Fatboy's The Burger Bar is a casual burger joint in Singapore that serves burgers, fries, sandwiches, hotdogs, beers, milkshakes and floats.
"Re-think your burger" is what inspired Singaporean brothers, Kennie and Bernie Tay to bring to Upper Thomson what they felt had been lacking in the comfort food market - a good old handmade and tasty hamburger. Since its flagship restaurant (located on Upper Thomson road) opened its doors to the Singapore public in 2009, Fatboy's has grown in leaps and bounds, running multiple outlets in Singapore, Malaysia and China. More outlets in Asia are said to be in the pipeline.
I was meeting my girlfriends after a really long time and after having stayed away from the dining scene for so long, I left them with the decision to choose the dinner venue. When the name Fatboy's came up in our discussion, I was interested since I wasn't aware of its existence until then (I was living under the proverbial rock). We opted for the outlet at Holland Village since that was a convenient location for everyone. Despite it being a weekday, we decided to make a reservation since we were a large group.
When it comes to the interiors, nothing is as eye-catching as a black and white colour palette. This colour scheme lends itself to both vintage and contemporary interpretations, and makes a bold statement. The red accents that you see here and there adds bright pops of color. I'm not sure why the fat bald mascot is made to look so grumpy though š
You can immediately tell that the look of the restaurant is inspired by a retro American diner. It has a subtle rock 'n' roll vibe going on.
"Re-think your burger" is what inspired Singaporean brothers, Kennie and Bernie Tay to bring to Upper Thomson what they felt had been lacking in the comfort food market - a good old handmade and tasty hamburger. Since its flagship restaurant (located on Upper Thomson road) opened its doors to the Singapore public in 2009, Fatboy's has grown in leaps and bounds, running multiple outlets in Singapore, Malaysia and China. More outlets in Asia are said to be in the pipeline.
I was meeting my girlfriends after a really long time and after having stayed away from the dining scene for so long, I left them with the decision to choose the dinner venue. When the name Fatboy's came up in our discussion, I was interested since I wasn't aware of its existence until then (I was living under the proverbial rock). We opted for the outlet at Holland Village since that was a convenient location for everyone. Despite it being a weekday, we decided to make a reservation since we were a large group.
When it comes to the interiors, nothing is as eye-catching as a black and white colour palette. This colour scheme lends itself to both vintage and contemporary interpretations, and makes a bold statement. The red accents that you see here and there adds bright pops of color. I'm not sure why the fat bald mascot is made to look so grumpy though šYou can immediately tell that the look of the restaurant is inspired by a retro American diner. It has a subtle rock 'n' roll vibe going on.
The medium-sized restaurant has a mix of old school benches and modern high tables to complete it's casual look.
The menu at Fatboy's is detailed and extensive so I suggest you take your time and give it a thorough inspection.
The best part about this restaurant's menu is that it features a build-your-own-burger section where you can choose how you want your burger. You can choose from a wide array of toppings, sauces, buns, & patties to create your very own gourmet burger. Apparently, with 25 toppings, 11 sauces, 4 types of buns and patties to experiment with, you can claim one of 4400 possible permutations.
Now that is something!
The menu at Fatboy's is detailed and extensive so I suggest you take your time and give it a thorough inspection.
The best part about this restaurant's menu is that it features a build-your-own-burger section where you can choose how you want your burger. You can choose from a wide array of toppings, sauces, buns, & patties to create your very own gourmet burger. Apparently, with 25 toppings, 11 sauces, 4 types of buns and patties to experiment with, you can claim one of 4400 possible permutations.
Now that is something!
Note: The lighting inside the restaurant was dim and hence the photos are not great
Root Beer ($3.50)
I'm used to having a tall glass of icy coke with burgers and fried food but this time I changed it up a little.
The root beer made for a sweet and refreshing drink that went well with the food I ordered that evening.
Coke Float ($5.50)
I can never completely do away with coke. I am and have always been a hopeless cola addict. I've had coke floats before but it had been eons since my last one. The chilled coke float came with a nice thick layer of foam and a scoop of vanilla ice-cream sitting on top. An ice-cream cola "soup" that was a fizzy sweet indulgence.
But I don't think this drink would be to everyone's liking so order wisely.
Beer Battered Onion Rings ($8.00)
One of the starters we ordered was the beer battered onion rings (because I insisted on it). The dish arrived with 12 pieces of giant thickly sliced, white onions coated in a savory beer and herb batter, deep fried and served alongside a homemade tangy and slightly sweet barbecue sauce.
The onion rings were crisp and delicious (although a tad greasy) and they paired well with the sauce.
Recommended.
JalapeƱo Poppers ($11.50)
The other one we ordered was the jalapeƱo poppers. They came with 10 pieces of jalapeƱos which were deseeded, stuffed with cream cheese, breaded and then deep-fried to a golden brown. The poppers were served alongside a creamy dipping sauce.
I love jalapeƱo poppers and usually order them whenever I catch sight of them on a menu. I get my hubby to make them for me at home too. The jalapeƱo poppers at Fatboy's were okay but definitely not the best I have had. The coating wasn't as light and crispy as I expected. It was a bit dry and heavy. However, the inside was flavourful and the poppers weren't oily so it wasn't all bad.
The Yolo ($17.50)
(Choice of Beef/Pork/Lamb)
This burger has a patty assembled atop a fried egg, fried spam, fried onion strings, mozzarella cheese sticks with smoked chipotle on a sesame seed bun.
The Yolo was ordered by several of my friends and all of them had the same thing to say - that it was excellent. They liked the soft bun with the crunchy sesame seeds, the assorted textures inside the burger and the smoky sweet flavour in each bite. Their verdict - although heart-attack inducing, it is worth the risk.
Apparently, YOLO means 'You Only Live Once'. I like that!
The Yolo was ordered by several of my friends and all of them had the same thing to say - that it was excellent. They liked the soft bun with the crunchy sesame seeds, the assorted textures inside the burger and the smoky sweet flavour in each bite. Their verdict - although heart-attack inducing, it is worth the risk.
Apparently, YOLO means 'You Only Live Once'. I like that!
Wimpy ($15.00)
(Choice of Beef/Pork/Lamb)
A single patty version of the Fat Basterd yet allegedly the bestest selling burger at Fatboy's. In addition to the patty, it has chewy bacon, cheddar cheese, a fried egg and homemade Fatboy's BBQ sauce encased in a sesame seed bun.
One of my friends had tried the Fat Basterd on an earlier visit and she cautioned the others that it was a bit much and advised to go for the Wimpy instead. The verdict for this one was that the combination of the egg, cheese and the patty was a winner, the bun was top notch and that overall, the burger was hearty (without being over-the-top) and delicious.
One of my friends had tried the Fat Basterd on an earlier visit and she cautioned the others that it was a bit much and advised to go for the Wimpy instead. The verdict for this one was that the combination of the egg, cheese and the patty was a winner, the bun was top notch and that overall, the burger was hearty (without being over-the-top) and delicious.
Bushtucker ($15.00)
The Bushtucker is comprised of a beef chuck patty, chewy bacon, melted swiss cheese and beets, topped with wild arugula and garlic aioli on a wholemeal bun.
This one was ordered by the same friend who had tried the Fat Basterd on an earlier visit and who was looking for something a bit more "healthier" in comparison š She said that he patty was juicy and tender and as a whole, the burger did taste more wholesome (mainly because of the beets and arugula).
A satisfying burger without being over indulgent. She gave it a thumbs up.
Has this got something to do with the catholic term purgatory? I dunno!
This one has a beef chuck patty, topped with Fatboy's signature spicy chili queso and juicy jalapenos on a sesame seed bun.
There is a disclaimer on this burger to ask for extra napkins and rightly so. The friend who ordered this burger has the lowest tolerance to spice in our group so I'm not quite sure why she ordered this one. She did like the patty which she said was moist and the soft bun but the burger was messy to eat and she did find it spicy. This one did not go down as well as the others.
Big Bello (Vegetarian) ($11.80)
The Big Bello has grilled Portobello in balsamic vinegar, caramelized onions, grilled peppers, pineapple, melted Monterey jack cheese, smoked chipotle sauce on a whole meal bun.
It is pretty rare to find a vegetarian burger in Singapore so I'm always excited when I spot one. Of course I could have designed my own burger and made it vegetarian but I wanted to sample the only one listed on the menu alongside the other specially created burgers.
The burger was satisfactory. Hearty, juicy and good flavour with notes of sweetness from the caramelized onions and pineapple. A tiny bit sour from the vinegar and slightly bland in my opinion though. My verdict - good but not great.
All the burgers came with a side of fries (which were alright) and a salad? (you can't really call it that....it was just lettuce and tomato). Maybe if they jazzed it up a little, it would add more color, freshness and elevate the whole dish. Just my two cents.
Anyways, after all that food and drink we were absolutely stuffed. That is the thing about comfort food (read: artery clogging grub) - it is so comforting that it makes you feel sluggish and want to doze off straight away. I planned to do just that on reaching home but then remembered that I'm a twin toddler mom so nothing of that sort would be happening *sighs*
I caught sight of this funny sign as I was leaving....
Anyways, after all that food and drink we were absolutely stuffed. That is the thing about comfort food (read: artery clogging grub) - it is so comforting that it makes you feel sluggish and want to doze off straight away. I planned to do just that on reaching home but then remembered that I'm a twin toddler mom so nothing of that sort would be happening *sighs*
I caught sight of this funny sign as I was leaving....
My verdict:
My rating for this restaurant is
Fatboy's The Burger Bar
Fatboy's was founded with the promise of bringing burger evolution to Singapore burger lovers. After all, who doesn't love a burger? It is one of the most recognized and popular representative of western food. If you happen to be looking for a burger in Singapore, you can definitely consider this joint. Maybe not the best burgers in town but the kind of variety they have is reason enough to check it out. The Yolo was the most popular burger that evening and those of my friends who ordered it highly recommended it.
The ambience was nice (but music a bit loud so we couldn't hear each other very well) and service was very efficient. The biggest plus for me was that you can pop by and enjoy substantial portions of decent comfort food at very affordable prices. On average, we spent $22 per person. Considering how much we chowed down, that is value for money in my opinion. A word of advice: if you are on a diet, it is better to avoid coming here.
The ambience was nice (but music a bit loud so we couldn't hear each other very well) and service was very efficient. The biggest plus for me was that you can pop by and enjoy substantial portions of decent comfort food at very affordable prices. On average, we spent $22 per person. Considering how much we chowed down, that is value for money in my opinion. A word of advice: if you are on a diet, it is better to avoid coming here.
Fatboy's offers an ideal venue for friendly gatherings and a relaxed environment where no one fusses about who you are or what you wear. The crowd is mostly youthful and chilled out.
I would recommend this place for groups of friends, yuppies and young families.
I would recommend this place for groups of friends, yuppies and young families.
Fatboy's The Burger Bar
Opening hours: 4pm to 12am
Contact information:
Phone: 64632312
Megha
This is not a sponsored or invited review. The opinions and comments in this post are solely my own.
food in the pictures looks delicious :)
ReplyDeleteThank you :)
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