We’re all in favor of the concept here, i.e giving the traditional English roast a modern upgrade. The menu is smart and tight, and the star of the show here, the roast prime rib, is terrific.
The service, while the usual Singapore spotty, would be considered adequate elsewhere. Unfortunately, despite the sophisticated concept, branding and marketing, dinner here feels like just another “Chez Afterthought” hotel restaurant, with its generic plush-yet-soulless décor and a menu that is prepared without much passion.
The food is fairly high standard, but not without flaws. A citrus-cured snapper starter is on the small side for $18 but livened up with a horseradish and edamame mash and trout roe; a disc of crab meat and avocado ($22) is let down by a slightly fishy blue swimmer crab and an overabundance of frisee that included wilted leaves. We thoroughly enjoyed our Royal Mail (“extra thick”) cut ($68) of roast beef; the meat was transcendentally tender and the sides—creamed pea and corn, a mini Yorkshire pudding, mashed potatoes and gravy, and freshly shaved horseradish—were superb. (But the signature roast beef is cooked at a low temperature and then reheated to your preferred doneness, which is why your “medium rare” slice won’t have much pink left on its exterior.)
Overall, we don’t think the Royal Mail is worth your time and cash for dinner but fine for a business lunch. It’s $38 for three courses, and the grandma’s living room atmosphere is less of an issue during daylight hours.
