GRUB @ Bishan Park

GRUB recently sprung up among the lush greenery of Bishan Park and is already drawing in the big crowds.  The family and pet friendly food oasis awards patient customers with a relaxing vibe, responsible eats, and respite from your busy lifestyle.  The waiting time for a table may be long, but with 62 hectares of parkland around you and a nifty tablet based automated queue system (enter your details into the system and you will get an automated phone call informing you that your table is ready), you have the perfect excuse to get out in the sun for some playtime with your kids or pets in the meantime.

Relaxing vibe

As you settle down in your seat, you might feel like you have arrived at one of those trendy restaurants at Dempsey Hill.  High ceilings, large black frame windows and an exposed brick wall juxtaposed with cement screed walls definitely feel familiar.  However, take a closer look around and you would notice that most of the patrons are families with children and people with dogs.  The relaxing vibe does not just come from the surrounding greenery and cool outdoor seating, but also from knowing that the antics of your misbehaving child or pet would not raise the eyebrows of other patrons.  Not when they also have their own misbehaving child or pet to deal with!  Unless you really cannot stand the heat, the best seats in the house are outdoors.

 Responsible eats

Luckily, responsible eating at GRUB doesn't involve serving only celery and apples.  Instead, GRUB believes in using responsible ingredients such as grass fed, free range cows and antibiotic and growth hormones free chickens, all freshly prepared and free from additives, preservatives and MSG.  Families that don't wish to introduce their children to sinful fast food can satisfy their cravings here.

We had the GRUB cheeseburger ($11), crispy fish burger ($12) and churros with dark chocolate and tangy creme anglaise ($8).  While the cheeseburger was very well put together - well-cooked and juicy meat patty enveloped by soft melted cheese, fresh and crisp greens, topped by a picture perfect bun, the crispy fish burger was abit of a let down.  Well, it wasn't the fluffy type that you could even get at MOS Burger.  Perhaps it was overcooked, since it tasted dry.  Saving grace was the fries that came with both burgers, being crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside even when cold.

The last time we had churros was way back in 2008 in Spain, so it was always going to be an uphill battle for GRUB.  The churros itself tasted fine and it is difficult to go wrong with melted chocolate.  The creme anglaise did not go well with the churros though, as the custard was too light/watery to be picked up.  Aiden seemed to love it though, but I suspect he's more interested in the chocolate than anything else.

Respite

Perhaps the phrase "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts" holds true here at the GRUB @ Bishan Park.  The eatery itself might not be worth a visit (and the wait) without the surrounding greenery and many fun features of the park, while the park itself might not be enticing enough as a one-stop destination (like the East Coast Park) without GRUB providing a cool place to rest tired legs and fill empty stomachs.

A bit like the GRUB cheeseburger that I'm still thinking of.

Aiden playing bubbles with his cousins.

Address

510, Ang Mo Kio Ave 1 (Bishan Park 1)
Singapore 569983

Directions:
Travel along CTE towards SLE and take exit Ang Mo Kio Ave 1. Continue for about 2km and turn left at Marymount Rd. Keep right for 450m and turn right to Sin Ming Ave. Travel along Sin Ming Ave for 800m and turn into first car park on the right (opposite Blk 408). Grub is right across the bridge. (marker A)

Public Transport:
From Bishan MRT Station (North-South Line NS17 & Circle Line CC15), take bus no. 52 or 410W (NOT 410G). After passing The Salvation Army on your right, alight at the 3rd bus stop [no. 53349]. 

Opening hours

Tue – Fri:  5:30pm – 10:30pm
Sat, Sun and PH:  9:00am – 2:30pm,  5:30pm – 10:30pm

Kitchen closes at 2pm and 9:45pm daily.

GRUB is closed on Mondays and the last Tuesday of every month.

Aiden is wearing the Up, Up & Away T-Shirt from our store PriviKids.