Grubs From The West

Went on a crowded Sunday night, and queued for a terribly long time before making it to the counter only to realise that you actually need to wait for a table as well. Waited another eternity for a table and food to arrive before receiving a totally undercooked ribeye ($23.50 nett). Needless to say, I was fuming and immediately asked for it to be replaced.

What came after was a glorious slab of Ribeye that was perfectly cooked and had the quintessential steakhouse crust on the outside. Not only was it free of tendons and grit, the steak itself was impossibly juicy! I loved the semi-thick cut fries that boasted an extremely crispy exterior while maintaining a good bite, making it extra hearty.

All I can say is that this is well worth the wait, and even more so, the money.

Beef Rendang Lasagne ($16)

Great flavours here, strongly reminiscent of beef Rendang as expected, especially from that kick you get from the spiciness. However, I found the beef to be too dry, and the pasta sheets to be too hard.

OP Ribs with mashed potatoes ($29.90+)

Actually came to suntec with the intention of eating tendon kohaku, but when I saw that this was today's special, I could not resist. I was rewarded with a huge slab of medium rare steak that came with a generous portion of mashed potatoes paired with some sauce which carried an oddly satisfying curry flavour to it. I was unfortunate to not have received a slice with the bone attached though, but I would think that I got my fair share. At $29.90, it is quite hard to beat, given how well it was cooked. That being said, the meat itself wasn't the best, but ultimately you get what you pay for one way or another.

Scrambled eggs on toast ($12)

I was initially skeptical about this dish, after all it's just egg and toast. But this was something else - it tasted pretty much like a extra-reduced cream of mushroom. Textures were on point with the use of the prawn roe and flavours were well-balanced although slightly too creamy imh.

Service was impeccable though, you could tell that they really had passion for cooking.

Crabmeat and Homemade Tagiatelle ($28)

Loved the viscosity of the sauce, having a smooth and rich texture without being too thick, allowing for the perfectly cooked tagiatelle to be coated evenly and sufficiently. I found the portion to be just right for one person even though some reviewers had said that it was too small.

I do recommend getting their Tiramisu ($15) as well, you won't regret it.

The impeccable service along with a rather "atas" ambience made for a great dining experience.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Burger ($9.90)

Can't really taste anything in this other than the odd tangy slaw. I suggest having their mushroom burger or their cheeseburgers which are miles ahead.

No-frills Cheeseburger ($18 for double cheeseburger)

When you're here, skip the mains and go for their burger.

It's perhaps the most authentic American cheeseburger I've eaten in Singapore - two cheese slices on each patty, huge juicy patties, soft brioche bun, and the classic tomatoes and lettuce. Sometimes, the simpler it is, the better, and this burger is testament to that ideal.

Bless my arteries, but I'm already craving for it again. This was the best burger I've ever had.

I didn't have great expectations for this place - with it's strangely affordable price tag and a lack of customers. But damn, their classic burger ($16) was one great burger that is up there with the rest.

The beef patty is the juiciest one I've had, with such tender ground meat that is packed loosely for that satisfying effortless bite through the many layers. You can tell that they use minimal seasoning from the consistency of the beef flavour as you chew, and that lets the real flavour of that aged beef shine through.

The good ol' cheddar cheese was thick and gooey (none of that fancy gruyere cheese nonsense), just how it should be, unlike many other restaurants that tend to serve a rather thin layer of cheese that barely has a chance to melt. Even the bun was great, slightly crisp on the outside while soft on the inside, soaking up all those delicious juices as you indulge.

For $16, this is one value for money burger that I would give even Wolf Burger a run for its money given its higher quality aged beef patty. It is rather small though, but it would be just right if you intend to have a beer. In my opinion, one of the most underrated cheese burgers. My favourite burger is from the unfortunately defunct Meatliquor, but this burger comes close.

Pro-tip: add ketchup to the buns and ask for medium rare for maximum enjoyment.

200g Black Angus ($22 nett)

Totally worth the money with that gorgeously crunchy crust and that extremely flavourful sauce. If you're not full from this (which is probably the case), do order their truffle fries ($10), which boasted a generous portion of crispy straight cut fries, accompanied by what seemed like the same sauce that came with the steak.

What I didn't like was that it came medium to medium well rather than medium rare. Perhaps I came on a wrong day, but I reckon that I would be back!

The Assembly Burger ($21)

I'm partial towards a classic cheeseburger, so gourmet type burgers don't quite appeal to me as much. This was alright, with a large 6.5 ounce patty that was pretty well cooked. I liked the roasted bun, crispy on the edges, soft and fluffy on the inside.

But the thing about gourmet burgers is that the ratio of cheese to bun isn't what I would call optimal. One slice of cheese for such a thick patty doesn't quite make for a flavourful burger. Besides, despite what they claim about how their patty is hand formed using organic angus beef, it just tastes like every other restaurant that has a burger in their overly diverse menu. The fries were ordinary frozen ones too. All that gave rise to a rather formulaic, dull burger that is just decent.

Angus Meat Ragu ($21 for homemade pasta)

I absolutely loved the texture of the tagliatelle/fettuccine - perfectly al dente with a firm bite to it (even though it reminded me of Mee pok). The sauce was not what I had expected though. I would have imagined it to be more of like a Bolognese sauce, but this was light and garlicy, yet meaty at the same time. I would say that it helped to let the tender, flavorful beef cheeks shine through all that dough.

However, I would have liked a larger portion. If not for the truffle fries, I would have left still hungry. And while it definitely tasted good, it's overrated, but that's just my humble opinion. Perhaps it's just because of the high expectations I had stemming from all the hype surrounding this dish.

Hangover ($18)

This pizza bar's main selling point is it's DIY aspect, where customers get to pick whatever ingredients they want. Not being too familiar with pizzas, I settled for one of their signatures instead. I like my pizzas tomato-based, and this was way awesome. The crust, the cheese, and the portion were all really on point. Every pizza is made to order, hand stretched, and gorgeously irregular in its circumference.

Being in NS, every meal outside of camp is a luxury. And I'm glad I made the choice spend on of them here. I don't eat a lot of pizzas but this is without a doubt the best pizza I've ever had, and I left craving for more even though I finished the entire 11-inch pie myself!