OOTB @ GR.ID Mall - Affordable Burger Joint With Quality Gourmet Burgers

Burger joint OOTB is located within youth mall GR.ID offering gourmet burgers. Their burgers are characterised by the generous amount of ingredients that fall out of the bun, hence the name OOTB. The store features a vibrant exterior with a mix of neon lights and industrial-looking furnishing with metal barrel stools. The menu offers only five burgers. Diners can also add $3 to make it a set which comes with a side and drink.

Classic Cheese 4.2/5

We opted for the crowd favourite Classic Cheese ($14.90). It consisted of black Angus beef, cheddar cheese, caramelised onions, and greens, along with their secret sauce. The black angus beef patty was tender and juicy, while the buttered buns had a nice pillowy texture. Though simple, all the various components worked well together.

Thic Chick 4/5

The Thic Chick ($12.90) features a brined, battered, deep-fried chicken thigh together with chipotle sauce, sweet-tangy slaw, and in-house dill pickles. What stood out was the massive chicken thigh that had a good balance of the batter and the meat. The slaw mix added a refreshing sweet tanginess and a good texture, while the crunchy pickles added a zing to balance the whole burger.

OOTB does not skimp on the quality of its ingredients, and they are very generous with its serving sizes. If you are looking to dine with a vegetarian friend, they also have plant-based options - the IMPOSSIBLE and TINDLE burgers.

Words and photos by Crystal. A girl who likes to eat, photograph, and write about food, and dreams about travelling around the world one day. Note: This is an invited tasting.


OOTB @ GR.ID
GR.ID Mall
1 Selegie Rd
#01-08
Singapore 188306
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Nearest MRT: Bencoolen (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Bencoolen MRT station. Take Exit A. Cross the road and walk to Prinsep Link. Walk down Prinsep Link to Prinsep Street. Turn left onto Prinsep Street and walk towards Selegie Road. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

Teng Bespoke @ Sunshine Plaza - A Gem For Vegetarian Japanese Food

Vegetarian and Japanese are not words you'll too often see together, but Teng Bespoke is one of the few restaurants aiming to offer something different. With a refreshed menu launched earlier this year, you will see an eclectic range of dishes from sushi, and tempura, to bento sets and desserts. The majority of the dishes here come in big portions. Hence it's a suitable spot for family meals and big group gatherings.

White Radish 4/5

We started with the hearty White Radish ($16). It was generously portioned and came with lots of different ingredients - shredded radish, baby tomatoes, lettuce, cashew, etc. and topped with vegetarian floss and seaweed. We expected the typical sesame sauce as a dressing but were pleasantly surprised by a thicker, richer and nuttier tasting one. It was a dish that we kept reaching out for throughout the meal.

Sashimi 3 Kind 3/5

The Sashimi 3 Kind ($19) comes with a selection of salmon, tuna and squid. There's not much difference in flavour across the three, but each has slight variations in its firmness. These mock sashimi are made of konjac jelly and have a slightly spongy bite. It's an interesting try, but I'd suggest going for their sushi options as it has more textures and different components.

Unagi Roll 3.8/5

A pity that the sushi rice was a bit mushy and sticky for both rolls we tried, but flavour-wise, we were pretty impressed, especially for the Unagi Roll ($16). It has an avocado and cucumber centre, topped with slices of unagi and a sweet glaze. We liked how there was quite a bit of smoky char that came with the unagi, which helped to tie it all together.

Mozzarella Roll 3.5/5

The second roll we tried was the Mozzarella Roll ($15). It has a fried centre with cucumber, topped with cheese and a mayo chilli sauce that reminds us of sriracha. We preferred the fried centre here to the one in the unagi roll for texture, but overall, we thought it could be less sweet.

BBQ Bacon w/ Enoki Mushroom 4/5

Apart from sushi rolls and sashimi, there's also a section of grilled items on the menu. This BBQ Bacon w/ Enoki Mushroom ($12) is one of them. It had enoki mushrooms wrapped with thinly sliced mock bacon, grilled in a sweet glaze. We enjoyed the light smokiness and the charred parts on the mock bacon. Other than enoki mushrooms, there's also the option for asparagus in replacement.

Spicy Ramen 3.8/5

The Spicy Ramen ($13) tasted like a cross between tom yum and assam that's not as rich and heavy in flavour and consistency. Nevertheless, we appreciated the cleaner broth, which came default in medium spice, with a considerable portion of noodles, topped with seaweed, vegetables, mock prawns, Japanese fish cake and corn. I would have liked a springier bite in the noodles, but otherwise, it was quite a comforting bowl.

Shiitake Mushroom with Cream 3.5/5

I heard from the staff that the Shiitake Mushroom with Cream ($17) is one of their must orders! The shiitake mushrooms are tempura fried and paired with lots of mayo and cream, with a lightly torched layer of cheese, sweet glaze and a Thai-like sweet chilli sauce. Some might find this a little watery with the generous amount of sauce, but we can also see why it's a popular dish with its family-friendly flavours. I would recommend ordering this in a bigger group to share.

Tempura 7 Kind 3.8/5

The Tempura 7 Kind ($16) came with mock prawns, sweet potato, ladyfinger, pumpkin, enoki mushroom, baby corn and lotus root. These could be a bit more seasoned, but they were lightly battered and fried to a good crisp.

Photos and words by Jo. A girl who loves her Mala (麻辣) at Da La (大辣), discovering hidden food gems and a good cup of matcha latte. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Teng Bespoke
Sunshine Plaza
91 Bencoolen Street
#01-50
Singapore 189652
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Website
Nearest MRT: Bencoolen (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11.30am - 3pm, 5pm - 9.30pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Bencoolen MRT station. Take Exit A. Cross the road. Turn right to Prinsep Link. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Curious Palette @ Prinsep Street - Presents A New Menu Of Tantalising Creations By Consultant Chef Desmond Shen, Formerly From Magic Square

This June, Curious Palette collaborates with Magic Square alumnus, Chef Desmond Shen to roll out a new menu with expanded offerings. The tantalising line-up of starters and sides combine seasonal vegetables, pristine seafood, and robust meats with house-made sauces and dips to form inventive and sophisticated creations to pique your tastebuds.

Together with the Curious Palette team, Consultant Chef Desmond Shen has created a menu encompassing an all-day selection of starters and sweets (available from 9am – 10pm), brunch (9am – 3pm), lunch (12 – 10pm), and dinner (6 – 10pm).

Tomato, Tamarind Ponzu 3.8/5

To kickstart our meal, we had the appetiser, Tomato, Tamarind Ponzu ($10.90) which is a refreshing palate-cleanser with its plump and juicy tomatoes, along with yuzu and pickled lemon to enliven the dish with a subtle citrusy, tangy flavour.

Fried Cauliflower with Fish Sauce Caramel 4.2/5

The Fried Cauliflower with Fish Sauce Caramel ($11.90) was a highly addictive snack comprising of crispy battered and fried cauliflower florets dusted with curry powder. The fragrant lemon emulsion provides a tangy contrast to the luscious house-made savoury-sweet fish sauce caramel.

Sugarloaf Cabbage with Seaweed Butter 4/5

The Sugarloaf Cabbage with Seaweed Butter ($12.90) come in a bundle of juicy, roasted cabbages and a generous sprinkling of toasted nuts, seeds, buckwheat and crispy curry leaves. The cabbage boosts a natural sweetness to it, while the toasted nuts add a nutty, smoky aftertaste. The dish is also accompanied with an umami creaminess of the seaweed butter, and a perfectly poached egg to harmonise the various components.

Mentaiko Belacan Pasta 4.2/5

The Mentaiko Belacan Pasta ($18.90) comprises creamy al dente pasta tossed in a heady sauce prepared with prawn and shallot oil, butter, and a hint of belacan to give it a rich, briny umami flavour. Topped with a trio of charcoal-grilled tiger prawns and chilli powder to complete the dish.

Cray Roll 3.8/5

The Cray Roll ($19.90) comes in generous, tender chunks of crayfish and ebikko stuffed into a fluffy, toasted brioche roll. Topped with prawn mayonnaise and fried capers which adds an umami creaminess to the roll, and served with a pile of crispy golden shoestring fries.

Slow Cooked Shortrib 4/5

The Slow Cooked Shortrib ($29.90) features a beef short ribs sous vide in soy sauce, mirin, burnt onions, and apple juice. It is finished off with treacly burnt soy and brown butter. The juicy short rib boosts a fork-tender consistency, with slightly crispy edges which adds a charred smokiness to the meat. It is best enjoyed wrapped in fresh lettuce, with pickles and yuzu kosho for a touch of tang.

Kaya, Coffee Butter 3.5/5

End the meal on a sweet note with the Kaya, Coffee Butter ($9.50) which features a crispy buttered and toasted white bread with a generous spread of kaya (coconut jam) made with gula melaka (palm sugar), and a thick slice of fridge-cold coffee butter tucked within. For the quintessential experience, dip the kaya toast in the accompanying saucer of sous vide egg and espresso shoyu (soy sauce).

Photos and words by Crystal. A girl who likes to eat, photograph, and write about food and dreams about travelling around the world one day. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Curious Palette
64 Prinsep Street
Singapore 188667
Tel: +65 62381068
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Bras Basah (CC Line), Bencoolen (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon, Wed-Sun: 9am - 10pm
(Closed on Tue)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Bencoolen MRT station. Take Exit A or B. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 mins minutes.[Map]

2) Alight at Bras Basah MRT station. Take Exit D & E. Walk down Bras Basah road towards Prinsep Street. Turn right onto Prinsep Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Curious Palette @ Prinsep Street

To be frank, with the number of cafe opening up every couple of weeks, it was not easy to keep track. If not for my friend Benson, I probably would not have known about Curious Palette at Prinsep Street. Taking the space of a two storey shophouse, the spacious and brightly lighted cafe is very welcoming with its white walls and wooden furniture.

Truffle Fries 4/5 and Pork Scratching 3/5

Truffle Fries ($14.90) topped with shaved parmesan cheese and truffle salt has always been a popular choice for cafe hoppers. It comes with aioli sauce. New on the menu is the Pork Scratching. The crackling pig skin is perfect with a glass of beer. Since this is a beer snack, I would prefer the seasoning to be heavier.

Boneless Chicken Wings 3.8/5

The Boneless Chicken Wings ($9.80/3pc) comes with chicken minced stuffing, spiced batter and served with homemade Thai chilli sauce. The marinated chicken stuffing and spiced batter has a aromatic scent of Indian spices that distinct it from elsewhere. However. the Thai chilli sauce does not work for me

Pan Grilled Baby Squid 4.2/5

One of my favourite dishes on the menu at Curious Palette is the Pan Grilled Baby Squid ($12.90). Funny enough it seems that I was the only one at the table enjoying this. I kept going back for more of the crunchy baby squid.

Pan Seared Salmon 3.5/5

I think the Pan Seared Salmon ($18.90) is very value for money. There are so many different components on the plate. On the plate, guest will get grilled Halloumi cheese, bacon scone, poached egg, guacamole, arugula, semi-dried tomatoes and honey mustard dressing. Unfortunately, the kitchen has a bad day, the poach egg is overcooked.

Scotch Egg 3/5

I like the idea of having Scotch Egg on the cafe menu. It does get a bit boring with egg benedict in every other cafes. Paired with cauliflower fritters, unfortunately the scotch egg was a bit flat in taste. The meat needs more flavours. I have tried better ones else where, especially By The Fire.

Chicken Leg with Pumpkin Risotto 4/5

The Chicken Leg with Pumpkin Risotto is not only beautiful in its presentation but the taste too. The large chicken leg is seasoned with ginger and prepared confit style. The confit chicken leg is paired with pumpkin risotto, The dish is finished with chilli foam. Tender and juicy chicken with fluffy risotto for a substantial meal.

Lamb Short Rib 4/5

The Smoked Lamb Short Rib is paired with compressed pineapple, sweet potato fries and mint jelly. I like the idea of the mint jelly to pair with the fork tender lamb short rib, with the compressed pineapple cutting through the greasiness.

Beef Steak 4/5

The Beef Steak with red wine sherry reduction is sou vide for 48 hours for a tender and delectable bite, accompanied with baby carrot and pencil asparagus. This may not be the most premium cut of the cow but definitely executed to the level of one.

Buttermilk Waffle with Gula Melaka & Coconut Cream 3.8/5

Buttermilk Waffle with Gula Melaka & Coconut Cream ($14.50) is quite an enjoyable dessert to wrap up the meal. The fluffy waffle with vanilla bean ice cream is a classic combination that is timeless. Could not really taste the hint of gula melaka and coconut but the roasted peanuts made up for it together with the nutty texture. The red beans had a bite to it which I thought the softern version would be more appropriate.

Berry Ricotta Hotcake 4/5

The most instagram worthy item at Curious Palette is the Berry Ricotta Hotcake ($18.90) with vanilla bean ice cream, fresh seasonal berries, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. It comes with golden maple syrup at the side. This is a huge serving and I would never image myself finishing it alone. The hotcake was buttery and spongy, with the cold vanilla bean ice cream giving it an enjoyable warm and cold contrast.

Of the many cafes around Singapore, I would say Curious Palette is one of the better ones with the whole package. Meaning besides the cosy and spacious ambience, it serves good coffee and quality food.


Curious Palette
64 Prinsep Street
Singapore 188667
Tel: +65 62381068
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Bras Basah (CC Line), Dhoby Ghaut (CC Line, NE Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Sun-Mon, Wed-Thu: 9am - 10pm
Fri-Sat: 9am - 12midnight
(Closed on Tue)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Bencoolen MRT station. Take Exit A or B. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 mins minutes.[Map]

2) Alight at Bras Basah MRT station. Take Exit D & E. Walk down Bras Basah road towards Prinsep Street. Turn right onto Prinsep Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]