Applebee’s Grill and Bar: A Taste of America

Situated at the heart of the Singapore city lies a restaurant that brings about a different vibe to CHIJMES.

Applebee’s is by far the world’s largest grill and bar chain with over 2000 outlets around the globe. It is primarily a comfortable, casual dining spot most suitable for gatherings with friends and family. Although there might be room for improvement for the food quality for Applebee’s outlet in Singapore, it is definitely worth every penny considering the ambience, quantity of food served, and quality of service that the friendly staff provided.

Applebee’s Singapore offers an extensive menu that offers an array of cuisines, ranging from pasta to pizza to steaks to burgers and salads.

At a media tasting, we were served a platter of appetisers that consisted of buffalo wings and boneless wings, chicken wonton tacos, Mozzarella cheese sticks, fried calamari with jalapeños, chick quesadilla grande, and spinach and artichoke dip to go along with self-made tortilla chips. What was outstanding was the spinach and artichoke dip that went well with the texture of the tortilla chips, giving it not only a crisp but also chewy texture.

The calamari was a bit too soggy for my liking, but the chicken wonton tacos seemed interesting. The lemon aioli sauce that came with the calamari had an overwhelming, sourish taste which could have been offset if there was a slight sweetness to it.

Next up, we had the Shrimp and Parmesan Sirloin. Personally, I have never tasted a surf and turf dish that got me wanting more as somehow the fishy, seafood taste would usually kill the fragrance that beef offers. Overall, this dish was a disappointment as the steak was a little under-seasoned and rare (it turned out medium rare when I ordered medium) and the shrimps were not fresh. The only good point about the dish is the roasted vegetables which were done just right.

The Chipotle BBQ Double-glazed Baby Ribs tasted fine. Though the flavour was intriguing, the meat was a little too tough and stuck to the bone. Baby ribs should be more tender with the meat usually falling right off the bone. The fries that accompanied the ribs were made from whole potatoes instead of mash potatoes. Overall, it is still a dish worth ordering as the sauce tastes different compared to normal BBQ sauce. Also, its affordable pricing is definitely attractive.

Weight watchers can take their pick from the salad menu. We ordered the Oriental Chicken Salad, which was  light, tossed perfectly and not too moist. The oriental vinaigrette brought out the sweetness of the salad and it paired well with fried chicken. To top it off, the restaurant added their tortilla home-made chips and almonds to add an extra crunch.

The Butter Pecan Blondie dessert was fantastic. Period. The nuts in the pastry gave a crunchy texture. The vanilla ice cream went well with the pastry. The staff also handed us a small cup of maple butter sauce to add as topping onto the dessert and we had fun pouring it all over the hot plate, watching it sizzle. We all wanted to finish every bit of this sweet treat, but the mains had filled our stomachs too fast.

Overall, Applebee’s Singapore at CHIJMES is a restaurant worth visiting when you have a big gathering. If your budget is around S$15 per pax, it’s a great place with a relaxing ambience – perfect for an evening in the open.