Everyone seems to be raving about Omakase Burger, the burger joint that opened recently at the new Grandstand at Turf City, but I must say I wasn't completely blown away. Yes, objectively their burgers are pretty good - their signature element is a smashed beef patty, creating an irregular surface that offers optimum caramelising and formation of a charred crust. But quite a few factors stand in the way of my giving them a unanimous two thumbs up.
Firstly, at $14 and above for just a burger, I expected a sit-down service concept. I was surprised to find that it was fast food style - you stand in line, place your order and get a disc that starts buzzing when your order's done. Everything is self-service, from the condiments to the pickles to your drinks order.
They simply cannot cope with the volume of orders that they're getting, and there aren't enough seats either. You can't place your order without finding a seat first, so you have to wait twice - once to find a table, and again when you join the line to order.
The food takes a while as well - I think we waited around 10 to 15 minutes for our burgers. A had the Ultimate Cheeseburger, which had everything from bacon and cheese, to onions and mushrooms. I just went with the Deluxe Cheeseburger, which comes with mushrooms and onions. At almost $18 and $16 respectively, these were really small. The growing teenage boys who were seated next to us probably finished theirs in about 5 bites.
To be fair, the burgers were pretty tasty. The default doneness is medium, but you can ask for something else - we requested medium rare. The patties were juicy and flavourful, and I liked the crisp charred exterior. I just wish there was more meat. You can pay $5.90 to make any burger a double, but that'll make the Ultimate almost $24, which seems pretty extravagant for what essentially is fast food.
Their fries are decent, but their onion rings are really good. Nice and sweet, with a crisp crust that's not too thick.
They do a pretty good soft serve ice cream for dessert too, which is similar to a Hokkaido milk ice cream.
Overall, I don't deny that the burgers are pretty good, but I still think that their price point is a little too high in the context of the fast food concept.
A says:
Really good burger. Also, really tiny burger. I'd say it's midway between a slider and a regular burger. And given the size, there's really no point loading it with toppings. I'd advise sticking with the basic Omakase Burger. I also recommend the great onion rings and finishing with the soft serve ice cream. Just don't go expecting a huge meal.
Omakase Burger
200 Turf Club Road, #01-05
Tel: 6763-2698
Opening hours:
Mon - Thurs: 11.30 am - 3.30 pm; 5 pm - 9.30 pm
Fri - Sun: 11 am - 10 pm
www.omakaseburger.com
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