The Kingsbury's shiny new restaurant deals in grills, steaks, BBQ, you get the drift. The menu is relatively concise, focused, and clear. The chic greenhouse ambience is beautiful, but we'd advise you not to throw any stones.
Dining & Drinks
We visited twice since the restaurant opened up a couple of weeks back, for both lunch and dinner.
Our starters included Grill-Seared Steak Skewers (Rs. 650), and Wood-Fired Crab Cake (Rs. 600). The steak boasted a fresh and engaging teriyaki marination situation on a bed of crisp cabbage. However, it was very well done, and given the choice, we would have opted for medium rare.
Interestingly enough, we ordered the crab starter on both occasions, and received two completely different (and equally delicious) dishes. We assume the first (crumb-fried) dish was the original as it fits the menu description better (tender crab, black bean salsa. avocado, chipotle mayo).
The second offering was more of a thermidor, a cheese baked crab. It was undeniably tasty, but not quite what we ordered. We have many unsubstatiated theories as to what happened here.
The Blackened Roast Chicken was a reasonable Rs. 900 for a hefty portion. You can expect a roasted half chicken slathered in herbs with a side of mashed potatoes. The poultry itself was tender and smoky with excellent and subtle spicing, while the sauce (a dark mushroom concoction) served as a gravy.
The Surf & Turf (Rs. 2300) was a little less hefty, but no less well prepared. You can expect around 80 grams of filet mignon, grilled lemon garlic shrimp, light toppings of sauteed spinach, and a side of roasted garlic mashed potatoes. We opted for a blue cheese and herb sauce, which while perfect on its own, proved to be a little too rich for the already significant flavours of the dish.
On our second visit, we decided to do the barbecue justice and opted for the BBQ Combo (a steal at Rs. 2200). We opted for the Kingsbury Special BBQ Ribs, the Australian Angus steak, with two included sides of roasted garlic mashed potatoes and mac n' cheese. Again, quantities were generous (I felt this to be far too much for one person), and quality was on the mark.
However, again, we wished we had been consulted on how we wanted our steak as this too came well done, and we would have preferred to really experience the quality of the Angus. The mac n cheese appeared to be more of a creamy salad bar pasta, but otherwise we were satiated and satisfied.
Our sole dessert choice was the Caramel Apple Pie (Rs. 600), which was a home-made apple pie teamed with cinnamon ice cream and caramel sauce. The pie itself, another significant portion, erred on the side of squashy dough rather than crisp flaky pastry, but the warm apple filling was unsweetened goodness. The cinnamon ice cream was a real treat too and we would have loved more of it.
Given that it was a hot Sunday arvo, we also requested two drinks. We'll withold our judgement on their cocktails until the full-fledged review. Each cost about Rs. 1200++.
Ambience
One of the biggest draws of the restaurant is its swank setting. Nestled in a previously overlooked strip beyond the Ocean restaurant, the restaurant is a long, glassed-in space overlooking the sea and land reclamation strip.
Sprinkle in some orchids, plenty of natural light during the day and mood lighting in the evenings, and you've got yourself a stellar view. It can be a little hot during the sunny lunch hours though, so watch out for that.
Service
The elongated structure of the restaurant means that it can be a while before the waitstaff notice you. In comparison to the high standard of both the food and setting, we felt on both occasions that the service left a bit to be desired. Given that this is a grill and barbecue restaurant, it is imperative that your server ask how you'd like your meat prepared, but this was omitted. Perhaps time and trial and error will set this to rights.
Overall
Our general impression on both visits was strongly positive. The relatively reasonable prices (a meal for two on both occasions came to about Rs. 4000 with taxes and without drinks) were a pleasant surprise given the quality of produce, preparation, and presentation. We look forward to frequenting The Grill in the future in the hopes the service kinks are worked out. If you're not a meat lover, just go for the ambience and a glass of wine.
