Scotts Grill serves mod-European dining at fair prices

Scotts Grill #01-13 Shaw Centre 1 Scotts Road Singapore 228208 Tel: 8940-3879 Open daily for lunch and dinner: 12 pm to 3 pm; 6 pm to 10 pm.

[SINGAPORE] There are several ways to describe Scotts Grill. Stylish is not one of them. It would never make the must-go shortlist of the chronically trend-chasing, Instagram-reliant or concept-fixated diner.

If you recommended it, it would come with disclaimers. “It’s a little dated, but...” “The food isn’t fancy, but...” But what? Scotts Grill is an underrated gem that’s been sitting right in front of our noses all along.

It didn’t start out as one. Scotts Grill is a late bloomer. It opened in mid-2024 like a whisper nobody heard. That it still stands and hasn’t gone the way of a Chagee shows either staying power or blind optimism.

But Scotts Grill is part of the Les Amis Group, which has a history of backing young, untested chefs. It’s taken a while, but head chef Sherwin Poon is now showing his mettle.

He was plucked from the now-defunct Voyage, where he was sous chef at the favourite playground of tycoons and tai-tais with gravity-defying hairdos. “No expense spared” was the main menu item there.

But he does the opposite at Scotts Grill, while still drawing the tycoons who know value when they see it. No high hair yet, though.

Poon’s underlying philosophy is simple. He does good things with good ingredients and charges a fair price for them. It’s not a sexy storyline, but there’s still an audience for straightforward modern European cooking minus the fussy snacks and fine-dining flourishes.

It may call itself a grill, but Poon’s talent extends beyond charring meat and seafood. He seems single-mindedly determined to make everything taste good, and he succeeds more often than he doesn’t. 

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The menu isn’t very big, but it covers a lot of ground, from a classic Caesar salad (S$22) to a 900 g wagyu cote de boeuf (S$192).

Starters sit in the S$20 to S$40 range – with portions almost equal to a main course – while pastas and grilled mains start at S$40. Poon’s whole roasted French poulet (S$120) done chicken rice style feeds four happily – so long as everyone promises not to make snarky hawker centre comparisons.

Poon doesn’t stick to a specific playbook, so just pick whatever strikes your fancy. Or let him decide with a seven-course tasting menu at S$188. It’s not a bad deal, considering it includes a whole carabinero prawn that would already set you back S$60 if you were to order it a la carte.

Better yet, mix and match the set and a la carte options for comparison. 

Croque madame (S$28 on its own) kicks off the set with toasted squares of focaccia and a crowd-pleasing topping of melted cheese, Joselito jamon and dollop of caviar.

Cubes of raw hamachi (S$28) get a ceviche bath of citrus juices, a drizzle of allium oil and blood orange segments, so you get a zing with your sashimi.

The carabinero is far superior to the more generic tiger prawn (S$38) version: Both are dressed in spicy nduja-spiked oil and served with toast to mop up the juices, but it’s the oozy, rich coral of the Spanish shrimp that pushes it ahead.

The set features a tasting portion of Jeju abalone pasta, but the full-sized version (S$58) is a must.

Short of evoking images of haenyeo free-diving in a state of idyllic island bliss, Poon captures the briny sea tang in a cluster of al dente noodles tossed in an umami-rich liver sauce finished with tender-crisp slices of shellfish. We prefer the unclutteredness of this pasta to the hefty squid ink pasta with charbroiled octopus and piperade, which layers on the oomph without restraint.

While a crown of duck yields meaty flesh and crisp skin and baby lamb rack stays pink and moist, Poon’s mastery of potatoes makes you sit up. Cue thick house-cut spuds fried crisp outside and fluffy within, and a gratin dauphinois with hints of Robuchon.

Desserts – tarte tatin, sticky toffee pudding – end things on a sweet note. But it’s the baked Basque cheesecake with an almost ice cream-like texture and freshly baked madeleines that seal the deal.

Scotts Grill is open every day, and Poon is always cooking there. We ask him if he ever takes a day off, and the affable chef chuckles. “Sometimes, but we’re trying to achieve something here.” The next time we recommend it, there won’t be any more disclaimers.

Rating: 7