Many in Singapore’s Favorite Burger – Bar Bar Black Sheep
by Paul on Sep 24, 2010 • 9:58 am 7 Comments
A while back I did a prelude to a full fledged, Singapore-wide burger review long-promised but woefully still in the “research” stages (my excuse to continue eating tons and tons of burgers). I opened it up in comments and in questions to my friends, and was overwhelmed by the recommendations for the simple burgers at Bar Bar Black Sheep. You hear something once, it could just be someone’s personal tastes. A few times and maybe you’re getting onto something. As many nods as I’ve had towards this inauspicious burger giant… well I’ve heard of mass hysteria, but in the sometimes over-opinionated food culture that is Singapore it’s quite rare to hear so many glowing reviews without at least one person trying to stand out amongst the group for hating on it.
When it comes to Bar Bar, I’m no hater.
There are actually now two locations for Bar Bar. Previously located out off of Bukit Timah road in the west/central part of Singapore, the old Bar Bar catered to a mix of in-the-know expats and trendy locals. The service was spotty (where isn’t it in Singapore?), ambiance sparse, and the location was a bit hard to reach even if you knew where it was. But the quality of the food, cheap beers, and these burgers keep the place packed enough to where opening another branch down by the river seemed a good idea.
I kept meaning to make a trip down with my schoolmate Asher who lives nearby (one of the first voices of support for the burgers here), but laziness usually overrode my desire to bite into this much-loved local burger… that and not wanting to pay double the cab fare than for the burger itself. Thankfully the new location is within walking distance (well a nice 15-20 minute walk) from my Chinatown home.
The new one is setup pretty much the same as the original, though it looks a bit more modern and planned out. Most of the seating is outside near the river just off of Robertson Quay… a short walk from the Gallery Hotel going the opposite direction of Epicurious. You walk inside to see the three different small kitchens at work preparing their different meals. There’s a Thai restaurant called ESarn serving my personal favorite variety of Thai food (will go back and check this place out soon).
An Indian restaurant, Sher Indian Food, offering western favorites Briyani and Chicken Tikka
And finally the Platterz. I guess they serve other food (
) but I was here for the burger.Prices are about half of any Dempsey joint and the flavors about double… funny how that works in Singapore. I went with the loaded up mushroom mozzarella burger which only comes out to 15.90 and got a 10 dollar pint of beer… still 5 bucks under just a burger elsewhere! The burger is pretty damn good. Best in Singapore? Well I’m still researching that 😛 . There are some nice touches though – Napa cabbage instead of lettuce gives the burger a nice crunch, the bun is covered in sesame which gives a nice nutty roundness to the flavor, and best of all, the meat itself has plenty of seasoning and interest so it doesn’t need to be drowned in fancy sauces to make an interesting bite. It’s just good on it’s own as meat and even better in the middle of two slices of bread with some cheese.
The burger at the original location is a bit flatter, more mushed in appearance. Think a high quality fast-food style burger from the US. The prices are also a couple dollars less out there. Both burgers are equally good though… it’s just that new location’s burger appears more high end. Both are worthy of attention and for hearty recommendations… hell, the original joint has burgers cheaper than some you’ll find at Carl’s Junior or Wendy’s! Plus there’s the added bonus of the other restaurants. Friends don’t eat meat or somehow not always in the mood for a burger? One stop shop that can make everyone happy
Forget those overly fancy high-end, mushy Wagyu burgers and give these a try. Saving money in Singapore tastes pretty good!
The New One
88 Roberson Quay
The Original
879 Cherry Avenue
Related
Related posts:
- Best Burger in Singapore – 3 Mouth-Watering Options
- Best Burger in Singapore? – Sunshine Cafe
- On the Hunt for Best Burger in Singapore – Relish by Wild Rocket
- Laid Back Outdoor Dining at Dempsey Hill – Contemporary Melting Pot and Bar, Singapore
- A Sunday Brunch on the Water at Prive Bakery & Café, Singapore
7 comments
Belinda @zomppa says:
Sep 24, 2010
I’ve never been to Singapore but your reviews make think this is a great food place!
karl says:
Sep 25, 2010
hey i tried their vegetarian burger before and it’s really good too! your pictures do make me want to eat that burger again…[drool…]
Paul says:
Sep 29, 2010
Belinda – It is a great food place. I’m gonna get some hate for this, but it’s not my favorite local food place as I find a lot of it heavy and too much of it fried for my personal tastes (also after 4 years in Thailand). But for the mixtures of cultures and styles and for some really good higher end foods, Singapore is a great stop.
karl – Thanks for the comments on my pics. I never thought to try the vegetarian burger but should give it a go
I usually love those when done well… though I ate them for years before discovering a lot of veggie patties actually contained more calories than the regular. Thought I was eating healthy but wasn’t 😀
Jack says:
Oct 12, 2010
Hey! I stumble onto your blog when i was googling “The space-Prada”, then I realised you guys are foodies! just like me! Surprisingly, you guys are residing in S’pore! — and I’m staying in Spore too! hmmm.i have jus bookmarked your blog! See yall ard! good job to you guys– especially turning ur passion into your job–which i have been craving for!
Grandmother says:
Nov 3, 2010
Great article in NYTimes today about fish cooked in banana leaves in Singapore. Sending it, in case you don’t get same version of NYT we do.
LR says:
Dec 30, 2010
Hello my epicurean friend…I went to Bar Bar Black Sheep…had the Blue Cheese Burger and sadly was v disappointed….not enough blue cheese, average bun and limp filling….
I am more than happy to try more of your recommendations though as I love nothing more than a great burger !
Lionel says:
Aug 12, 2011
Wow, this looks amazing. I didn’t know of this burger bar at Robertson Quay. I have to go check it out! Love a good burger.
Thanks