I’ve had my fair share of burgers over the years, but you’ll be hard pressed to find another as unique as Wang Bao Bao, a hipster burger stall nestled in a Bedok North coffee shop.
Apart from selling honey bak kwa slices tucked in burgers, they also have Thai-inspired fried chicken burgers, soft shell crab burgers and char siew pork belly burgers topped with onsen eggs.
When I dropped by for a visit in late April, I was surprised when they shared that they’re launching a revised menu on 29 April 2022 and introducing permanent Ramly-inspired burgers, which are cheekily named Ram Lee Burger to avoid any copyright infringement. Score!
As a proud Eastie, I know that Bedok North stretches for quite a distance, starting at Tanah Merah and going all the way up to Bedok Reservoir.
You’ll find Wang Bao Bao at a cosy coffee shop at 122 Bedok North Street 2, which is right behind Bedok stadium. You can spot it by its eclectic wall art, which features a Chinese lady in a cheongsam digging into a burger.
What I tried
I started out with the messiest of them all: the newly launched Ram Lee Burger (from S$3). If you’re looking to try Wang Bao Bao’s take on this iconic pasar malam burger, note that this item will be available from 29 April 2022 onwards.
You can customise this burger to your heart’s content, as it is with most pasar malam Ramly burger stalls. The cheapest variation is the Benjo (Egg Burger) (S$3), but you can also choose between Single Patty (S$4) and Double Patty (S$5.50). Go big or go home with its Double Patty and Double Cheese (S$6), which is its priciest Ramly burger.
For burger patties, take your pick from Chicken, Pork or Beef.
My dining companion and I were feeling pretty hungry, so we decided to get the Beef Patty wrapped with egg (S$4.50) and topped up S$1 for Cheese.
Thank goodness I was well-prepared with wet wipes and tissue because this was such a messy burger, but it’s one that I’ll order again in a heartbeat.
Sauce was dripping down my fingers in a sweet and gooey mess. The patty was nicely seasoned and I could taste hints of black pepper and Maggi seasoning, which are both authentic Ramly burger seasonings. I loved the addition of lettuce and freshly sliced cucumbers, which added that crisp freshness to each bite.
To my surprise, I learnt that Wang Bao Bao’s chef used to sell Ramly burgers in Malaysia and knows exactly how to make an authentic Ramly burger. You’ll be pleased to know that all its Ramly sauces are housemade— yes, even the black pepper, mayonnaise, chilli and tomato sauces— so guys, don’t hesitate. This is the real deal.
I moved on to the Sawadee Burger 2.0 (S$6), which is a Thai-inspired burger stuffed with crispy battered chicken, traditional bak kwa, coleslaw, and topped with an onsen egg. The burger is named “2.0” because it’s an improved version of their current Sawadee Burger.
No trip to an indie burger hawker stall is complete without a shot for the ‘gram, so as my dining companion cut into the onsen egg, I eagerly whipped out my phone to capture the glorious moment.
The onsen egg had been perfectly cooked, with the egg white still retaining a slightly firm form and the yolk delightfully delicate, such that its golden yolk oozed out satisfyingly.
If you love fried chicken, you’ll absolutely love this burger. The deep-fried chicken thigh was juicy and tender, and to some extent, its crispy batter almost reminded me of fish and chips— smooth and airy, but with a satisfying crunch.
The chicken thigh was marinated with various Thai spices, such as lemongrass and lime leaves, so there was a refreshing citrusy note to each bite. I appreciated that the onsen egg wasn’t just for show and that its yolk added a creaminess to the burger.
I was a little disappointed that I couldn’t taste much of the bak kwa, but I figured it was a loss that I was willing to take considering there was so much going on in the hefty burger already— namely the fried chicken, the onsen egg, coleslaw, and vegetables.
Perhaps next time I’ll order Wang Bao Bao’s Traditional Bak Kwa Burger (S$4) instead, which consists of a fried egg, bak kwa and pork floss.
The last burger I tried was Wang Bao Bao’s signature Special 3P Burger (S$10).
This was its priciest burger on the menu, with the ‘3P’ in its name referring to the three elements of pork in the burger: chargrilled Spanish pork belly char siew, honey bacon bak kwa, and pork floss. The burger also includes pickled carrots and cucumbers and an onsen egg.
This was an outstanding burger. The star of the dish was the chargrilled Spanish pork belly char siew— a thick chunk of honeyed and smokey char siew that could easily rival some of my favourite char siew stalls. It had a caramelised and crispy exterior, but the meat inside was incredibly tender with a springy bite.
The rest of the elements worked well together: the pork floss was a nice touch in terms of texture, while the honey bacon bak kwa was tender and mildly sweet. I’d say that its S$10 price tag is justified, considering the high quality char siew that you’re getting in a single burger.
The last item we tried was a sharing dish: Spicy Buffalo Wings (S$7).
The minute I saw the wings, I did a double take and checked the menu for its price again. Six pieces of chicken wings for just S$7— this is a super value-for-money dish that’ll be great for sharing with family or loved ones.
If it looked like my dining companion had trouble lifting the hefty chicken wing, you’re absolutely right. The substantial chicken wing had plenty of meat and once it was doused in spicy buffalo sauce, it became really heavy.
I expected it to resemble the spicy sweet sauce that most Korean fried chicken joints use, but I was completely wrong. The sticky housemade buffalo sauce was a little tangy, with a bright spice that crept in slowly and lingered in my mouth long after I finished each bite. There was also a pleasant tartness from the addition of kaffir lime leaf and lemongrass.
Depending on your spice tolerance, you’ll either love or hate this dish— and personally, I loved it.
Final thoughts
Frankly, I was a little sceptical of this hipster burger stall in a coffee shop. It takes a lot of guts to open such a unique concept in a predominantly traditional setting, but Wang Bao Bao proved me wrong with every single dish I tried.
Each burger was well thought out and I could easily see myself having this at a mall along Orchard Road, coupled with truffle fries and an iced latte. For those staying in the Bedok North area, let the record state that I’d do anything to be in your shoes so I can dig into Wang Bao Bao’s messy and sinful burgers whenever I feel like it.
Expected damage: S$4 to S$10 per pax
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Price: $
Our Rating: 4 / 5
Wang Bao Bao
Blk 122 Bedok North Street 2, #01-140, Singapore 460122
Wang Bao Bao
Blk 122 Bedok North Street 2, #01-140, Singapore 460122