Lava Rock

Went to Lava Rock Grill for lunch. I had read about it in Urban and was curious too sample its dishes. According to reviews, the meals are supposed to be value for money.

The first thing that struck me was the service. The youthful staff was friendly and helpful and were knowledgeable about the menu. There was a bubbly young lady who served us and many more expensive restaurants could learn a thing or two from her.

PT and I were game for steak so we poured over the extensive menu. Chicken and steak seemed to be the mainstay. After mulling over the different cuts, we finally made our decision.

FT ordered the fish and chips. For a dollar more, the standard fries were converted to cheesy fries with bacon. Even though it was a kid's meal, the portion was generous and came with a side. Batter was light and crispy and the fish lightly seasoned. Excellent meal, according to FT who wiped the plate clean.

PT ordered the 250g Sirloin steak on hotplate (about $17) and I ordered the smaller 160g Fillet Mignon (about $15). Each grill came with 2 side orders. For 2 dollars more, a bowl of mushroom soup and dessert was thrown in.

The mushroom soup was good. The portion was generous and every spoonful was filled with delicious savoury bits of shitake mushrooms.

As we waited for the mains to arrive, I walked over the the counter to select the sides. There was a good selection of cold and hot sides. We ordered the mash potatoes, buttered corn, steamed carrots, pasta and olive salad and coleslaw.

Tangy crisp coleslaw

Pasta salad

The Sirloin steak came sizzling on a hot plate. The steak was tender and juicy and it was quite a steal for less than 20 bucks.Like all good meats, just a dash of salt and pepper was sufficient.

My Fillet Mignon came with a side of buttered rice pilaf and brown sauce. The plump, juicy meat melted in my mouth. The seasoning was rather heavy though and almost overpowered the natural flavours of the steak. They should have seasoned the steak the same way as the Sirloin.

We had a pleasant surprise when the dessert came. It was chocolate fondue with bananas and marshmallow. FT was quick to the draw and was eating from both of our plates.

Actually, there were more items on the plate...

A marshmallow freshly dipped in chocolate sauce

It was a money well spent and a place worth returning. Next time, I'm trying the spaghetti vongole.

Lava Rock Grill

Blk 681 Hougang Ave 8

Guan Soon Cheng Coffee Shop

Food: 6.5/10

Price: $$

Service: 7/10

Ambience: 2/10 (Sweltering)