Gourmet burgers are nothing new to Singapore’s dynamic food scene, but what is it about these fancy burgers that motivates people to spend so much more for them as opposed to their fast food restaurant counterparts? The answer lies in its jazzed-up sauces but more importantly, the use of premium ingredients.

Bringing its signature West Coast flavour to Singapore, 25 Degrees Burgers & Liquor Bar is a gourmet American burger joint from Los Angeles which serves up a myriad of gourmet burgers, milkshakes, beer and wine at reasonable prices and is even rumoured to be a cult favourite among many Hollywood stars.

Drop by during the day and enjoy their lunch special where you can get a signature burger and fries for only S$12++. This promotion is valid from Mondays to Fridays between 11am to 3pm. Be sure not to miss out on their daily happy hour between 3pm to 7pm too. During this golden period of the day, you get to enjoy 1-for-1 deals for fries and other food items, a selection of beers, as well as cocktails.

Looking and feeling like a sleek, contemporary, American diner, 25 Degrees Burger & Liquor Bar Singapore’s small yet cosy space serves to provide a warm and friendly environment to diners. Their long table and open-air concept also allow patrons to socialise and watch the bustling street while enjoying a delicious meal.

Boasting a straightforward menu, there are five signature burgers with varying toppings and condiments—all of which cost only S$14++. The five signatures are conveniently named ‘Number One’ to ‘Number Four’ and lastly the ‘Veggie Burger’.

Apart from that, the menu also includes a craft-your-own burger option for fussy burger connoisseurs who want something more.

NUMBER ONE

The Number One (S$14++) comprises a beef patty, caramelized onions, a mixture of different cheeses from prelibato gorgonzola to crescenza, crispy bacon, arugula and is given a generous slathering of thousand island dressing.

As far as gourmet burgers are concerned, nothing rarely ever goes wrong when caramelised onions and bacon are involved and the Number One proved just that. The beef patty had a crispy crust with a juicy, pink interior and the arugula coupled with the thousand island dressing balanced out the intensely meaty flavours.

NUMBER TWO

Number Two (S$14++) is a beef burger with an Italian touch. It features a beef patty, plump roasted tomatoes, burrata, a slice of crispy prosciutto and pesto. Compared to Number One, we would say that this burger is a much milder alternative.

The tomatoes were soft yet not overly cooked to a mushy consistency, and the melted burrata cheese over the top provided an element of creaminess. We particularly like how the addition of pesto in the burger added freshness to the overall taste.

NUMBER THREE

For a burger with attitude, you should go for Number Three (S$14++). It features a beef patty, mezzo secco jack cheese, green chilli, chipotle and avocado. This burger may pack a punch initially but the spice is balanced out by fresh slices of avocado. Those who are looking for a spicy kick will not regret trying the Number Three!

NUMBER FOUR

For a slightly more unconventional option, you can also opt for Number Four (S$14++) that uses a yellowfin tuna patty instead. Served with crisp butter lettuce, crispy fried onions and a spicy aioli, this is one alternative should you not prefer beef—although we would much rather stick to our beef.

VEGGIE BURGER

Vegetarians do not fret, because the folks at 25 Degrees have got you covered. Swopping out a beef patty for a veggie one, the Veggie Burger (S$14++) comes with butter lettuce cucumber, mint, and jalapenos.

As much as vegetarian dishes—let alone vegetarian burgers—get a rather bad reputation, we must admit that the Veggie Burger was indeed delicious. Whether you are a hardcore vegetarian or merely someone curious to know how vegetarian burgers taste like, this is a good dish to start with.

SONORAN HOT DOG

What could possibly beat a hot dog wrapped in bacon? That’s right—nothing.

The Sonoran Hot Dog (S$18++) comes with an enticing bacon-wrapped dog, American cheese, caramelized onions as well as an array of condiments. Delicious and sinful, this huge hot dog was made even better with a squeeze of mustard and their homemade garlic aioli.

CRISPY SIDES

Burgers alone aren’t fun. We need sides of fries and whatnot, too!

The Truffle French Fries (S$6++), Curly Fries (S$5++) and Onion Rings (S$5++) are crowd favourites but our ultimate favourite would have to be the onion rings.

Lightly battered, the onion rings were sweet and super crunchy. While the rings are great on their own, they are made even more irresistible with their selection of homemade dips which you can get at an additional cost of S$3++.

AMERICAN MILKSHAKES

No experience at an American diner is complete without a huge milkshake. This classic milkshake (S$10++) that comes in a variety of flavours is something you absolutely must order when at 25 Degrees Burger & Liquor Bar Singapore.

Sweet, decadent and oh-so-satisfying, there was no way we could resist slurping down one of these bad boys with our burger. Complete with a cherry on top and lots of whipped cream, your burger experience cannot get any better.

WARM MELT CHOCOLATE CAKE

If you are not already stuffed enough as it is, finish your meal with one of their sweet treats. The Warm Melt Chocolate Cake (S$14++) is essentially a lava cake that is topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The rich and intense chocolate makes it the perfect treat for all chocolate lovers!

Remember to drop by for their lunch special where you can get a signature burger and fries for only S$12++. This promotion is valid from Mondays to Fridays between 11am to 3pm.

If you are checking out their beer promotions instead, 25 Degrees Burger & Liquor Bar Singapore’s daily happy hour last from 3pm to 7pm where you get to enjoy 1-for-1 deals for fries and other food items, beer as well as cocktails.

25 Degrees Burger & Liquor Bar Singapore
200 Middle Road
Singapore 188980
Tel: +65 6809 7990
Daily: 11am - 3am
Nearest Station: Rochor / Bencoolen

This post is brought to you by 25 Degrees Burgers & Liquor Bar Singapore.

If you were at the Orchard area last weekend, you would have spotted nydc’s ‘Mini Cafe’ along the streets. To celebrate its new menu launch, the good people from the New York Dessert Cafe set up a ‘Mini Cafe’ where friends, couples and young families can have a little fun, share nydc’s joy while snapping photos and stand a chance to win attractive prizes when they participate in nydc’s Instagram Contest. Check out the photos by searching #iheartnydc on Instagram.

After snapping some photos at the ‘Mini Cafe’, 3 lucky winners joined me at nydc’s Wheelock outlet to sample some of the dishes from its new menu which now offers over 30 dessert items, 20 hot food items, four kids’ meals and 40 beverages. What makes nydc a place to return again and again is surely the variety on its menu. With so many gorgeous desserts and tantalising savoury food to choose from, there is always something for everyone.

Here are some of the highlights of nydc’s new menu.

The Small Plates are a good way to start the meal. You can either have them as snacks (to save room for desserts), or share them as appetisers. All items from this section are priced affordably under S$10.

A must-try is Mushroom Munchies (S$7.80 for 6 pieces). The ingredients – button mushrooms, ham, garlic mayonnaise and mozzarella – are simple, but they come together to make it a very satisfying appetiser. The Lolli Pork Ribs (S$9.80 for 4 pieces) is nydc’s take on pork ribs with chocolate soil. I like the pairing of savoury ribs with a sweet chocolate-y taste.

Dishes from the Big Plates section include salads, sandwiches, burgers, pizzas and pastas. For those who love all-day breakfast, you will be delighted to hear that nydc also serves two breakfast items for the entire day.

The star of the menu and what I would highly recommend is the Piggly Wiggly Burger (S$15.80). The burger is made up of strips of juicy and tender pulled pork coated with a very addictive BBQ sauce.

Another dish which I really enjoyed was the Good Ol’ Fish & Chips (S$15.80). The fish was deep-fried to a beautiful shade of golden brown, and it was done just right – not overly greasy or too oily. This was comfort food at its best.

We also had the Double Beef Booster (S$14.80) which came with a generous serving of pastrami; the Sloppy Joe (S$14.80), a minced beef stew burger done exactly the way a good burger should be – a messy experience with all the ingredients oozing out.

We were stuffed at this point, but there was no way we would skip desserts, especially when there are 30 sweets to choose from. We were really spoiled for choices, and there were so many desserts that we wanted to try. In the end, we went for a combination of nydc’s signature desserts, and some of the new items.

The Goldmine Cheesecake (S$6.80), a classic New York cheesecake with chocolate chunks and chocolate fudge topping, has kept the loyalty of regular diners. The Choco Bull’s Eye (S$6.80) and the Peanut Butter Crunch Time (S$6.80) are also two desserts that you must try at nydc. The former comes with an espresso chocolate ball within the dessert, and you can challenge your friends to see who would hit the “bull’s eye” first, while the latter is a heavenly combination of peanut butter pudding with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

A meal at nydc is not complete without having their famous mudpies. Try the much-lauded Jedi Mudster (S$11.80) – a luscious pairing of double chocolate chip and macadamia nut ice cream on an oreo base with chunks of homemade cookies. If you are in a big group, order the 3-Some (S$11.80) to share. It comes with three layers of chocolate chip cookie dough, strawberry and strawberry cheesecake ice cream on graham crackers.

For guys who cannot do without their burgers, go for the dessert rendition – I Scream Burger (S$9.80). Featuring three scoops of chocolate chip, vanilla and strawberry ice cream sandwiched in a brioche bun, this is one attention-grabbing burger that even non-dessert lovers will be pleased.

The High & Mighty (S$8.80), another top-seller at nydc, consists of 24 layers of chocolate fudge and fluffy sponge. Unlike the usual chocolate cakes which are too sweet and dry, nydc’s rendition is moist with just the right touch of sweetness.

nydc started in 1995 with the flagship outlet in Holland village with the goal of providing a place where people would just let their hair down and share their joy and sorrow over good desserts and fun food. Its aim still remains true today. WIth their tagline “Celebrate Life Everyday”, nydc is more than just a dessert cafe that is known for its iconic mudpies and cheesecakes, it is a place where families and friends gather not just to celebrate special occasions, but also to enjoy precious time on normal days, life is indeed worth celebrating over good food at nydc.

Here is a good opportunity to try nydc’s new menu items as they are celebrating Singapore’s 48th birthday at nydc with a special $48 Bundle Deal which consists of 1 dessert, 1 Small Plate, 2 Big Plates and 1 Lemonade pitcher. Cheesecake lovers will be in for a treat too – nydc’s iconic cheesecakes are going for $48 (U.P. $66) this month. Promotion runs 9 to 31 August 2013.)

nydc
30 Lorong Mambong
Tel: +65 6469 2998
Sun to Thu & PH: 11.30am – 10.30pm
Fri, Sat & eve of PH: 11.30am – 11pm
Nearest Station: Holland Village

#02-19 Wheelock Place
501 Orchard Road
Tel: +65 6736 3253
Sun to Thu & PH: 11.30am – 10.30pm
Fri & Sat: 11.30am – 11pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

#02-47/48 Bugis Junction
200 Victoria Street
Tel: +65 6333 3161
Sun to Thu & PH: 11.30am – 10pm
Fri & Sat & eve of PH: 11.30am – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

Updated: 3 Inch Sin is no longer in operations.

Stepping into 3 inch sin, I could feel something stirring inside me.

It was a feeling that I never had before, I actually felt sexually aroused by the aromatic scent and the food I saw in the shop. I could almost hear the little imp that’s sitting on the left side of my shoulder whispering: “Go on, succumb to your wildest imagination and tempt fate. You know you want the molten chocolate lava cake!”

During my first visit to 3 Inch Sin, we ordered the Mini Molten Flavors ($7 for selection of 3 mini cakes). The flavors for 3 inch sin’s molten chocolate lava cake include: Original, mint, bitter orange, coffee, hazelnut, raspberry, peanut butter, white chocolate, lemon and cherries jubilee.

Half-wishing that we could try everything on the menu, the two of us chose the original, hazelnut, and raspberry. Among the three flavors that we sampled, I liked the Raspberry molten chocolate cake the least. While the slightly sourish berry flavor provided a good counterbalance to the sweet chocolate cake; I’m sorry but (molten) chocolate lava cakes are meant to be (sweet) sweet.

I have always been a big fan of hazelnut (everything and anything should be hazelnut). Needless to say, the Hazelnut molten lava cake was excellent — the timeless classic combination of hazelnut and chocolate never fails to deliver.

The Original Chocolate lava cake was all about chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate. Come, sing with me: warm molten chocolate in a chocolate-y chocolate cake, warm molten chocolate in a chocolate-y chocolate cake…

If you are going down to 3 inch sin after looking at this blog post, I’d recommend you to order their normal size (3 inch) warm chocolate cake ($6 + $3 for a scoop of ice cream) instead of having the 3 Mini molten flavors. While the mini molten lava cakes offer variety in terms of flavor, it does not have a melty center (in short: the chocolate lava cake doesn’t flow) as the cake is too small.

Two weeks after my first visit, I went back to 3 inch sin at Cluny court again. This time, I had the original chocolate lava cake in the normal 3″ size. It was more than good, it was beyond-the-description-of-any-word.

The molten chocolate cake concealed a melty center, with lots of chocolate that’s incredibly sweet and lovely. Paired with a scoop of the cold, chilling vanilla ice cream; nobody, I repeat, no body can resist the warm chocolate cake.

Happiness is when your molten chocolate lava cake flows.

Are you looking for the best chocolate souffle or warm chocolate lava cake or whatever you call the chocolate dessert that has a melty center? Head to the new 3 inch sin at Millenia Walk.

Sorry Max Brenner, I still love you. But now, I love 3 inch sin more.

Restaurant Review
3 Inch Sin
9 Raffles Boulevard
#01-103 Millenia Walk
Tel: +65 6333 4562
Daily: 11.30am – 9.30pm

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