The Market Grill Lobster Roll and Burger

A lobster craving sent me searching for the best lobster roll in Singapore. It's funny how i've not had any in Singapore but i didn't want to set myself up for disappointment after having some really awesome ones in NYC and Boston. So when the option of The Naked Finn failed me for dinner (they only serve the rolls during lunch), i headed to Loh Lik Peng’s The Market Grill with Stupidgirl for our usual night of overeating.

As with Loh's other restaurants, the Market Grill doesn't take reservations (which annoys the hell out of me). Seriously only kids don't make reservations. Anyhoo, MG may seem like a burger/seafood joint but it's more a grill masquerading as a whimsical diner, which churns out lobster roll after lobster roll, followed by burgers and steaks.

We took the bar seats and that gave us a good insight to how Executive Chef Colin West and his team works. That man is a tough one, having cut his teeth at Les Amis, Le Saint Julien, Braise, and Swiss Grilland.

Well Stupidgirl was gunning for the Most Adventurous Diner award and she ordered the Crispy Pig Ear ($18) behind my back when the Buttermilk frog legs were not available.

This is a dish i would never order because i was duped once by S's grandmother into eating the cartilage. EEKS. Well thankfully it only tasted like fried skin and the soft bone wasn't that hard and crunchy.

I should have simply insisted on having the Cod Croquetas ($19) from the start. They're these sinful balls of Spanish paprika spiced Atlantic cod and fluffy potato balls that are battered and deep fried. I liked that it has a nice spice to it and it's paired with this wicked and pungent aioli (which is amazing).

Fluffy center! I got a spike in one of the balls though. Be careful when you eat this.

Of course, the highlight of the meal... LOBSTER ROLL!

The Atlantic Lobster Slider ($45) is made from a whole steamed live lobster of approx 500gm. The meat is chilled first and then tossed in herb mayonnaise before being served on a perfectly buttered and grilled crustless brioche bun.

I found the roll a little bland on the first few bites. Perhaps it was the claw meat which wasn't quite coated with the sauce. I'm a fan of the salty buttered hot roll at Neptune Oyster in Boston (that is in a league of its own). That said, the light touch on the seasoning allowed the sweetness of the lobster to come through. It's not as perfect as Neptune's but it's ok. The fries were ridiculous though. I mean who doesn't know that the fries hold almost an equal weight as the lobster! Tsk. These were cardboardish and the equivalent of a fat MacD fry.

The Chargrilled Whole Lobster ($45) 500gm seems like a pretty good option too if you would like to get your hands dirtied. This is served with clarified butter lightly infused with garlic, brightened with a squeeze of lemon, and sides of salad and mashed potatoes. 

The burgers are all the rage at The Market Grill as well but i was kinda disappointed with the lack of seasoning on the patty. Granted that my CW Breakfast Burger ($23) came with 150g chuck meat hand-formed patty was faulty and grilled to medium rare perfection and a patty could hardly go wrong with bacon, sunny side and cheddar cheese but somehow just underwhelming compared to the lobster roll. 

More overeating ensued with desserts and we went with the Rum Banana Pockets ($15). 

Think gooey dark rum soaked bananas encased in a crispy pastry and topped with a crunchy nut crumble. Of course there must be ice cream and the rum and raisin was satisfying with the hot mix.

Overall a decent dinner at The Market Grill. Will head back for lobster roll minus the fries.

The Market Grill
208 Telok Ayer St, Singapore 068642
Tel: +65 6221 3323 (No reservations)
Mon - Sat: 11.30am-2.30pm, 6-10pm