[NEW] Burger Joint Singapore: Good things come to those who Wait

Imagine

You just knocked off work and are immediately besieged by the unkind and humid weather. In spite of all this, all you can think about is that new burger joint that just opened. Maybe about a block down, maybe 5 blocks down. Heck, who cares? You walk past Gemmill lane, the neon burger sign beckons from afar. And my god, that delicious grilled meat scent wafting through the thick velvet curtains is unmistakable. Push past those gymming regiments and yield to the alluring siren call of the neon sign. Here, you make a deft left turn. And, alas, this is exactly the sight that greets you at Le Parker Meridien Hotel.

And what a sight at that. The ambience is like Happy Days all over again, albeit with the unmistakable vibe of the New York hip jazz scene as sounded through the speakers.

Picture this. Booths. Lamps, Posters of 80s classic films. Graffitied walls (only at the mercy of your marker pens). Assisted with a fully stocked bar of 18 craft beer taps ranging from Omnipollo (Sweden), Weird Beard (UK), Victory (USA) and Hitachino (Japan). And of course the American whisky and bourbons that line the shelves. Craft beer geeks, hold your horses, for the full line-up shan't be revealed till opening day on the 3rd May '16.

Your gaze quickly falls upon the long line of people that are queuing for that burger raved by Anthony Bourdain as a classic. Realization hits you like a bourbon milkshake and expectations as well as that ravenous appetite starts to build.

Burgers. Beers. Bourbon. Nicholas Heaney, the proud owner of Burger Joint Singapore delivers on his promise to consumers, in particular, the burger snob in me whilst the boss's boss Benedicte Heaney keeps things on a tight leash.  Upon breaking the news to us about his venture, it became clear that he had only one aim in mind - to bring to life the taste of the fabled NY Burger Joint to our shores, without any compromises. The buns were deconstructed by a team of bakers and then reconstituted by a local bakery till the similarities were uncanny. Beef flown in from Nebraska. Colby Cheese sourced from Wisconsin. Kosher pickles flown in by the 100 kilos because they only do bulk. Even the chef, herself in a tight waddle of black afro perm, has been flown in for the grand opening on May 3rd.

Nic's unstinting, uncompromising stance in his preparation of this burger paid off handsomely. Not only do patrons get a good burger, service charge is absorbed and patrons encouraged to tip the busy bees. On top of which, a fuss-free, non-truffled hamburger costs just S$13.10 and a honest-to-goodness cheeseburger with the works just S$13.80. A gigantic double cheeseburger with double patties sets you back at just $24.90.

At Burger Joint Singapore, they zero in on what the people want and dispense with almost everything else. The menu is kept righteously simple, knocking it back to the plain cheeseburger, hamburger, or with the additional indulgence of bacon. No padding needed. Unless you're headed for the extravagance of a double.

Representing the lowbrow, is the Cheeseburger ($13.80)  itself, a tall, tender patty of ground beef with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, ketchup, mayo and mustard (called 'the works', don't scrimp on those) in between buns. First off, the unwrapping of the cheeseburger. Words are trivial, pleasures remain. The sight is obscene - the cheese stretched from burger to paper. This dirty burger deserves to be punished. Lick you lips and propel yourself into an avalanche of flavors. Wave after wave of sensation wallops the tastebuds - the patty cooked to your preferred doneness, a slight pink peeking through the middle. It helps that beef is butchered, grinded and fresh patties made daily, hence no frozen beef here nor the dire situation of blood runs.

Standing on an even higher pedestal, the double-decker burger, the Double Cheeseburger ($24.90) tastes like a steakhouse, this one tastes like America. The two patties, smothered in smoke from the griddle (which we anticipate would only get better with seasoning), sprawl safely within the borders of the bun and running wildly with the ubiquitous mayo and ketchup and Colby cheese that works as a second sauce. Pickles take refuge in the stack, good ones, but everything on this burger comes together like a choir in perfect harmonisation of a single note, only to go directly into raw thumping gansta music after.

The mountain of fries are not salted, so slap on the ketchup and move on to another burger if you desire saltier options.

Just make sure you grab a Boozy Milkshake ($15.80, $11.80 for the Kid-Friendly version) on your way out. Its sweet relief and malty becomings offering a great respite from the hellish weather that awaits you on the other side.

And that's it. You're done. Satisfied. You can't wipe that grin off your face now, can you? I see you walking down that alley, turning that corner again sometime soon.

Burger Joint Singapore

115 Amoy Street

#01-03

S(069935)

Entrance from Gemmill Lane

t: 6221 8648

Operating Hours:

Mon and Tues: 11am - 11pm

Wed - Sat: 11am - 1a,

Sun: 11am - 11pm