Bros Gourmet: $9 for a handcrafted gourmet burger at a kopitiam

When I think of Western stalls at kopitiams, I picture chicken chop with rice or maybe a spring chicken meal. It took me by surprise to hear that Bros Gourmet specialises in handmade burgers.  

Bros Gourmet is located in a rather quiet HDB neighbourhood coffee shop on Crawford Lane. 

Things were pretty low-key, with just another pair’s order in front of me. I didn’t have to wait all that long.

The owner was singlehandedly managing things that night, so I watched as he had to walk back and forth from the cash register to the kitchen. Part of me can’t help but wonder what it may be like if it was more crowded.

What I tried at Bros Gourmet

Before dropping by, I had heard rave reviews of their charcoal-grilled burger patties. So, naturally, I ordered a Double version of the Handcrafted Pork Gourmet Burger with Fries (S$14). The Single version goes for S$9.

If you’re used to the burgers from fast food joints, you may be surprised by the meagre width of the burgers here. But it makes up for that with its height. I struggled to take a bite without squishing it down a little.

I think I made a good call splitting my order with my friend as the burger combined with the fries added up to quite a heavy meal.

For the double burger, you get two large patties sandwiching a slice of cheese. They’re stacked atop the veggies consisting of tomatoes, lettuce and onions. The owner informed me that the thick burger buns used are handmade and ordered from a friend of his. 

Sauce kept spilling out from the burger, from where they had been slathered on the top and bottom of the patties. You better brace yourself for a bit of a mess when you bite down. 

The sauces combined with the juices from the patties will have both dripping onto your hands. If that’s a non-issue, you can fully enjoy the explosion of flavours. 

The patties are smokey from grilling and extremely tender. The flavour is bold and overpowering, as the sauce combined with the seasoned patty results in an extremely savoury bite. In fact, it kind of drowns out any taste of the veggies at the bottom. 

It was a good call to have the buns as thick as they are. They can soak up the sauces and juices, helping the burger not be overly salty. 

The fries were thick and sprinkled with salt. Although pretty normal, I give them a point for the fresh-out-of-the-fryer crispiness.

SALT.Singapore: Western & Asian dishes like Korean fried chicken & herbal soup under 1 roof

My friend and I decided to share a Mixed Grilled Meat Combo (S$17) as well. You can have it with black pepper sauce or the one we picked, garlic sauce. It was the second priciest thing on their menu, overtaken only by the Air Flown Ribeye (200g for S$18.50).

It came with a piece of grilled lamb, pork and chicken. Unlike the top of the burger patties which are hidden by buns, you can clearly see the grill lines on them.

The chicken was the weakest of the three cuts of meat, more muted in flavour without the garlic sauce. At the very least, it wasn’t undercooked nor too tough. 

Next, the pork. My usual experience with pork steak is that most of the time, they’re rather dry. This was still spilling with juices. It was mildly sweet, too, which helped it stand out from the other two.

I know some find lamb to be rather gamey, which is the default for my companion, but even she found the grilled lamb quite enjoyable. I think, out of the three, it’s the one that requires the garlic sauce the least. 

Still on more garlicky things though, let us talk about the slice of garlic bread. I’m a little spoiled in this regard. I buy garlic butter and thickly spread as much as I want at home. I know people may not apply it as liberally as I do but I would have liked it if Bros Gourmet coated both sides fully, leaving no sight of the white bread underneath.

The salad uses a vinegar dressing. We were not given the option to pick regarding the salad so, unless you like your dressing a little sour, this may not be for you. Personally, it was a refreshing palette cleanser to the greasier dishes at our table. 

Final Thoughts

On one hand, I can imagine people being turned off by Bros Gourmet’s prices. On the other, you’re buying restaurant-quality Western food at a reasonable cost. In fact, the presentation and menu give it a bit of an edge over most traditional Western stalls.

If you’re ever craving fancier Western food but don’t want to visit restaurants, this may be for you. 

Expected damage: $7.50 – $18.50 per pax

Order Delivery: foodpanda 

$1 for 2nd main at Double K Western Food, Clementi