Our Filipino Colleagues Review Gerry’s Grill, A Popular Filipino Restaurant In Orchard

Gerry’s Grill Singapore is a popular Filipino restaurant in Orchard

As a Singaporean of Filipino descent, I’m always eager to try out Filipino food that I stumble across in Singapore. Recently, I visited Gerry’s Grill Singapore with my Filipino colleague at Starhub Centre, located on the outskirts of Orchard Road, known for its Filipino offerings, from rice and noodle dishes to meats and desserts.

30 Orchard Food Gems To Visit For Handmade Mee Hoon Kueh, Famous Warabimochi And More

If you haven’t heard of Gerry’s Grill before, they’re an established brand from the Philippines, boasting over 140 locations globally. They decided to expand to our shores only after KF Seetoh, AKA the man behind Makansutra, invited them to do so, as he was impressed by their food. The brand is known for their BBQ meats and seafood, namely pork and squid, which we were excited to try!

12 Filipino Food Places In Singapore Serving Crispy Lechon, Halo Halo And More

Food at Gerry’s Grill Singapore

We started with the Pork Barbecue ($13++), starring two skewers of glistening pork, served with a side of house-made atchara and toyomansi sauce. For the uninitiated, atchara is a well-loved Filipino side dish, made with pickled unripe papaya and bell pepper. Toyomansi, on the other hand, is a classic Filipino dipping sauce made with soy sauce, fresh calamansi juice, and diced onions.

Each skewer features juicy, tender meat with bits of silky fat towards the end. We enjoyed its smoky char and caramelised, crisp edges, adding a satisfying contrast of textures.

The meat was marinated in a sweet and savoury sauce. On its own, it tasted a tad too sweet, but it was perfect when paired with all the condiments. The toyomansi lifted the dish with a savoury tang, while the pickled atchara added a refreshing vinegary sweetness, both balancing out the sweetness of the marinade.

We also paired the barbecue with a serving of fluffy Garlic Rice ($2.50++), which came with a generous serving of crispy deep-fried garlic bits. If you aren’t a fan of garlic, there’s a Plain Rice option, too, priced at $1.50++.

Next, we had the Sizzling Pork Sisig ($16.50++). If you aren’t familiar with sisig, it’s another popular Filipino dish, typically made with chopped pork ears, cheek, and meat, served on a hotplate with diced shallots, chilli, chicharon bits, AKA pork crackling, and clamansi. We had the option to add a sunny-side egg for $1.50++, though we skipped this to try the original version.

We squeezed the calamansi and mixed the crispy chicharon topping with the rest of the ingredients for the best flavours.

We enjoyed the unique blend of textures: the soft and tender meat, the light crispiness of the fried chicharon bits, and the crunchy yet gelatinous cartilage of the chopped pork ear. We were particularly impressed by how the chicharon stayed crisp, even after being left out for some time.

Taste-wise, the dish was packed with a rich, porky flavour. The shallots offered a hint of caramelised sweetness, while the calamansi added a zesty touch, cutting through the greasiness. My colleague left out the chilli, as she isn’t a fan of spice, though I personally appreciated the heat it brought to the heavy dish.

The dish tasted great, but you can get tastier and cheaper versions of sisig in Singapore.

Moving on to the seafood, we had the Inihaw Na Pusit ($21++), which translates to grilled squid. Similar to the pork barbecue, the squid was served with a side of atchara and toyomansi. Our expectations were sky-high as this dish is said to be the one that made the brand famous.

The squid was grilled till tender and succulent, with a moreish smoky char. Each slice melted away after just a few chews. We liked that it didn’t have a rubbery texture, even after it was cooled.

The squid tasted fresh, with none of the unpleasant fishiness you sometimes get in seafood dishes. Brushed in a soy-based glaze, it boasted notes of smoky umami with a tinge of sweetness. The squid tasted even better after being dipped in the toyomansi, then paired with rice and the sweet-sour atchara.

We also had the Pancit Palabok ($13++), starring QQ rice noodles generously coated in a thick pork and shrimp-based sauce, topped with slices of hard-boiled egg, shredded cabbage, crushed chicharon, plump pieces of shrimp, and calamansi.

Before digging in, we squeezed the calamansi and mixed it with all the ingredients.

Each bite delivered a sweet, briny freshness from the shrimp and seafood broth, complemented by a depth of umami from the pork broth and tartness of the calamansi. For the curious, the sauce’s signature yellow-orange hue is not a result of food colouring, but from atchuete, AKA annatto seeds.

The egg yolk added a creaminess to the dish, while the fatty chicharon livened things up with an addictive crunch. The shredded cabbage was a nice touch, too, adding a clean, subtle freshness that countered the dish’s heavier elements.

For dessert, we had the Halo-Halo ($9.50++), featuring finely shaved ice, doused in evaporated and condensed milk, then topped with a plethora of ingredients: sweet beans, coloured jelly, rice krispies, macapuno, AKA coconut sport, saba, leche flan, sweetened jackfruit, ube paste, and ube ice cream.

With its name directly translating to “mix-mix”, the dessert is meant to be thoroughly stirred together to ensure that each scoop carries a bit of everything.

Each bite was smooth and milky, while crunchy from the crushed ice and Rice Krispies. We loved the hint of earthy ube flavour, paired with a tropical sweetness brought by the saba and jackfruit. Another highlight was the chunks of macapuno, which had a chewy, silky texture that I personally adored.

Ambience at Gerry’s Grill Singapore

Gerry’s Grill Singapore can accommodate around 80 diners at a time, with tables seating groups of two to eight. The restaurant isn’t the most aesthetically pleasing, as proven by the tacky, glittery feature wall near the entrance, adorned with the restaurant’s slogan, “You’d still rather be at Gerry’s Singapore”, in scribbled italics. That said, the dining area is functional, providing a spacious, comfortable, and brightly lit room to dine in.

The restaurant can get quite busy from Friday to Sunday during peak periods, so we recommend making a reservation on their website to avoid a wasted trip.

Gerry’s Grill Singapore is located on the ground floor of Starhub Centre, a nine-minute walk from Somerset MRT Station. It’s also within walking distance of Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station.

Gerry’s Grill Singapore – Eatbook review

Overall, Gerry’s Grill Singapore offers delicious Filipino food, with a selection of dishes that isn’t commonly found in Singapore. On the flipside, prices here are quite high, and there are a few other places in Singapore that offer similar or better flavours at lower prices.

If you’re in the area, check out our coverage on Yo-Chi’s first international outpost at Orchard Central! Otherwise, read our guide to the best affordable buffets in Orchard.

Address: 51 Cuppage Road, #01-12, Starhub Centre, Singapore 229469
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 12pm to 10pm, Sun 11am to 10pm
Tel: 6720 1412
Website
Gerry’s Grill Singapore is not a halal-certified eatery.

A First Look At Yo-Chi Singapore: Famous Aussie Froyo Chain Opens At Orchard Central

Photos taken by Paula Formantes.
This was an independent visit by Eatbook.sg.