BURN: Aussie-style “Bak Chor Mee” at Wood-Fired Kitchen on Club St

I’m sure many of us can’t wait to get back to our usual routine—and back to our usual dine-in spots. Now that we’re in Phase 2 of safe re-opening, it really seems like open season on eating out. Of course, we need to observe safe distancing measures and mask up, but it’s definitely a good chance to catch up on social dining and all the good food we’ve had to forgo.

One of the spots on my list has to be BURN on Club Street. I actually managed to nip over for a bite before Circuit Breaker started, and I’ve been wanting to go back ever since.

As a wood-fired kitchen, the first thing that caught my eye when I wandered into the eatery is the firebrick oven and open kitchen. I was there for brunch, so the smog wasn’t too heavy yet—but note that it sticks to your clothes like a delicious cloud, so be warned.

In the day, BURN relies a lot on natural lighting. And with how open this Aussie restaurant is, it’s the perfect sun-drenched brunch spot.

As with most Aussie eateries, coffee’s a pretty important part of brunch. At S$5.50, BURN’s Long Black sits firmly in the not-too-expensive range—for quality coffee, it’s a reasonable price.

BURN serves up a range of single-origin coffees, so you can pick your poison. But if it’s a little too overwhelming, just ask for recommendations and you shall receive (a piping hot, fragrant cup of coffee).

I tried the Ethiopian Sidamo Daye, a floral number with berry and citrus notes. Earthy but complemented with hints of lemon, this was rather low in acidity.

For the health-conscious, BURN also serves up a variety of smoothies—they are next to a gym, after all. Blow My Blues (S$10) was a fruity smoothie containing blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, banana, chia seeds and milk. Unlike most smoothies, this was more frothy than thick and viscous, which made it a fair bit easier to drink.

Moving on to starters, the Tomato & Burrata (S$13) came with homemade burrata made with buffalo and goat curds, and chewy, crusty sourdough. There was enough of a tang from the sourdough that added some complexity of flavour to this simple yet hearty dish.

For those who unironically enjoy a good avocado toast, the Smashed Avo & Feta Cheese (S$16) is great for you. You can opt to add on Smoked Salmon (+S$8), though I found that the savoury combination of fresh feta and sourdough base was flavourful enough, and the toasted pecans and pistachios added a crunchy nutty element.

My favourite part was the perfectly poached organic egg that sat atop each piece of toast. Cut it open and let the yolk ooze out—the combination of gooey egg and gooey avocado is simply divine.

A less conventional brunch item has to be the Roasted Pork Noodles (S$18), a feisty dish made with eggless kolo mee. This twist on our typical Asian noodles dish comes with mushroom salad, poached egg and tender pork, and it’s topped with Japanese anchovies and fresh herbs.

I’d recommend spice lovers to add on Chilli Oil (+S$1), for that punch of heat. Honestly, this dish tasted like an Australian attempted to make bak chor mee without all the ingredients—and that would be absolutely correct.

The noodles are even cut shorter so that you can eat it with a fork. Remember to break the egg and mix in the yolk!

I particularly enjoyed the mushrooms—glazed with a sweet sauce and cooked in the oven, it’s nicely caramelised to create sweet and not too earthy notes. The roasted pulled pork certainly wasn’t shabby either, with enough bite despite remaining fork-tender.

If you stick around the area long enough and the menu ticks over to lunch or dinner time, then pick the Mildura Lamb Cutlets (S$36). Served with a refreshing couscous salad that features a slightly spicy jalapeno hummus, it’s liberally seasoned with rosemary, thyme and garlic.

For those who aren’t fans of the gamey flavour that usually accompanies lamb dishes, you can rest assured that this wouldn’t be the case here. Mildura lamb is mild enough, to begin with, and after spending some time in the oven, I could hardly find any trace of gaminess.

Smoky with melt-in-mouth fats, this is one dish that I’d recommend getting your hands dirty for. Don’t bother with the fork and knife, just pick up each piece by the bone and munch on the meat.

The couscous salad also added a refreshing twist to this hearty dish; the textural contrast of chewy couscous grains really helped to cut through the meatiness.

If you’re looking for a hearty meal that’s as delicious as it’s healthy, head over to BURN on Club Street. You’d be surprised by what a decent amount of time in the oven can do for your meats and bread.

Of course, for those who still prefer to dine from the comfort of their homes, BURN is still offering delivery services. Check out what’s available for delivery, with delivery fees starting from S$5.

Expected Damage: S$30 – S$40 per pax