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In Singapore, nothing conveys ‘exclusive’ more, than being tucked away in a tranquil corner of our bustling island. Getting to The Grandstand is already a scenic journey, especially when you drive along the winding road past open fields.
You’ll want to let your wandering feet take you to these 8 restaurants in this lifestyle mall, because it’s a great location for a relaxing meal! It certainly doesn’t hurt that these restaurants all have signature dishes that you won’t be able to resist.
1. Ah Yat Seafood Restaurant
If you love seafood, you’ll love the selection at Ah Yat Seafood Restaurant in The Grandstand. Not only do you get to enjoy fresh catches from the ocean, you’ll get to choose how it’s cooked too.
With large tables that can seat 10 pax comfortably, this restaurant is perfect for family gatherings and reunion dinners. The bright and spacious interior also makes the space cheery and welcoming.
We tried the Steamed Scotland Bamboo Clam with Garlic ($11 per clam), which had a mouth-watering fragrance and I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into it.
These Scottish clams were juicy and slightly fibrous, and retained a fresh seafood taste that I could taste distinctly beneath the garlic.
We also had the Baked Canadian Oyster with Homemade Cheese ($9.50 per oyster). I was pleasantly surprised by how huge the oysters were; they were almost the size of my palm!
The entire shell was filled to the brim with cheese and breaking apart the deliciously crusty top layer revealed the gooey cheese underneath. The oysters were super juicy and fresh and paired well with the richness of the cheese.
You’ll be delighted to know that Ah Yat Seafood Restaurant is currently running a promotion for their live seafood. On weekdays, enjoy 50% off all live seafood. That’s right, it’s half the price for the whole culinary experience! If weekdays are too busy, why not pop by over the weekend? You’ll still get to claim 30% off all live seafood.
This is definitely a deal you’ll want to catch, because who can resist all that fresh oceanic goodness? Certainly not me, so you can be sure I’ll head back for more seafood delicacies!
Ah Yat Seafood Restaurant: 200 Turf Club Road, #03-01/02, The Grandstand, Singapore 287994 | Tel: +65 6883 2112 | Opening Hours: 11.30am – 2.30pm daily (Lunch), 5.30pm – 10.30pm daily (Dinner) | Website
2. Owen Seafood Restaurant
When it comes to the seafood selection, Owen Seafood Restaurant has everyone else beat — choose from over 100 kinds of seafood from the tanks located right outside the restaurant.
No crustacean culinary experience can be complete without lobster, so we tried the Fried Canadian Lobster with Pumpkin Sauce 金瓜奶油加拿大龙虾 ($35 per lobster), which came in a serving of approximately 500g.
I liked how the butter pumpkin sauce was creamy without overwhelming my palate. There were also curry leaves in the dish, which added a sharper fragrance.
We tried the Sauteed Diced Beef “Kobe” Style 神户牛柳粒 ($18++ for small), which was beef cubes fried with garlic slices. The fried garlic slices were so fragrant and crunchy that you could definitely just pop them into your mouth. It’s that addictive!
The beef cubes were also tender and juicy, with the right amount of fats. Because they were cut into bite-sized cubes instead of being sliced, I found it very easy to devour almost the entire plate.
Dining at Owen Seafood Restaurant felt like an upscale zi char experience, with better ambience and quality of food. I can imagine family gatherings to be an enjoyable experience here, when you dig into fresh seafood and signature dishes amidst cheerful chatter.
Owen Seafood Restaurant: 200 Turf Club Road, #03-03, The Grandstand, Singapore 287994 | Tel: +65 6875 1895 | Opening Hours: 11.30am – 10.30pm daily | Website
3. TungLok XiHé Peking Duck
Step into TungLok XiHé Peking Duck, and you’ll be struck by the marriage of East and West. The interior is clad in auspicious red and classy designs, for a sleek yet distinctly Chinese dining ambience.
Likewise, traditional Chinese cuisine is met with modern twists here. The Peking Irish Duck ($66++) was definitely the highlight. The duck was served with a variety of condiments in an Eight Treasures Box.
After a live carving of the duck, the slices of meat were served on three separate plates of duck skin, duck breast, and duck thigh.
Accompanied by different ways of enjoying each portion, the duck skin was served with blueberry sauce and popping candy that helped to undercut the delicious grease from the crispy skin.
The breast meat was best enjoyed on its own, or dipped in the sweet sauce. Normally, I would avoid breast meat, because it tends to be too dry, but at TungLok XiHé, this was not an issue at all!
The layer of fats on the thigh meat simply melted in my mouth and paired very well with the mustard dipping sauce.
We also tried the Poached Sliced Barramundi in Hot Chilli Oil ($22++). The portion of barramundi was certainly generous. The fish was soft and tender, with a firm bite. I liked that the chilli wasn’t excessively spicy, because it gave a good amount of heat without burning my tongue.
For traditional Chinese cuisine with a touch of Western influence, bring your family to TungLok XiHé for their signature Peking duck. Trust me, you won’t want to miss out on this little slice of meaty goodness.
ChopeDeals: Save 10% off at Tunglok XiHé
TungLok XiHé Peking Duck: 200 Turf Club Road, #01-23/26, The Grandstand, Singapore 287994 | Tel: +65 6466 3363 | Opening Hours: 11.30am – 3pm daily (Lunch), 6pm – 10.30pm daily (Dinner) | Facebook | Website
4. Ristorante Da Valentino
Dining in Ristorante Da Valentino in The Grandstand is definitely an unforgettable experience. This family-managed Italian restaurant has a cosy and relaxing ambience that makes you feel well taken care of.
We started off our meal with complimentary ciabatta bread, served with green pesto sauce. While the outer layer was crispy, the bread was soft and fluffy on the inside.
We tried the Burrata e Datterini ($29.90++), a cheese appetiser that was served with Datterini tomatoes and balsamic jelly. The burrata was smooth with a light flavour which went well with the sweet and juicy tomatoes.
The balsamic jelly was made in-house, and came in little vinegar balls that popped in my mouth.
For mains, we had the Fettucine al Granchio ($32.90++), a squid ink pasta that came with crabmeat chunks.
The pasta was springy and firm, and went well with the tangy creamy tomato sauce. The highlight was definitely the chunks of crabmeat, which was infused with the flavour of the sauce.
Grab a quick meal with their 20% lunch promotion! With a selection of pasta dishes and main courses to choose from, lunchtime doesn’t have to be boring. They even have 15% off wine bottles during lunch, which means that you can share one with your colleagues before heading back to work.
If you’re a wine lover, you’ll want to head over to Ristorante Da Valentino. They pride themselves on undiscovered Italian wines, and stock a range of sizes from half-bottles to magnums. For a truly Italian experience, grab a meal at Ristorante Da Valentino.
Ristorante Da Valentino: 200 Turf Club Road, #01-19, The Grandstand, Singapore 287994 | Tel: +65 6462 0555 | Opening Hours: 12noon – 2.30pm (Lunch, Tue – Fri), 12noon – 3pm (Lunch, Sat & Sun), 6pm – 10.30pm (Dinner, Tue – Sun) | Facebook | Website
5. Kuro Kin Japanese Dining 黑金
Sleek, classy and modern, Kuro Kin Japanese Dining 黑金 is decked out in black and gold. This Japanese restaurant is sure to elevate your dining experience with high-quality ingredients and mouth-watering dishes.
With both bar counter seats and cosy booths available, Kuro Kin exuded an inviting ambience. The dark wood furniture also added a touch of sophistication.
We tried a decadent bowl of Uni Ikura Don ($38++ for medium), which came chockful of seafood goodness. Biting into the rich and creamy uni brought out a delicious, buttery yet briny flavour.
Tobiko and blended mushrooms were mixed into the truffle oil rice, and it was topped with bits of tempura batter. The resulting rice was so fragrant and flavourful that I could just eat it on its own. You’ll be delighted to know that you can actually top up the rice in this dish, at no additional charge.
We also tried the piping hot Wagyu Yaki ($68++ for approx. 100g). Grilled on a piece of hoba leaf with miso sauce, the medium-rare waygu was infused with a smoky flavour, which enhanced the savoury beef slices. The fats were served on the side, and Kuro Kin gives diners the option of adding it in the fried rice.
If you’re just in the area for a quick lunch, Kuro Kin also offers a set lunch menu with choices of Don Buri Set, Noodle Set, and Sashimi Sushi Set. Prices start from $13.80, so you can fill your tummy without hurting your wallet.
As someone who enjoys Japanese cuisine a lot, Kuro Kin Japanese Dining 黑金 is definitely somewhere I’d come back to. Time to treat yourself to a bowl of fragrant rice and fresh seafood!
Kuro Kin Japanese Dining 黑金: 200 Turf Club Road, #01-27, The Grandstand, Singapore 287994 | Tel: +65 6462 1213 | Opening Hours: 12noon – 2.45pm daily (Lunch), 6pm – 10.45pm daily (Dinner) | Facebook
6. Curry Gardenn
The aroma of spices wafted into my nose before I even stepped into Curry Gardenn, making me anticipate the feast. Specialising in Indian cuisine, this restaurant uses modified Indian recipes, which remove excess fats and cholesterol without compromising flavour.
We tried the Chicken Do Aba ($18), a dual-coloured gravy bowl. I was fascinated by the clean separation between the marinated tomato gravy and its spinach counterpart. Chunks of boneless chicken swam in the creamy gravy.
The flavours can get overwhelming on its own though, so you may want to pair it with naan or biryani.
We also had the Drums of Heaven ($15). It may seem like a boastful claim to name a dish “heavenly”, but the tender chicken meat was certainly scrumptious. Marinated with a garlic coating that’s made in-house, the chicken was then cooked in a charcoal pit.
The result? Succulent boneless chicken pieces that almost melted in my mouth. I felt that it actually tasted a bit like satay, but more savoury and less sweet. The garlic coating was super fragrant, and it added a more lingering taste to this dish.
For authentic Indian cuisine that won’t make you cheat on your diet, Curry Gardenn is your best bet. You’ll get all the flavour, but with less guilt!
Curry Gardenn: 200 Turf Club Road, #01-06, The Grandstand, Singapore 287994 | Tel: +65 6314 4640 | Opening Hours: 9.30am – 9.30pm daily | Website
7. Slappy Cakes
At Slappy Cakes, it’s all about making pancakes fun! It’s a one-of-a-kind experience, where you get to customise your pancake completely.
Choose the batter, the fixings and toppings. You’ll even get to decide the shape, because the batter is served to you in a squeeze-bottle, so let your creativity run wild!
We chose the Buttermilk Batter ($8.50++ for 8oz). Other flavours (all $8.50++ each) available were Whole Grain, Peanut Butter, Chocolate and Pandan. Fixings and toppings are individually priced, we decided on Blueberries ($3++), Bananas ($1.50++) and Chocolate Chips ($1.50++), with Lavender Honey ($3++).
We tried to create some pretty pancakes with the squeeze-bottle, but gosh, it’s much harder than it looks! We also had to flip the pancakes on our own, which added to the fun.
Drizzling the lavender honey on the pancakes also took some skill, but it was somehow more satisfying to eat our own creations.
If you just want to enjoy some pancakes without the hassle of pouring batter and flipping pancakes, why not pick from the Chef-Crafted Pancakes? We chose the Banana Chocolate Hazelnut ($14++) and the buttermilk crepes were stuffed full of banana slices, homemade chocolate hazelnut spread, and sprinkled with toasted coconut shavings. The dessert was also topped with a generous dollop of whipped cream.
For families with young kids, bring them down to Slappy Cakes for a fun-filled pancake experience. This interactive dining concept is great for dates too, so bring your partner along for a flippin’ good time!
ChopeDeals: Save 10% off at Slappy Cakes
Slappy Cakes: 200 Turf Club Road, #01-20/21, The Grandstand, Singapore 287994 | Tel: +65 6465 1814 | Opening Hours: 10am – 9.30pm (Mon – Fri), 8am – 9.30pm (Sat, Sun & Public Holidays) | Facebook | Website
8. Dancing Crab
When you dine at Dancing Crab, it’s such a delight that your taste buds will want to tango. Drawing influence from Louisiana and its high spirits, this seafood restaurant welcomes guests to eat, drink and be merry.
Ordering the Live Crab Combo with Signature Sauce ($97++) gave us an authentic Louisiana seafood experience. They poured the entire bag of seafood onto the plastic tablecloth, and we ate with our hands. This seafood spread came with one crab (approximately 800g), 350g of prawns, 300g of clams, corn and sausages. That’s a lot of food!
Things definitely got messy, but digging into our food with our hands somehow made it tastier. The sauce is an in-house Louisiana special, which was slightly spicy but also added more flavour to the platter.
For a more Singaporean experience, we tried the Singapore Classics ($97++ after promotion, usual price $105++) with the signature chilli crab. Served with bread cubes and two 700g crabs, this is a dish of epic proportions. As I ate, the heat from the spice built up at the back of my throat. If you can’t take the heat, this may not be the dish for you.
You’ll want to bring your fellow seafood lovers over to Dancing Crab, where the food is good and the company merry!
Dancing Crab: 200 Turf Club Road, #01-20/21, The Grandstand, Singapore 287994 | Tel: +65 6466 3303 | Opening Hours: 11.30am – 3pm (Lunch, Sat, Sun & Public Holidays), 5.30pm – 10pm daily (Dinner) | Facebook | Website
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Getting to The Grandstand is convenient. Simply hop on the shuttle bus with four different routes picking up and dropping off at convenient MRT stations, such as Botanic Gardens and Sixth Avenue. The shuttle buses are free and run daily at fixed intervals.
For those who are driving, you’ll be happy to know that there’s all-day free parking available at The Grandstand!
*This post is brought to you in partnership with The Grandstand
