Singapore Expats

JR8 wrote:I used to be a big fan of 'Jonny Rockets', their #12 burger with an egg on top, and chili/cheese fries. Mmm...mmm...mmm...mmm...mmmm!

Have you seen "Billy Bombers" here in Singapore? Complete 100% rip-off of Johnny Rockets. (Just look at the names!) I thought it was the same place with just a different name internationally, but doesn't look like it after looking at the JR website. They even mention plans to expand to Singapore in the near future. I don't have high hopes though, it'll probably be a real bad implementation like TGI Fridays is here (5x the price, and everything on the menu tastes like it was shipped from the US frozen and just reheated).

I'm not American but if you think Handburger is nice, you should try Fat Boys Burger. They have one in Marymount and another one in Joo Chiat.

I think both Handburger and Fat Boys Burger are on par with each other. Tried them and loved them both.

And I just realised I said the same thing in my first post in this thread. Says true about my review eh?

I've been meaning to try this place, just haven't gotten to it yet...

offshoreoildude wrote:Smokeys BBQ - Tanjong Katong.

+1 for the Smokeys BBQ.
Burgers are great and Ribs there are even better. This place also serves my favorite beer Archipelago

Katong is good place for eating out with a number of good choices. Botak Jones, Smokeys BBQ, TGI Friday's and Astons to name a few..

proxymoron wrote:

offshoreoildude wrote:Smokeys BBQ - Tanjong Katong.

+1 for the Smokeys BBQ.
Burgers are great and Ribs there are even better. This place also serves my favorite beer Archipelago

Katong is good place for eating out with a number of good choices. Botak Jones, Smokeys BBQ, TGI Friday's and Astons to name a few..

Is Smokey's the one on Joo Chiat Place?

And you lose points for saying TGI Fridays! As mentioned, it's about 5x the cost for the same item in the US, and everything tastes as if it was frozen and shipped from the US, even things that could be sourced locally. It's not a very great place in the US anyway (except for cheap happyhour drinks), but it's abysmally worse here.

Yup, the one in Joo Chiat Place. Next to wine shop.

May be you are right about TGI Friday's. But in my defense, the food I had from the Katong 112 outlet felt much better than the one I have tried in TGI Friday's in Bangalore (India)

Also the taste difference between US and Asian franchisees are there for pretty much all fastfood chains. PizzaHut pizza tastes a lot better in US. And the same goes with McDonalds Fillet-O-Fish burgers.

proxymoron wrote: May be you are right about TGI Friday's. But in my defense, the food I had from the Katong 112 outlet felt much better than the one I have tried in TGI Friday's in Bangalore (India)

This I do not doubt, lol. If you ever make it to the US, try TGI Friday then for the comparison. It will feel the same, the menu will look the same , but the food will be better. (But still crappy compared to other US Food like that). The costs will be a fraction what you pay here.

Oh, and instead of a blur annoyed SG local waitress, you'll have an over rambunctious college kid like you see at Chotchskies in the movie Office Space. Sit at the bar, tip $5, and all of your drinks will become doubles.

TGI Friday's is really bad in any hemisphere. Expensive, sugary cocktails with trace amounts of alcohol and overpriced, tiny, crappy food.

Their whole buisness model is based on the idea that it's the only place a "nice" girl can drink. (It's true, that was the founder's idea) It just doesn't fly outside 1950.

And ya know they sell a whole line of frozen food in the states, so it wouldn't surprise me in the least if they actually are just shipping over frozen food.

No joke: Mickey D's and Mad Dog in a paper bag is a better night out. (easier on the wallet too.)

zzm9980 wrote: Have you seen "Billy Bombers" here in Singapore? Complete 100% rip-off of Johnny Rockets. (Just look at the names!) I thought it was the same place with just a different name internationally, but doesn't look like it after looking at the JR website. They even mention plans to expand to Singapore in the near future. I don't have high hopes though, it'll probably be a real bad implementation like TGI Fridays is here (5x the price, and everything on the menu tastes like it was shipped from the US frozen and just reheated).

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No I can't say I have been there. Their site is down right now so I can't see where they are, but I have a feeling there's one not even a mile from where I live right now in Europe (as you can tell I've never been inclined to visit).


What I liked about Jonny Rokets Tokyo was it was a tiny place maybe 30*40'. Inside this you sat at the equivalent of a rectangular island bar counter. And on the inside of this area were two cookers/griddles where you watched them cook your order.

Back in those days it was both quality (relevant to my experience) and fun.

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ZZM wrote:Sit at the bar, tip $5, and all of your drinks will become doubles.

Oh yeah, used to do this when I was commuting to/fro JFK airport. Woah those Old Knob (or is it Knob Creek? ) doubles used to ensure me a very good sleep on the way home...

Reading this is making me crave for a burger!

The one from Hummerstons, Robertson Walk is pretty good!

JR8 wrote:

sundaymorningstaple wrote:What, pray tell, is a "handburger"? I thought it was a hamburger and was originally conceived in Hamburg, Germany.

Dreadful name isn't it, a bit like Udders ice cream shop...
It's a one-off burger joint in the basement of Raffles City mall...

You think that's bad, how about this for a name for a burger joint...

'burgerme'. My wife is adamant that this is a knowing (though misguided and gross, IMO) play on the English 'bugger me'.

Just WTH? ...

the lynx wrote: Fat Boys burger gets my vote too!

Just tried this place tonight, and another place last night. Fat Boys is really good, and probably the second best I've had in Singapore. Only major complaint about this place is that the burger patty is obviously pre-made, perfectly symmetrical in its dimensions. Doesn't look hand-made at all.

First place though goes to a place called Smokey's BBQ. They're in Joo Chiat now, but are apparently opening a place in Clementi soon. I only had a burger, but it was great. I would rate it up there with some of the better ones I've had in the US. They are a BBQ place too, so I imagine their smoked ribs and brisket will be even better. Their only downside is they're not cheap. The burger and a drink (Pellegrino) was more than twice as much as Fat Boys. (~$27 vs $12.5)

[freak I miss ribs]

JR8 wrote:[freak I miss ribs]

I intend to go back and try their ribs sometime in the next week or two. I'll let you know if they're good!