Sunday Set Lunch at The Ship Restaurant

Some restaurants come and go. Others become fixtures on Singapore’s dining scene. The Ship Restaurant & Bar belongs in the latter category, having served Western fare to generations of diners since opening along Robinson Road in 1977. It relocated to Shaw Centre over 40 years ago. After a revamp about a decade ago, the space is cheerful and inviting while the maritime theme remains unmistakable, with ship-inspired decor elements scattered throughout.

Sunday Set Lunch

We visited The Ship on a recent Sunday, arriving without a booking. The restaurant was fully booked. However, the manager offered us a table with one condition: we had to finish within an hour and 15 minutes. That posed no issue. We only wanted a quick lunch anyway.

The Ship has long been known for dependable, wallet-friendly meals in the prime shopping area where “affordable” rarely applies. It has various set meal promotions.

Its Sunday Set Lunch remains a draw, combining familiarity with modest pricing.

We ordered two options from that menu: the Local Set – Special Sliced Fish Noodles ($13.90) and the BBQ Chicken Chop ($14.90). Both included a beverage and dessert; the chicken chop also came with soup of the day.

BBQ Chicken Chop Set

The chicken chop set began with soup – a Mexican chicken variety that day. It was perfectly adequate, neither too spicy nor bland, served piping hot alongside a tall fluffy dinner roll and individual butter portion.

The main dish was quite substantial. The BBQ grilled chicken chop arrived topped with a grilled pineapple ring. Accompaniments included chips, a fresh garden salad with shredded carrots and capsicum. The chicken chop was moist and tender. It was a nice dish but nothing revolutionary. It was kind of like what mum might whipped up at home. Perhaps that explains why families keep returning to The Ship decade after decade.

Sliced Fish Noodles Set

The sliced fish noodles also came in a rather generous portion. The broth was light and clean-tasting. Noodles had a decent springiness to them. Fish slices were fresh enough and cooked properly – neither rubbery nor falling apart.
Overall, it delivered what one would expect from this hawker-inspired dish when served in an air-conditioned restaurant setting. Nothing to write home about, but satisfying nonetheless.

Dessert: A Slice of Consistency

Dessert was a small piece of butter cake. Emphasis on small – about the size one might have received decades ago. The cake was moist and buttery. Simple, old-fashioned. Give The Ship credit for offering comforting consistency.

Location & Consistency

What The Ship offers is competent Western fare at reasonable prices, right in the heart of the prime Orchard Road’s shopping district. Lunch sets with table service starting from under $15 in the Orchard-Scotts area are hard to find. A piece of cake in a hip cafe in the area can cost that much.

The food may not win awards, but it would not disappoint either. Portions remain generous. Service is efficient.
That combination explains The Ship’s staying power. Families, office workers, and even tourists in the know continue to fill its tables, For affordable Western food in an air-conditioned environment in the Orchard-Scotts area, it delivers reliably.

Ratings:
Food: 3
Service: 3
Value: 4
Atmosphere: 3
Overall Rating: 3 TOPs

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The Ship Restaurant & Bar
Shaw Centre, 1 Scotts Road, #02-17
Singapore 228208

Tel: +65 6235 2235

Opening Hours:
Monday to Thursday : 11 am to 3 pm | 5.30 pm to 9.30 pm
Friday to Sunday: 11 am to 3 pm | 5.30 pm to 10 pm

Nearby MRT Station: Orchard (NS22/TE14)

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