Located in the hip suburb of Telok Ayer, The Market Grill is one of our country’s more sophisticated, see-and-be-seen weekend ‘it’ brunch spot.
A combination of old-style butcheries with a slightly whimsical industrial design, The Market Grill looks very inconspicuous along the busy streets of Telok Ayer, but presents a nice surprise within.
Packed most of the time with a fashionable crowd, the chic industrial interiors feature an open kitchen were you can watch Chef Colin West work his magic and direct his kitchen like clockwork. He’s a bit shy though, so he won’t be appearing in any shots.
Black Angus, Beef Bavette ($39). Delectable 200g of 400 days grain-fed Black Angus beef that was charbroiled to a textbook medium rare.
This beef dish was a very flavourful cut, also more commonly known as a skirt steak from the cow’s plate. It tends to be a bit more tough with muscle, but through dry-aging, chef has managed to balance tenderness with the natural flavours of this steak.
CW Portobello Burger ($24). If you’re a huge mushroom lover, then look no further than this Holy Grail of Portobello. Layers of juicy beef, bacon and romaine lettuce lay dormant under a copious amount of creamed Portobello mushroom, sandwiched between sesame seed buns.
Trout ($33). One of the specials, and not on the regular menu. Served in lobster emulsion, prawns and seasonal asparagus on the side.
Chargrilled Whole Lobster ($45). The main event, luscious sweet lobster served with clarified butter lightly infused with garlic, brightened with a squeeze of lemon, and sides of salad and mashed potatoes. The meat is extremely flavourful and sweet, and is cooked so well that it peels off the shell effortlessly.
Taste the natural sweetness of the fresh lobster by itself, or pair it with the light, clarified garlic butter which adds a bit more dimension yet still being subtle enough to taste the lobster’s crisp flesh. Highly recommended.
The lobsters are flown in from Maine and Boston, and are kept alive in a huge tank to maintain freshness and are then cooked to order. Something you usually only see in Zi Char Restaurants.
The unadorned food presentation, unlike the restaurant décor, is pragmatic rather than theatrical, and with a service team that are warm, friendly and professional, one can count on an enjoyable dining experience at Market Grill.
A hearty and robust selection of grilled dishes, items might take a little while to be served due to the high number of patrons, but The Market Grill is a restaurant I highly recommend trying.
Related Guide: Best Steaks You can Find in Singapore
Expected Damage: $40 – $60/pax
