&MADE to the burger rescue!

PUBLISHED November 21st, 2012 03:37 am | UPDATED April 1st, 2016 01:18 pm

A good burger is like a good man (or woman) – hard to find. Don’t you just hate it when the pattie is too dry, or the bun goes all stodgy, or worse still whilst your burger looks like the kind of beast you want to tame, by the time you start attacking it, it falls apart in one big mess?

Well at &MADE, they hear ya. No ridiculously oversized burgers here that are all front, no substance. Just GOOD, solid burgers, burgers which have been thought out at every level of detail and handmade from 3 Michelin-starred chef Bruno Menard’s own special recipes… right down to the bread.

Before I get carried away on the burger front, let’s set the scene. Situated in Pacific Plaza, Scotts Road, &MADE is a stylish yet casual affair which has a sense of playfulness to it which really comes across in the interior – with a funky diner feel this is the sort of place I want to come and eat burgers at….funny that.

Although for me, the burgers are what this place is all about, I say hats off to Chef Bruno for trying to give things a healthier spin by offering up a selection of salads, including their interesting salads to drink. For those that like their lunch liquid, but also of the healthy kind, give these a shot…essentially a cold soup, available in quite simple Green (green pea, mint and wasabi), Yellow (carrot, orange and ginger), and Red (tomato gazpacho). All at $9, and served with some cute cheesy savoury  bites, they may not be for everyone but I fell in love with the red. For those of you who have never tried a gazpacho, I urge you to do so! Heralding from Spain, it’s the combination of tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, garlic, and wine vinegar (and stale bread!) which give it the ultimate taste of summer.

Right healthy bit out of the way…now on to the burgers! Purist burger aficionados will want to opt for the The ‘B’ Burger ($19)– made with dry-aged beef which has been perfectly minced, onion confit (which has a delightful almost ginger-like flavour), caper and garlic sauce, finished off with hugely popular Comté French cheese lending its strong yet slightly sweet taste. This combination definitely makes for a more sophisticated, gourmand burger for the more discerning palate, which is both interesting and delicious in rich flavour and texture.

Please your palate a little further with a serving of Truffle Fries ($8). Made with French truffle oil, I would have loved to have been taken to Truffle seventh heaven if these were finished off with some truffle shavings!  In the absence of shavings, dip the fries in the homemade secret recipe BBQ sauce to maximize their effect.

For those wishing to try something a little bit different, and if you’re a duck lover then the DD ($22) is a must try. It’s made with duck leg confit: don’t be put off here, you won’t be welcoming a whole duck confit inside a bun (or anything like that!), more the shredded kind which has been married with red cabbage, pickles, green apple and green pepper lime mayonnaise.  It’s a wonderful fusion of flavours, almost oriental, and quite like any taste combination I’ve ever had the pleasure of trying in burger format before.

I already have my eye firmly on The Lamb ($25) for next time….mmmm…lamb spiced patty with fresh coriander, lime pickled sauce, curried raisins and onion jam – yes please!

Now the big question – can you manage a shake with a burger and fries? Well I certainly can’t, which is why I decided to opt for the Raspberry and Lychee Smoothie – though this might sound sickly and girly, I promise you it’s anything but…think more light, refreshing with the sweet balancing out the sour and well worth an order.

Fancy finishing up with something sweet? The Lollipop Waffle ($9) is quite fun and comes with a selection of caramel, white and dark chocolate sauces. Personally I couldn’t get enough of slathering the white variety all over my waffle – I’d be happy with just a very large pot of that!

But now ladies and gentlemen, make way for the truly decadent Ze &Made Sundaes ($12). These may look like innocent little things, but don’t let that fool you. These desserts look unassuming served up in simple glassware, but trust me they are lush and  decadent thanks to the fact they are made with soft ice cream and crème Chantilly. I rather fell in love with the White Chocolate variant – made with white chocolate sauce, passion fruit coulis and caramelized coconut shavings, this was a wonderful fusion of sweet, sour and roasted flavours all wrapped up in creamy deliciousness. Make sure you dig deep to get the full effect including the crumble pieces at the bottom!

Not usually a fan of eating around Orchard, it’s great to have a player like &MADE on the scene to add a genuinely cool concept and some interest to the area as a dining spot. I would definitely brave the maddening crowds for it. But moreover, to finally answer that question…where can I get a good burger in Singapore?

Oh and stay tuned for some special additions coming to the menu soon for Christmas – anyone for a black truffle or lobster burger?

On this occasion, the meal was compliments of &MADE

&Made is located at #01-04/06 Pacific Plaza, 9 Scotts Road, 228210.