There are some restaurants you often see around, but seldom read about. Collin’s (also known as Collin’s Grille Bento) is probably of them, popular among locals for its extremely affordable and hearty Western cuisine.
No prizes for getting what the name of the founder is.
Chef Collin Ho has 15 years of experience in the culinary field, and his previous work in hotel restaurants helped hone his skills in Western food.
Do you know that there are 18 outlets of Collin’s – 3 restaurants and 15 coffeeshop stalls island-wide? WOW.
The advantage of having many outlets is that it helps to keep prices reasonable while still providing quality ingredients.
To continue to reinvent themselves, Collin’s has just released NEW Asian Fusion dishes featuring distinctive Southeast Asian spices.
The seasonal items include Asian Seafood Spaghetti, Summer Lime Seafood Salad, Crispy Asian Wings with Tomato Dip, Chicken Baked Rice with Cream Spiced Tomato Sauce, and The New Hawaiian! ((With A Taste of Asia) Pizza (mouthful name, I know).
These are will be available from now till July 31.
Click PLAY for video of New Hawaiian Pizza.
New Hawaiian! (With A Taste of Asia) Thin-Crust Handmade Pizza ($18.80) (Note: available at Shaw Plaza and Jubilee Square)
This is interesting. So instead of the usual tomato sauce base, Collin’s uses a South Asian inspired cream sauce, with a blend of ingredients such as turmeric, lemongrass, ginger, garlic and galangal.
The pizza is topped with roasted chicken slices, pineapple, tomato slices, a sunny-side up runny egg and arugula.
Firstly, I like the price. $18.80 for a pizza this size is good deal. Secondly, the pizzas are cooked using wood stone ovens, resulting in thin and crisp edges, doughy centre, with that added smoky touch.
The South Asian flavor makes the pizza taste appealingly local, almost like a particular type of curry.
Chicken Baked Rice with Cream Spiced Tomato Sauce ($10.50) (Note: available King George’s Avenue, Shaw Plaza, Jubilee Square)
My favourite among the newly released, probably want to have this again.
While the name is called…”creamed spiced tomato sauce”, the surprise element in the incorporation of rendang sauce within.
The flavours were not too heavy or spicy though, mild with sweet undertones. Some of us like to drizzle rendang sauce over rice. Now, imagine finding that taste infused within hot, piping baked rice, added with stretchy mozzarella cheese.
Asian Seafood Spaghetti ($10.50)
I am one who is all for more Asian-type pastas, and using more local sauce bases could spark off interesting combinations (like Bangkok’s cafes which is successful with their Tomyum pasta dishes).
Presented on banana leaf, the pasta arrived tossed in a light yellow cream sauce with generous servings of seafood like prawns, mussels and squid rings.
After taking a bite, I found this appetizing and familiar… reminding me in a way of creamy Amok curry I had in Cambodia. Especially when the sauce carried hints of turmeric and lemongrass.
If you have been to Cambodia, Laos or Vietnam, you may come across some curry dishes with a similar base, but Collin’s version less intense and more mass-friendly.
Summer Lime Seafood Salad ($7.90)
If you are bored with the typical salad dressings, this summertime inspiration is a tangy and gently-spicy salad laden with fresh crunchy prawns and squid rings. Quite refreshing.
Crispy Asian Wings with Tomato Dip ($5.90)
Not bad finger food. I wished the flavours were more pronounced for that ‘Asian-ness’ though.
The following items are included in the regular menu under Collin’s Gourmandise. Other than these, other popular choices include NZ Airflown Ribeye Steak ($15.50), Collin’s Mixed Grille ($$15.50), Baked Ocean Halibut Fish Fillet ($17.90), and BBQ Saint Louis style Roast Pork Ribs ($12.90). The prices are very attractive!
Half Roasted Chicken ($11.90)
For protein lovers, this is a free range half roasted chicken served with French fries and garden salad.
Lobster Thermidor ($27.90)
Whole Maine lobster with mushroom ragout, torched cheese au gratin, accompanied potato salad and fresh garden greens.
Fresh and chunky. Actually this is probably one of the most value-for-money renditions of Lobster Thermidor around, since it requires two Maine lobsters for the meat.
Actually, it is not typical to find Lobster Thermidor in a casual Western restaurant like this, and it is great to see more ‘upmarket dishes’ that are easy on the wallet.
Grand Marnier Orange Soufflé ($9.50)
Soufflé for $9.50? Bring it on. I wished the soufflé would have risen a cm more, but I am not complaining.
A light soufflé delicately flavoured with orange liqueur. (I sometimes like to drop my ice cream on soufflés, then take big scoops. The ice cream is served on the side.)
Other than King George’s Avenue, Shaw Plaza (Balestier Road), Collin’s newest restaurant at Jubilee Square will make the folks staying around Ang Mo Kio very happy.
One of my favourites is the restaurant at Shaw Plaza, as it offers handmade thin crust pizza baked from a wood stone oven.
For supper regulars, the good news is this branch is opened from 7am to 1am on Sundays to Thursdays, and 24 hours on Fridays, Saturdays and eve of public holidays. Great for early breakfasts (lunch and dinner), great for late-night suppers.
Colin’s
360 Balestier Road #01-12 SHAW Plaza Singapore 329783
Tel: +65 6250 9010
Opening Hours: 7am 1am (Sun – Thurs), 24 hours (Fri, Sat, Eve of PH)
https://www.facebook.com/Grillebento-519281068241915
http://www.collins.sg
Other outlets:
21 Hougang Street 51 #01-51 Hougang Green Shopping Mall Singapore 538719
159A Hougang Street 11 #01-02 Singapore 531159
203 Toa Payoh North #01-1097 Singapore 310203
306 Woodlands Street 31 #01-19 Singapore 730306
26 Jalan Membina #01-10 Singapore 161026
3 Saint George Road #01-67 Singapore 320003
6 Kaki Bukit Ave 1 #02-03 Singapore 417940
56/58 Lorong 25A Geylang Singapore 388248
217 Bedok North Street 1 #01-77 Singapore 460217
308 Clementi Ave 4 #01-335 Singapore 120308
501 West Coast Drive #01-244 Singapore 120501
* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Collin’s.
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