Surely they don’t need another review to prove how popular they are at number 10 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants of 2017! With limited reservations and a constant queue at the door every day of the week, I was delighted scoring not just two seats, but two of the BEST seats in the house on a busy Tuesday evening. All recommended dishes were ordered…

First in line, the Smoked Quail Egg and Caviar…. A little mountain of slippery caviar balances precariously on a jiggly quail’s egg sitting on a teaspoon. No time to be wasted once you pick this up or you’d risk losing all them precious eggs! And no such nonsense as taking two bites! All unladylikeness is forgiven here! Yep! Pop the whole spoon in your mouth and make sure you seal it well to catch every flavor from the smokiness of the egg to salty umami caviar to the slimy yolk that melds everything together. That barely-a-mouthful will set you back 15 bucks so enjoy the explosion of flavors!When you translate Grissini with Taramasalata, it’s bread-sticks and fish roe… but none were in sight! Burnt Ends kinda flattened the bread-sticks into a large crisp flat bread, slathered on a thick savory/tangy/creamy aioli and topped that with a generous amount of refreshing herbs and chives! And the result was magnificent! I LOVED it! So simple, it seems, but so, so, so tasty!I really only ordered the Fennel, Orange and Burrata for the burrata! Turned out, the 3 are fantastic together! Don’t hate it but neither had fennel ever been my thing. But I sure am converted after this! Burnt Ends roasted the bulb perfectly (retaining a tender crunch with charred edges) and paired it with creamy burrata and sweet aromatic orange oil! An impeccable match! Jamaican Chicken and Lime Crema– a couple of robustly spiced chicken mid wings blackened on the grill and served with a zesty creamy dip. A unique rub marinade unlike any other chicken wings in town. And trust me, I’ve had my fair share of chicken wings! Exotic with just the right oomph of heat, these tender juicy lil wings are meant to fly (into my mouth, that is!). Garlic Shoots and Gremolata – This was nice… with a clean garlicky flavor… just kinda pale after the fennel and grissini 🙃.Touted on some reviews as the “best burger ever”, the Sanger was indeed impressive with its super tender and flavorful pulled pork combined with lots of crunchy cabbage (coleslaw) and a tart spicy aioli dressing between cushy brioche buns! I’m not sure it’s the “best burger ever”... I’ve yet to have a burger that blew me away and neither did this… But it was good, had all the right flavors, textures and a great set of buns! T’was a tummy filler too! Order to share if you wanna leave room for other stuff!Round Cap, Burnt Onion and Bone Marrow – if you’re a fan of bone marrow like myself, don’t be expecting a bone! Instead, the precious marrow had been extracted to garnish the steak. Our 200g steak was done medium rare with a nice char at the edges. Juicy while retaining some bite and flavored mostly by the smokey onion sauce it sits on. Unfortunately, this didn’t quite make me sit up. It isn’t bad… just rather ordinary….Already full but determined not to leave without dessert, Sugar Cake with Smoked Ice Cream was up next!This was an unpretentious looking round cake with ice cream on top. Cut through a sugary crisp exterior into soft moist sponge. I couldn’t quite pick up the “smokey” in the Smokey ice cream but it still went very well with the cake.Then we each had a torched Marshmallow, charred black and gooey and served on a stick. It had a citrusy flavor and wasn’t only yummy, but fun to play with!

Young Chef Damien is a newcomer in Singapore. And I must congratulate him on starting his stint with one of the best in town! He is friendly, smiling every time he looks up yet shows precision and attention in his work and everything around him. Chef Debra exudes a demanding, professional and no nonsense demeanor, managing every single order so flawlessly and with such you’re almost afraid to interrupt while she’s working! But behind all that seriousness is a chirpy lass with a beautiful smile! We chatted about how crazy the days get yet there was no hint of tiredness or displeasure! Just passion and energy! The entire kitchen crew work in such synergy, it’s a heart stopping show to watch while you eat! The ambience is bustling and lively, everyone seems happy to be there! It’s no wonder Burnt Ends is smokin’ hot from their big ass ovens to their crowd! 

The non-stop kitchen action!

Clockwise from top left: The evening’s menu; the super yummy Grissini; the humble Quail Eggs; the Fennel that changed my mind; and the “Best Burger Ever”!

Go on! Play with your food!

Burnt Ends @ 20 Teck Lim Rd, Singapore 088391 Phone: +65 6224 3933

Disclaimer- This is not a sponsored post!