Western

Yummy steak from @gemmasteakhouse.sg during restaurant week. Really liked the mustard cream sauce that paired very well with the steak.

Sin Lee's salted egg chicken burger came with a generous slab of chicken thigh meat with salted egg sauce drizzled all over. Sauce was not spectacular; after a while, it got a bit gelat, and would have preferred it if it had a stronger flavour (sweeter/saltier/creamier). Nevertheless, the quantity of chicken thigh meat was a really pleasant surprise - I didn't expect to get such a big piece at this price range. The chicken was tender, juicy, with the skin fried to a nice crisp. Also, (surprisingly) the side of tangy slaw helped to cut through the heavy dish and provided some much needed acidity.

Professor Brawn Cafe is one of the eight local social enterprises participating in #DineForGood as part of #FestivalForGood which is organised by the Singapore Centre for Social Enterprise (raiSE) to increase awareness and patronage of F&B social enterprises in Singapore. They specialise in serving classic western fare at, as I was happy to find out, really affordable prices!

Their crunchy calamari ($7.90) was one of the highlights of the dishes we tasted. At only $7.90, you get a generous portion of crisp, crunchy calamari fried to golden perfection. It's not gelat at all, although it is served with a side of salsa which provides a bit of acidity to balance things out. Super addictive, this will disappear from your table in no time!

Professor Brawn Cafe aims to provide employment opportunities to people with autism, and in doing so, has strived to create an inclusive working environment that aims to accommodate people of different abilities, ages and socio-economic backgrounds. In fact, the Professor Brawn mascot was conceptualised and designed by a child with autism, and served as the catalyst for the owner, Mr Roland Tay, to start this social enterprise. A comprehensive job assessment program has been put in place to ensure that their beneficiaries are well-equipped and comfortable in their working environment.

You can be #partofthegood by dining at participating social enterprises such as Professor Brawn Cafe! Enjoy a free ice cream with any of the mains throughout the month of August.

Many thanks to Mr Roland Tay for taking the time to host us, as well as Burpple for the invite!

The newly-introduced salted egg burger from The Quarters show you how it's supposed to be really done. The fried chicken patty is drenched in salted egg sauce, but remains crispy thanks to its oat batter. The sauce is smooth and creamy and compliments the chicken really well. It had us all wishing there was more so we could swipe the remainder with the fries. For now, go grab it while it's a promotional price of $14!

This was slightly disappointing, especially considering the price. The steak while well-seasoned turned out to be a little dry, and slightly over-cooked for something that was supposed to be medium-rare. Quantity of the side dishes were not great, and other places like Astons etc. which have similar offerings at cheaper prices are more generous with their sides. If the steak itself was better, it might have been worth it. But unfortunately, this fell short of expectations. To be fair, their non-steak items like chicken are much cheaper and probably more value for money.

Authentic British fish and chips from Smiths. Having tried the cod as well, I would say that the haddock would be a better option. The haddock was really fresh, and was nicely flakey and fibrous. Of course, there's still the typical sort if you want something more familiar. You get to add your own salt and vinegar for a really traditional flavour. The fries could afford to be slightly crispier, but I would say this was pretty good overall! Best to eat it there or it'll be a bit soggy by the time you bring it home.

Crazy good starter! The beef topping had an almost a jam-like consistency and was perfect with the toasted sourdough. The flavour combination was amazing - it was sweet, sour, and smoky. The pickles gave its nice crunch and tartness to the whole dish. A bit pricey, but definitely worth the money.

Instead of your usual beef patty, this burger switches things up by having a prawn patty instead. The intense yet distinct Thai flavours coupled with the juicy prawn patty with chunks of fresh prawn made this one of the highlights of the meal. While the flavours from each component (lemongrass prawn patty, green curry mayo, mango red onion coleslaw) are really strong, they complimented each other brilliantly. And their homemade potato buns are really to die for - soft and fluffy, with a hint of sweetness from the potato, and toasted to perfection. I could probably eat a couple of these on my own!

This was a tasting courtesy of Montana. Many thanks to Burpple for the invite!

Yummy fish and chips from Georges By the Bay. The batter was crispy, while the fish was really soft and flaky. Unlike many others, the batter didn't peel off the fish like it was a separate component, and complimented the fish really nicely. Served with a pretty decent salad (with no icky, slimy dressing) and nice crisp fries.

Beyond.Plate (located in Stirling Bar)
15 Cheong Chin Nam Road
Opening hours: Sat-Sun 10am to 5pm

Craving for the B.P burger with salted egg fries from Beyond.Plate. I was pleasantly surprised at how soft and juicy the patty was. The buns were nicely buttered and toasted. The delicious strips of maple bacon helped provide a little sweetness to the burger. One of the best burgers around. Oh, don't forget about their salted egg fries - as if things weren't already sinful enough. But trust me, the calories are worth it.

I would say that this is one of the better steaks at this price. The meat was quite tender and juicy, and wasn't dry and chewy. Goes well with the sauce, although it was quite salty on its own already.

Another hidden gem located in the heartlands! Yummy pork knuckle with crispy skin, served with a side of sauerkraut and mashed potatoes. At this price range, this is pretty good, and the meat was quite tender. Not too big portion, but should be filling enough for one.

Another thing worth mentioning: the beer here is at a mere $10 (!) a pint. Be sure to check this place out if you wish to have a nice drink with friends.