Grilled chicken - you find it everywhere from hawker centres to fast food and high end restaurants. Perfecting the art of getting the outer chicken skin to be crispy and the inside juicy and tender at the same time is what sets the good and the so-so ones apart. The Grumpy Bear, a nondescript eatery located at 3 various locations - Thomson Plaza, Bukit Timah Plaza and Kebun Baru Community Club, is where you might want to consider the next time you are looking for a scrumptious grilled chicken meal.
Tender and juicy cajun chicken
1. Cajun Chicken ($15.90)
We tried their chef's recommendation - the Cajun Chicken ($15.90) served with brown sauce. The grilled chicken was peppered generously with cajun powder and served with fries, salad and a mysterious brown sauce on the side.
With our first bite of their Cajun Chicken, we were convinced that The Grumpy Bear knows how to do their grilled chickens right. The outer layer was crispy and immensely flavourful (thanks in no small part to the generous cajun powder sprinkled over the chicken).
The chicken was warm, tender and had just the right amount of juices in it. The homemade brown sauce gave an extra layer of umami kick to the chicken, but in all honesty we could have gone without the sauce. The Cajun Chicken was delicious on its own.
2. Creamy Spinach Prawn & Shroom ($18.90)
The Grumpy Bear is not just all grilled chicken. They also offer an extensive pasta range featuring the likes of Spicy Rose Spaghetti ($11.90), Creamy Spinach Prawn & Shroom ($18.90), Bratwurst Aglio Olio ($16.90), which are some of the more special ones.
Nicely decorated Creamy Spinach Prawn & Shroom Pasta
We got the Creamy Spinach Prawn & Shroom Pasta to go with our Cajun Chicken and while we have to say we get why their grilled chickens have garnered such rave reviews on various food review platforms, their pastas are certainly not too lacklustre either.
Succulent sautéed prawns
There was a generous serving of sautéed prawns, each fresh and juicy in their own right. While we enjoyed the spinach cream, the hints of truffle with each mouthful proved to be a little too jelak for our liking. Perhaps it was the cajun chicken earlier, but personally it was a dish we would not choose to have alongside other sides or starters.
3. Classic Buttermilk Waffle ($8.90)
Staying true to their mission of serving comfort food, their dessert offering was not too shabby either. Choose from Classic Buttermilk Waffle ($8.90), Macadamia Brownie ($8.90), Chocolate Lava Cake ($9.50), Classic Ice Cream ($3.90), or Premium Ice Cream ($4.90).
Filling our already filled tummies with their Classic Buttermilk Waffle
Executive Chef at the Thomson Plaza outlet, Richard Low, is a veteran of more than 30 years of experience in Italian, Modern European and Western cuisine. He brings to the table his expertise in providing modern and local twists to classic flavours.
Chef Richard Low, a veteran in the industry
The Grumpy Bear is a warm, cozy and welcoming café setting and in their own words, "the perfect place to celebrate life's delicious moments". Sounds just about right.
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Thomson Plaza
Address: 301 Upper Thomson Rd, #02-10, Singapore 574408
Opening Hours: Sun - Mon 11am - 9pm, Fri & Sat 11am - 9.30pm
Nearest MRT Station: Upper Thomson Station
Redeem your 1-for-1 deals at The Grumpy Bear here
Looking for cafes to do some work at? Check out our guide on The Best Work-Friendly Cafes for Better Focus and Productivity.
This is an independent review brought to you by merewards.