Burger Shack: How to eat a burger

September 28, 2009 | 47 Comments

Shucks! What are you doing with fork & spoon? Throw them away! The real way to eat a delicious burger, is to use your hands! First, press down and flatter the bun, stuff back all the ingredients that dropped out, and use both hands, yes bare hands with no napkins, or wrapper. Picked up the burger and take a breathe in; just like how people swirl and sniff their wine.

Okay now, the glorious moment; take your first tentative bite – open your mouth as wide as you can, and sink your teeth into the bun, then taste the ingredients, and then the meat, followed by the bun again. Yum! And finish the whole burger in one mouthful!

We queued up and ordered from the counter when everyone arrived; there was seven different burgers to choose from, with the typical add-ons like cheese, bacon, and egg. My friend ordered the BBQ pulled pork burger ($6.20), the pork strips were actually quite tasty, but the bun was too hard. And oh yes, note that all the price stated are just the burger only, you need to add on $3.50 (or $2.50 for students) for a set with fries and drink.

The Thai Chili burger ($6.20) was sweet-meet-spicy; a piece of deep fried chicken patty was drizzled with spicy sweet sauce Fancy a Zinger?

It is the must-have for every burger joint on their menu, how can they not have the King Ramlee burger? Unfortunately, Burger Shack’s Ramli ($6.20) is a very poor rendition of the famous street burger. Even Relish’s version was better. In place of the sweet chili sauce, they used a sambal sauce which wasn’t really spicy, and Ramlee’s all about the generous sweet chili with lots of barbecue sauce. And instead of wrapping the patty within the omelette, they merely placed the sunny side-up above the beef patty.

Another chicken, the J-burger ($6.20) with okonomiyaki sauce.

The Grilled Chicken ($5.70) was pretty decent with a tender flamed-grilled chicken fillet. Pity about the hard buns though.

Omph, I was excited by the prospect of having melted cheese on top of a medium rare beef patty with a pink tinge in the middle. Delicious right?

Except it wasn’t the case.

There’s the Original ($5.70) and the Double ($7.70) to choose from, and I had add-on cheese for $1.50 too. And I feel cheated that the cheese wasn’t melted. The beef patty was also much smaller than expected, and I hate to say this – even Botak Jone’s burger had melted cheese and better fries.

Nowadays I seldom check out new restaurants immediately when they are just opened. It’s like nurturing a plant; you need to water it regularly, give it nutrients and let it have sufficient sunlight to grow. The same goes for a new restaurant, there are bound to be hiccups initially so we need to give them time to improve the service and tweak the menu.

Three things I don’t like about Burger Shack: the noisy sound system as they use mic to call out the orders that are ready. As much as I understand that the self-service system helps them to keep the price competitive, but I couldn’t help feeling irritated, and it had the whole-fast-food-restaurant-vibe. The interior has a poor air ventilation – we smell like burgers after finishing dinner. And the food can really be better; the fries were cold, some of the burger buns were all right, but some were over toasted and too hard.

But I still think Burger Shack will do well. Students adored Island Creamery and you bet they will hopped by Burger Shack which is less than 5 minutes walk across the road.

I’m still in the mood for burger even though Burger Shack wasn’t too impressive, Smok’Inn Frogz’s still the one to beat, and for the same price range there’s Hotshots. Next up: Swiss Butchery, Sunshine @ Carries, Spruce, and The handburger!

Burger Shack by Island Creamery
559 Bukit Timah road
#01-01 King’s Arcade
Tel: 6466 3477
(formerly Melvados cafe)

Category: # Restaurant Review, * West Singapore, Dining Guide Singapore, Food Photography, Singapore Food Blog
Tags: # Western Food Singapore > # Western Restaurant Singapore > + Bukit Timah Food > + Restaurant in Bukit Timah > Best Burger Singapore > Best Singapore Food > Burger place in Singapore > Burger Shack > Good Burger in Singapore > Ramly Burger > Singapore Food Blog > Singapore Food Photographer > Singapore Food Photography

Comments

47 Responses to “Burger Shack: How to eat a burger”

:Priscilla
September 28th, 2009 @ 5:35 pm

So Hungry! I hate this site! LOL
Christine
September 28th, 2009 @ 5:39 pm

it has been months since I last ate a burger. I shall sink my teeth on some pork burgers now… ;P u got my appetite uplifted! ^^
Life for Beginners
September 28th, 2009 @ 5:47 pm

I think burgers are just meant to be dead simple. Good ground beef patty, cheese, decent buns and a big appetite to polish it off in seconds!
ladyironchef
September 28th, 2009 @ 5:58 pm

Priscilla: Wow! we have a rare guest! tee hee : )

Christine: I din have the usual burgers (mac, burger king those fastfood ones) for very long too. But yeah you can never resist a real good burger!

LFB: Yep, back to the basics, hand chopped beef patty, melted cheese, soft buns. Voila!
dweam
September 28th, 2009 @ 6:42 pm

your burger pictures make me so hungry! despite your review it looks so good. too bad about the melted cheese though. what’s a burger without melted cheese!
Mike
September 28th, 2009 @ 6:43 pm

I’m always on the lookout for a good burger in SG… and I’ve found a wide variation in price/quality.

Still haven’t had the chance to check out Smokin Frogz, but it’s on my shortlist…

Hand Burger looks good – but fairly high prices… for S$24 you can get a really elite burger from Wine Garage or Rocks Urban Bar & Grill!
Puff
September 28th, 2009 @ 7:22 pm

Sigh. If only their burgers taste as great as how they look in your photos
charmaine
September 28th, 2009 @ 9:24 pm

I just went to the handburger today and it was not bad! i like the stuffed chilled tomato though the beef patty was abit overcooked
carmen
September 28th, 2009 @ 10:17 pm

SO agreed about Smokin’ Frogz. I haven’t found a better burger yet.
ladyironchef
September 28th, 2009 @ 10:39 pm

dweam: Hello Valerie! yeah man i was so disappointed the cheese wasn’t melted! go try smoking frog kitchen, their burgers are good stuff : )

Mike: Yea handburger looks quite ex, and my friend tried it and say it’s decent only. The “restaurants” burgers are usually from 20 bucks upwards, so sometimes i don’t feel so inclined to pay so much for a burger.

Puff: haha it’s just my personal opinion, you might like it, go try and let me know!

charmaine: wow! how much is it? I heard it’s pretty pricey?

carmen: Yea for 12 bucks nett, they serve one of the best burgers. Did u try their beef or chicken?
harris
September 28th, 2009 @ 10:56 pm

would you recommend relish more then?

smokinn’ frogz is good stuff coz it’s cheap too. if only it’s a teeny weeny bit more consistent, it would be perfecto.
ladyironchef
September 29th, 2009 @ 6:50 am

harris: haha not really, i been to relish twice and i don’t think i will go back again. their burgers are not bad la, but for that kind of price a bit too much. how many times u went to smoking frog? it’s not consistent?
Jo
September 29th, 2009 @ 11:29 am

It’s dangerous to surf your site during office hours but then equally so to do it at night too! HUNGRY!
Nic (KHKL)
September 29th, 2009 @ 1:01 pm

oohhh, i didn’t know it’s from island creamery. in that case, yupe, it’ll sure be a hit among the students there…i must give it a try after lecture one day.
layla
September 29th, 2009 @ 6:51 pm

it’s been so long since i last visited! and the first thing i see is burgers. ohmygod. hahaha! yumyumyum i would like to try this and see.
Lianne
September 29th, 2009 @ 9:13 pm

i’m so going to give this and Smok’Inn Frogz Kitchen a try when I am back home during Summer! (:
Fatkuraprincess
September 30th, 2009 @ 12:17 am

hungry~
Especially I have been LS-ing over the 3days & so, have to refrain from such food..
Seeing all these burgers make me feel like i am in heaven! hope burger rains soon!
ladyironchef
September 30th, 2009 @ 8:15 am

Jo: That’s not the excuse not to read my blog! muahahahaha

Nic: Yeah man it’s near your study place, go try : )

layla: Where have u gone to! how can never visit for very long! must drop by everyday okay. lol

lianne: smoking frog is better! start making a to-visit-list now, so u know where to go when u are back

Fatkurapriness: Burger rain! Burger rain! then you must do a burger dance to pray for the rain : D
vonvonx
September 30th, 2009 @ 10:15 am

PBGs!!! Pork burgers!!! Reminds me of HKG… their yummy pork buns/burgers……… Yes I heard abt the poor ventilation… one big turn off for me.
carmen
September 30th, 2009 @ 4:46 pm

i’ve tried both the chicken and beef. but i really prefer the beef. probably due to the hearty juicy beef patty. has the cheapest hoegarden draught too (haven’t found a cheaper place) which goes great with the burger fries combo.
ladyironchef
September 30th, 2009 @ 11:15 pm

vonvonx: what’s PBG and HKG? yeah we smell like burgers after coming out. lol!

carmen: heya! beef one was all right even though i was expecting something more. a bit upset the cheese wasn’t melted. haha they have cheap hoegarden draught eh? din really notice
jiaying
October 1st, 2009 @ 8:32 am

same hand as the haato one holding ice cream?
rojocaliente
October 1st, 2009 @ 10:07 pm

whaaaaaat??! i thought it was pure awesomeness. its a better and healthier choice from mcdonald’s. and the sound system was pretty good, they had really nice tunes playing. and remember, its called ‘burger shack’. its kind of recreating the traditional burger place in fast food joints except its much healthier.
p.s. i think you’re mean.
FFichiban
October 1st, 2009 @ 11:20 pm

Dayyuummmm I want some pulled pork burger!! We need some here in Syd!!
ladyironchef
October 2nd, 2009 @ 12:19 am

jiaying: different hand models! hehe

rojocaliente: hello there, if you have read my blog regularly, you will know I’m not one who write negative posts and criticize the place. Yea they have some really nice tunes playing, but the calling-out-of-numbers were irritating. I believe it will be a success with Island creamery regulars, but they will have to work out on air ventilation problem. As for burger wise, taste is subjective : )

Ffichiban: Make your own! muahahahaha
Camemberu
October 2nd, 2009 @ 4:29 am

Brad, kudos for being honest in your review – it’s good feedback for everyone (including the eatery). If someone calls you names just because they don’t agree with you, then they are just showing how immature they are.

The filling in the burgers look tiny!
ladyironchef
October 2nd, 2009 @ 7:55 am

Camemberu: thanks! Nic says he’s gonna try it too, so we shall wait for his post (a few months later) lol! yea quite tiny, but then it’s just 6 bucks. haha when you come to the west (finally), you can try burger shack, den we can go smoking frog and kim’s
petite oiseau
October 2nd, 2009 @ 10:48 pm

hey, i don’t get why people keep saying the buns are hard. i think they’re just nice. would you rather have such soft buns that they feel like nothing? but taste is subjective i got hot fries though, so yup maybe they should improve on their quality control.

i agree that the cheese should be melted, better yet if they could offer diff types of cheese, esp with so many cheese and wine shops like culina and the cellar door deli and cold storage and tierney’s all so nearby. but i guess to keep the price competitive, they don’t have much choice.

don’t know about you, but i personally dislike burgers with deep-fried patties. i think the original burger is good enough.
ladyironchef
October 3rd, 2009 @ 7:32 am

petite oiseau: hello there! it’s more like a consistency problem because out of the 8 burgers that we had, some were hard, while some were soft. yeah taste is pretty much subjective, i bet there will be people who love their hard buns too. heh

yea what’s burger without melted cheese? i don’t think they can offer those options since the direction is not a gourmet burger, but a decent burger with melted cheese will go a long way. thanks for your comment : )
petite oiseau
October 3rd, 2009 @ 11:18 am

omg hard buns sounds naughty hahahah
emily
October 3rd, 2009 @ 10:26 pm

hi, if the fries werent cold, would they be nice. they look similar to the botak jones fries.
ladyironchef
October 3rd, 2009 @ 10:36 pm

petite oiseau: hehehe : )

emily: how come u suddenly so polite? lol! i feel botak jones fries taste better
chocolate shavings
October 5th, 2009 @ 9:01 pm

Those burger photos are awesome!
misterang
October 5th, 2009 @ 10:15 pm

i saw my hands =)
ladyironchef
October 5th, 2009 @ 11:11 pm

chocolate Shavings: thank you! burgers are always so photogenic!

misterang: wow rare guest! which wind blow you here? so long nv comment lor! hahahaha
emily
October 5th, 2009 @ 11:15 pm

eh i dunno why also! you never answered the qn!!
endlessdesk
October 6th, 2009 @ 1:53 am

Yay, a new burger place and so near my house! ^_^ But I think the best burger in Singapore is still the at the American Club. ^_^
ladyironchef
October 6th, 2009 @ 8:04 am

emily: i don’t like the fries. HAHA

endlessdesk: You are a westie too? haha American Club? really, great will try it next time!
jo
October 6th, 2009 @ 8:42 am

Thanks for the post. I had been meaning to check out this joint when they had a quick feature in the papers. I guess I’m going to give their burgers a skip but will still stay with their ice-creams (which is really good esp the pulut hitam one)!
ladyironchef
October 6th, 2009 @ 9:03 pm

Jo: hello! yeah i love island creamery ice cream, been there so many times! why don’t you give their burgers a try? Our taste buds are different, and who knows, maybe they have improve already : )
thenomadGourmand
October 12th, 2009 @ 2:19 pm

Hey congrats on being in the running for the best blog award ;p

I love burgers!!! But hard buns??? eekks!
ladyironchef
October 12th, 2009 @ 11:05 pm

thenomadgourmand: thank you! yeah pity about the hard buns. haha
Eileen
October 24th, 2009 @ 6:28 pm

Tried Burger Shack…not up to my expectations though. Popped by Swiss Grill (Bistro bit of Swiss Butchery @ Coronation Plaza)..just across the rd from Burger Shack.

Saw their burgers n steaks…looks pretty gd! Have you tried them?
ladyironchef
October 24th, 2009 @ 9:38 pm

Eileen: WOW! you did exactly the same thing as me, i also popped by Swiss Grill after my dinner at burger shack. hahahahaha yeah their burgers seem pretty good from what my friend told me, will try them soon (i hope)! let me know if you try it whether it’s good or not : )
BanBan
March 17th, 2010 @ 8:29 am

Agree on the ventilation part, which is why my friends chose to sit outside. And yes, the PA system often had interference, which can spoil the dining experience. But maybe students are more forgiving. Think BS should do well though.
ladyironchef
March 18th, 2010 @ 11:17 pm

BanBan: yeah even though i dont really like the ventilation and the pa system part, but i think they will do well. Burgers are priced reasonably and the island creamery brand attracts students
megan
April 8th, 2010 @ 11:57 pm

Now that put me in the mood for a hamburger!!!