Saturday, November 25, 2017

B Burger @ Orchard Cathay Cineleisure - The Local Version Of Shake Shack?

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Gourmet burgers in a quick service restaurant format, The Benjamin Barker Group newest burger joint – B Burger at Cathay Cineleisure Orchard is set to go satisfy your burger craving with its juicy, handmade patties, alongside with pretty sinful desserts. Inspired by American burger joints such as Shake Shack and In-N-Out, B Burger carries similar laid-back vibe with American rock music playing in the background. My favourite feature of this colourful place is the Scrabble-like menu board, that allows you to play the labels around.

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Baller Burger 3.8/5

Though infused with a Japanese twist, the burgers here are inherently American. Each order is made ala minute, hence expect 6 to 10 minutes of waiting time. First up on the menu is B Burger, a basic burger for customers who simply just want to enjoy the meat. You can even triple up the beef patty if a single 100g patty is insatiable. Umami burger is a meatless version, with a Buttermilk Fried Portobello replacing your meat. Combining these two gets me a Baller Burger ($10.90), which I feel is really the best of both worlds - a large piece of fried Portobello which has a firm bite to it, supplementing the juicy beef patty which has a slightly loose texture. Then it comes the secret sauce - B Sauce, which elevates the burger with a sweet and tangy zing. I really love the home pickled daikon found in some of the burgers here - sweet and a little acidic but not vinegary.

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B Supreme 4/5

Sliding in an aged cheddar, B Supreme ($9.90) gains a savoury height and flavour that are brought to balance with sweet notes from caramelised onions. The smell of the warm truffle aroma greets my nose even before I get to hold the burger in my hand. The sautéed mushrooms are chunky, with flavour and aroma accentuated by truffle mayo. The bun does get a little soggy after a while, which I think the team needs to address this abit. Still, this burger is finger-licking good.

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Bomchika Wow Wow 3/5

Although I feel burgers should be experienced with beef patty, Bomchika Wow Wow ($10.90) is a satisfying burger in its own right. Big chunks of kaarage chicken topped with fried egg, its physique beckons you to reach out for it. It may sound greasy but the crunchy wafu slaw and piquant daikon pickles bring it to a balance. Sweet with a tinge of spiciness, the sticky sriracha honey that glazed the fried chicken gives this burger a new identity that differentiate itself from other fried chicken burgers.

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Osaka Corn Dog 2.5/5

A interesting snack to try would be Osaka Corn Dog ($6.90) which is a cheese corndog topped with tobiko, teriyaki, mayo and nori. When the sausage itself is already salty, I feel there are too much savoury condiments dressing it.

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Sides 2.8/5

Complete your meal by topping up $3.50 with every main order and get a side of wafu ramen slaw, nacho soup or fries and drink (soft drinks, add $1 for other drinks, excluding milkshakes). If you have always loved nacho cheese dip, you get your wish with this Nacho Soup ($3). It is a tone-down version with a tinge of spiciness but nonetheless, it is still as rich. Curry Beef Fries ($5) is similar to Carl's Jr beef chilli cheese fries but a much more scaled down version with a Japanese flavour.

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S’mores 2.8/5

Not easy to find milkshakes these day, so do try one of its creation. S’mores ($6.90) is a simple concoction of vanilla ice-cream mixed with Nutella which I thought makes a good grab & go as well. Freshly Cut Coconut ($5.90) is available if you want something a lot healthier but at this price, maybe not.

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Death By Chocolate 3.2/5 and Peanut Butter Jelly 2.5/5

Still have room for more? Another noteworthy item from B Burger is its Homemade Concretes ($7.50 – two scoops of concretes with toppings), made from adding egg yolk to ice cream to achieve a denser and creamier body. We tried Peanut Butter Jelly (Vanilla, Peanut Butter, Strawberry, Horlicks, Granola, Peanut Butter Cups, Toasted Bread Cracker) and Death By Chocolate (Chocolate, Oreos, Hersheys, Chocolate Wafers, Sea Salt). Death By Chocolate won me over with its sticky, rich chocolaty texture. It's sweet but with hints of bitterness. The sprinkle of sea salt adds burst of intensity that I really enjoy.

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In terms of pricing, quality and taste, B Burger has a balance of all 3 factors, making it a notch higher than a few other brands of similar concept. Yes, it's a burger place that I would return to.

Words and photos by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


B Burger
Orchard Cathay Cineleisure
8 Grange Road
#01-01A
Singapore 239695
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Somerset (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Somerset MRT station. Take Exit B. Take the escalator to the ground level. Turn left and walk to the junction of Orchard Road and Grange Road. Cross the road. Turn left and walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes.

Thursday, November 23, 2017

Hawkerman @ Singpost Centre (Paya Lebar) - Union of 3 Hawker Brands

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The recent opening of the revamped Singpost Centre at Paya Lebar sees the union of 3 local hawker brands coming together to open up a new concept called Hawkerman. The restaurant brings together Tenderfresh, Warong Kim's (Kim's Hokkien Mee) and Ah Boy Popiah (from Good Chance Popiah) to offer patrons their fried and grilled chicken, hokkien mee and popiah under one roof.

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Maki Popiah

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Maki Popiah 3.5/5

The menu here is rather extensive. I decided to settle for an item each from each brand. I started with the Maki Popiah ($6.90) from Ah Boy Popiah. This is a modern take of the traditional popiah. Besides the usually stuffing of turnips, the popiah is given a coat of seaweed with chicken floss topping and dressed in mayo sauce. This rendition will probably re-introduction the traditional dish to the younger generation.

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Fried Chicken Wings 4/5

If you didn't know, Tenderfresh started off as 可爱鸡 selling roasted/fried spring chicken and chicken wings in neighbourhood food court and coffeeshops before expanding the brand. I love their fried chicken wings since young. Inevitable I just have to order them from the menu. The Fried Chicken Wings ($4.50 for 2pc), I think is a bit pricier compared to their coffeeshops' stall but this probably has to make up for the rental difference at the mall. Anyway, still the same recipe, still the great old taste. Crispy on the outside and juicy inside.

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Spicy X.O. Hokkien Mee $12.90

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From Warong Kim's, I tried their Spicy X.O. Hokkien Mee ($12.90). Using the recipe famed by Mr Yong Tan's dad, also known as the man who fried hokkien mee in his long sleeve shirt donning a Rolex watch. The hokkien mee is fried in a robust stock with the noodles soaking up the flavoursome broth. The addition of the spicy x.o. sauce provided the extra kick to the dish.

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Over at Hawkerman, customers not only can savour the tradition recipes, they can also find modern take of the tradition dishes on the menu. In short, the restaurant has an extensive menu take caters for both old and young.


Hawkerman
Singpost Centre (Paya Lebar)
10 Eunos Road 8
#B1-128/129
Singapore 408600
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Paya Lebar (CC Line, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1100am - 1030pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Paya Lebar MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn right and walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]