Love for Burgers Never Ends

Being the first overseas outlet in Singapore that just opened a few weeks back, I was definitely curious about what Honbo had to offer apart from their colour-coordinating decor and the prominent juke box.

Of course, the HONBO 1.5 (S$23.00) did not disappoint at all as a gourmet burger, with three pieces of thin (they called it crispy) beef patties layering two seductively melted cheese, some pickles, onion and house sauce. The bun held pretty well despite its softness, and those crispy patties were still packed with sufficient juice that we probably would not find in fast food joints. They had the “less meat” versions, but why settle for less when you could have this already? Interestingly, some drops of their special Hot Sauce introduced the acidity that was much needed to mallow the greasiness of the burger, which was helpful at the second half of the game.

And I sure did enjoy those Tater Tots (S$4.90) with the Garlic Chili dip (S$2.00), which had a punch of spices and smoky flavours as well.

Better known as the Pork Knuckle Burger, this S$21.00 comprised a juicy cut of roasted pork knuckle skin-on and sandwiched by a malt bun. With the crispy pork crackling, it was a beautiful contrast to the juicy pork meat, and all that made sense with the malt bun because the latter was definitely dry (and a tad dense too).

It also came with a portion of fries with seasoning. And their beer, though not included, should not be made optional.

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Finally had a go at their Burgs Classic Double Cheese Burger (S$11.90), and it was a comforting and hearty burger that was not made with frozen patties, even though the meat was a tad dry (likely from overcooking). Thankfully, it was saved by their Signature sauce to keep the overall texture moist and flavourful.

Strangely, getting a double-patty burger with an Original Meal Set (S$4.90) had proven to be a little too much for me today. Perhaps, this set had quietly made me really full?

Being a burger kiosk at Basement 3 of 313@Somerset, Rambürger might be one of those places to pick up what was known as the Pasar Malam favourites, the Ramly Burger?

Though the cooking method was akin to the famous street food, I felt that their single-patty Beef Burger (S$4.80) fell short by a pretty large margin. Somehow, I didn’t really like the brown sauce, and it wasn’t surprising that the sauce created a big mess when I unwrapped the burger (well, I like messy burgers sometimes, but this one was not what I would take while eating on-the-go).

Two years on, The GoodBurger Food Truck had made their move from the open space outside The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands to the corner space of Coronation Shopping Plaza.

Other than adding Tindle chicken into their menu, there were also more snack bites options to pimp the plant-based burgers experience. And although at some point I felt the “beef” burgers tasted a little like chopped luncheon meat, the “What The Cluck!” (S$18.00) was my highlight of the night, with stunningly crispy mock chicken patty done Southern-style, complemented with cheese, crunchy pickles and their homemade garlicky special sauce. And of course, the burger still held in place very well after more than 30 minutes of standing.

Of course, a burger like this might not have matched with the premium chicken burgers out there whereby perhaps a whole chicken thigh was used. However, the seasoning and firmness of the “chicken” patty was reasonably consistent, and so there’s little to complain about. Flavours were on point, and nothing felt soggy from start to finish.

The quest of food sustainability might still be at its infancy stage, but I would really commend the folks here for staying true to their plant-based food menu commitment. And hopefully the next visit would surprise me with more refined flavours, though currently it was already satisfying enough for me to want to come back again.

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It was unfortunate that we went into Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) just shortly after Creatr. opened for business, but their takeaway business seemed to be going strong anyhow.

Their Chilli Crab Burger with Tofu Fries (S$29.90) used locally-sourced ingredients and made fresh, with sauces packed separately to keep the fried items crispy and solid. I liked how the crab cake patty crispy on the outside while keeping the crab meat juicy. And when the hot (nuke it if turned cold) chilli crab sauce was drizzled over, the subtle fishy smell from the crab meat was also covered up. Why fishy? Because it’s packed with real crab meat!

And it was also innovative to serve Tow Kwa strips instead of potatoes, just to convert carbs to proteins. But what was quietly clever about it was also that the fries would never turn soggy and that it would taste great even when it turned cold. And these sides would not be complete without the Sambal Aioli with Kaffir Lime Leaves dips for the extra spice and tang.

Pricey? Maybe, but if you could have the peace of mind that everything here were prepared fresh daily, that could probably justify.

Amidst the stalls selling the classic hawker fare, it was surprising to see a burger “stand” selling some gourmet burgers alongside the roasted meats and whatnot.

What appealed to me was their fish burger, otherwise known as Fish Crisp with Tropical Salsa (S$5.80), which came with a whole fillet that was almost double the size of the buns, together with some of their homemade salsa that tasted refreshing and tangy. It tasted fairly decent, and was made perfect after a S$2.00 top-up for a combo, which came with two additional sides. It was quite obvious actually that the ideal choice were the fries and the soup. By the way, croutons come free with the soup and was self-service, but I would not think that it was nice to cover the surface of the soup bowl with croutons, right?

The Armoury Burger (S$24.00) seemed like the signature item of this restaurant, since it was named after the restaurant itself. With two regular wagyu beef patties, cheese, bacon and caramelised onions, this burger might have appeared small but big in flavours and satisfaction.

Although the burger was relatively scrumptious, if there was anything to nitpick, I would say that the brioche buns were slightly oversized and seemed to be mismatching with the size of the patties. No one would say “no” to a burger with the patty highly visible upon stacking with the buns actually.

But one thing for sure, was that dinner service here could be very crowded, so it would be best to call the restaurant in advance for a table reservation if you would wish to enjoy the indoor ambience and not be at the mercy of the weather.

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What could have made this signature burger named after the restaurant? Was it the sweet and airy brioche bun? The solid piece of Tamagoyaki? The caramelised Mirin onion marmalade? Or that perfectly grilled foie gras that was at the top of the stack? Well, maybe all of the above!

With all these power-packed ingredients, the PIPES Burger (S$21.90) was the right choice for me when I wanted a beef burger with foie gras in it. However, my only gripe was the lack of texture from the beef patty itself, likely due to the over-minced beef. Thankfully, the abundance of fries and the serving of fresh salad with sesame dressing made up for it somehow.

#BurppleEatup
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Five Guys might have been in business for a few months already, but queues were still pretty long during meal hours. And it was a big deal that day when they were out of bacon, like how could this happen when a few menu items depended on bacon as a main ingredient?

Bacon or not, this visit was clearly not wasted as I continued to order what was essential in a burger restaurant: burger, fries and a milkshake. What was beautiful was that both the burger and the milkshake allowed as many additional ingredients as I would like, and of course the “kiasuism” in me tried to put a few things down.

The Cheeseburger (S$15.00), just like any of the others, was wrapped in foil, and my hands were already greasy before they could even reach the bun. Messy as it might have seemed, the burger tasted good, and that was all that mattered.

Something that really surprised me was their generosity with their fries. A large fries costed S$11.00, and it was measured by a large drink cup, plus any extra that came with the fries scoop; the paperbag that housed the cup had a full cup of chips plus a whole lot of them “spilled out”.

Needless to say, I would aim for their Five Guys Shake (S$10.00) again. Next time, I would want to mix-in bacon just to give that a shot.

The pandemic had definitely changed the dining habits for some, and those who would prefer to stay home for some comforting burgers would have another option to consider — the Slidin’ In (S$23.90).

Comprising six scrumptious sliders in a six-pack box set, one could mix-and-match from the following menu: Impossible, Classic American, Honey Chicken, Crispy Chicken, Fish Fillet and Mushroom. Since there was a variety provided between chicken, fish, beef and plant-based, there was bound to be at least one that would suit your appetite. I personally liked the Honey Chicken, Fish Fillet and the Impossible sliders as the flavour was on point for me and were not too dry.

Generally, this box was designed for sharing among 2 - 3 persons, but you could try to gorge yourself silly if you really wanted. I would highly recommend ordering a set of their fries to complement the entree, because what are burgers when you do not paired them with fries?

A new burger joint that was opened in Suntec City Mall just before the Circuit Breaker kicked in, SIMPLEburger Inc. was a sister brand of iSTEAKS Diner that served burgers, milkshakes and bottled beer. One could choose to order from either restaurant as all diners were given the option to order online via the QR codes found on the table.

Naturally, I would be interested in selecting their Natural Beef Burger (S$9.00), which could be pimped up with up to 10 free garnishes, paid add-on ingredients or extra patties. Personally, I would highly recommend paying an extra dollar for the Crispy Fried Onions for the golden crunches that went really well with the burger.

In terms of the satisfaction, this burger would probably not match up with the steaks from “next door”, but there would be days when you wanted some burgers, fries and milkshake as comfort food, and this could just fit the bill.