Dan Ryan's Chicago Grill (91 Tanglin Road #B1-01, 6738-2800) is one of those places that I can easily turn to when I crave some food from back home. Featuring all-time classics like clam chowder, ribs, and apple pie, these guys fortunately are fairly authentic with little or no localization effects. Amusingly enough, they even have statements on the menus saying "WARNING! We Serve American Portions" to its local patrons (apparently these guys have locations in Hong Kong and Taipei too).
So true to form, we went in for all the artery-clogging goodness, starting with the potato skins, complete with oil oozing out of the baked-on cheese plus all of the bacon bits and sour cream. Next I moved in with my usual rib eye steak, which I've ordered here at least ten times, all of which had been very consistent. Strangely though, tonight's rib eye was a bit thin and lacking in taste, and their accompanying vegetable skewer was totally underdone; the mushroom was even cold. And there were more disappointments tonight too, be it the sauteed mushrooms (fair, but not even close to the garlicky buttery taste of Morton's), clam chowder (it seemed as if canned Progresso had more taste to it), or the overstuffed chicken quesadillas featuring pre-made salsa (ugh!).
Then again, who goes to Chicago to get Tex-Mex anyway? I find that as long as I stick to things like the steak, then I'm fine (tonight must have been an off-night for them). They also had a pretty cool "World's Smallest Sundae" in a shot glass for S$3 (US$1.75). It's too bad that these guys aren't open for breakfast; it's not easy getting an American breakfast around here, and I heard that their HK branch does open in the morning, so it's a bit of a shame. The good thing though is that it looks like they have finally put Vienna Beef hot dogs back on their menu here, so I'm definitely coming back here for that. Well, while tonight I learned of a few things to avoid here, by and large this place is delightfully free of localization, and hence something I can still turn to when I need it.
4 comments:
"Strangely though, tonight's rib eye was a bit thin and lacking in taste (they even gave me A-1 Sauce...ha ha), and their accompanying vegetable skewer was totally underdone (the mushroom was even cold)"
It's interesting that you thought that your order of rib-eye wasn't tasty. Because at my recent visit to Dan Ryan's, I was also disappointed by my order of rib-eye, which was juicy for a medium-well but was of a uniform blandness lacking in oomph. The vegetable skewer was also undercooked and the mushroom lukewarm.
So given your experience and mine, one wonders whether Dan Ryan's has changed its chefs but not for the better.
Foodwise, it seems Brewerkz offers better tasting American food at slightly lower prices.
i dont know if you have tried jerry's bbq & grill at tanglin shopping centre before, but it serves pretty good grill as well. Their buffalo wings are to die for and the tiramisu is just the best ever!
Thanks. Unfortunately, I am not a big fan of Jerry's. The taste was way too localized when I last tried it. Admittedly, that was a long time ago (before they added the Tanglin branch), so maybe they have changed. But I disliked it so much last time that I cringe whenever I see that place, especially since it's right above Bombay Woodlands.
yeah, hey, i had the same experience with the steak too, was pretty disappointed. it was bland, thin and rather dry.
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