared. 

Although the marinated meat and fish were tasty on their own, topping them with different homemade sauces brought them to the next level. There’s just something about sauces when made by scratch and Offshore has hit the ball out of the park with them. 

I’d recommend going for the classic homemade sambal for that extra kick to your BBQ-ed treats. If you’re not a fan of sauces with a little heat in them, go for their sweeter options like ginger plum sauce or honey black pepper sauce. 

Wait, that’s not all they have to offer; if you’re a fan of seafood, you can top up a few bucks for the Super Happy Package (S$59++ per table). 

The Super Happy Package will come with a whole lobster, live crab, and a selection of seasonal seafood. 

Barbecues are all about experimenting with different flavours, so do as I did and top the lobster with melted cheese and butter. You won’t regret it because we all know cheese makes everything taste better.

The selection of seasonal seafood was an absolute treat. Not only were they fresh like advertised, but they were also absolutely delicious and captured the essence of the sea. The clams weren’t briny and filled with sand, which to me, sealed the deal. Topping them up with a small drop of sambal made me a happy lady. 

I saved the best for the last with the whole grouper. I’ll admit, I thought it was a bit too much for two, but I was wrong. After about twenty minutes of cooking, the grouper was char-grilled to perfection. I can vouch for the grouper’s freshness, which you must enjoy without the taint of sauces.

But, what’s fish without sambal, right? I did what anyone would do and stuffed my fish with a whole lot of sambal to further elevate its flavours. If that were to be my last opportunity to have fish, I’ll always look back with fulfilment. 

Final thoughts

If you’re looking for a tranquil place to unwind while indulging in fresh seafood and various kinds of meat, Offshore Bar & Grill is the place for you. Never have I spent more than four hours stuffing my face in just one place, but here I am documenting my satisfying kelong-to-table experience. 

They’re also pet-friendly, which is good news to me because the next time I go down, it’s going to be with my furry friend. Although they accept reservations, I’d suggest you drop by as early as 5.30pm in order to secure a spot facing the sea. If you’re not into the whole barbecue experience, they also have a cafe that opens from 8am to 4.30pm every day. 

Expected damage: S$70 – S$130 per pax

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