Grub Singapore (Bishan Park)

I must confessed that I was grubby when I had to queue at 5.30pm sharp when the restaurant officially opens for dinner.





People had been queuing before the door opens. The no-reservation policy can be a frustration for people who travel far to this park for the food. If I had not lived nearby, I would skip my 45-min wait and head nearby for roti prata. 



So here's our dinner:
The Chilli con Carne ($8) was a simple appetizer of corn chips served with a stew of grass-fed beef chuck meat and beans. Served with sour cream and homemade green chimichurri, the blend of spices is weak and won't set your tongue ablaze.
Main courses range from mediocre to good. The Smoked Pork Belly ($15) was the first to be delivered to our tables. On a bed of smooth mash potato, mango sauce and cherry tomatoes, the orange block of meat is like a body-builder with a gentle soul. With a right ratio of fats to meat, it neither overwhelms with grease nor engage the teeth in a laborious sawing job.On the other hand, the Pan Fried Salmon $15 seemed like reinventing the wheel with a different protein. Old friends like the mash potato (replaced the unavailable risotto) and the green chimichurri (from the Chilli Con Carne appetizer) met again to greet the salmon.Yet, another fish was terrific. The Crispy Fish Burger $12 was constructed with a perfectly deep-fried golden monkfish served on a bright, tart remoulade sauce. Fish varies daily so you may get Dory, or Hake. 
It was a courteous gesture of the staff to inform us about the tough texture of the monkfish to us during order even though the fish did not turn out that way. Fries were excellent too--crunchy with intense potato flavour.
We tried nearly everything on the dessert menu: Churros ($9) did not excite with any cinnamon aroma. The amount of sugar coating could have decreased, unlike those described in earlier online reviews. But the chocolate sauce was served cold, resulting in a rather glumpy, odd taste. Though the Belgian waffles ($8) are not the crunchiest ones but at least, it had a sturdy structure with some slight browned edges and fluffy interior. Thankfully, the hazelnut ice cream came in a generous scoop to pair with the unsweetened dough. 
The Panna Cotta $6.50  is so slippery that it becomes a skill to deliver substantial amount into the mouth. Very milky but too sweet. My threshold for chocolate was put to the test by the chocolate pot $8 (see top pic). It would be mission impossible to wipe off the extremely dense bittersweet ganache without the spicy cashew praline crumbles. 
The food here are normal western food which can be found outside a park so patience is the key if one really wants to dine in here.
But next time if I return for brunch, I would be dressed in my sports attire and go jogging to kill the time. (table availability is notified to you via an automated phone call) Food service is quite fast and the staff were not grubby at all; they wear a nice smile. 
GRUB
510, Ang Mo Kio Ave 1 (Bishan Park 1) 
Singapore 569983 
http://grub.com.sg/ 

Tue - Fri: 5:30 pm - 10:30 pm


Sat - Sun: 9:00 am - 2:30 pm, 5:30 pm - 10:30 pm


















For more restaurant-in-the-park post, read Wild Oats @ Punggol Park