Three Buns Out of Five, Potato Head Folk
Typical of most novel restaurants in Singapore, it came as no surprise when I was told I had to wait between an hour to an hour and a half for a dinner table on a Wednesday evening. She insisted that I remain around the area as they will not hold a table for me when it’s available. If the weather had been a couple of degrees more pleasant, or should I be overwhelmed with sadism and subject my burning hunger to sights of available restaurants in the area, I really would not have fussed; but I guess it would be the cheaper option than flying to Bali.
A glimpse into Three Buns – the burger restaurant arm of Potato Head Folk, reminded me of Little Mermaid Ariel’s treasure chest; filled with quirky and odd “thingamabobs” that trends on a hipster vibe, or as I like to call it “furniture excluded from Architectural Digest”. The menu features an extensive choice of 6 burgers, including a vegetarian option, which saves me time coming to a decision given the long wait prior.
Caving in to hunger, I settled for the Four Floors ($28), which seemed like the largest burger offered, and essentially the same as having 2 Baby Huey ($20) for $8 more. 2 100g prime beef patties topped with their “Notorious T.O.M Sauce” and condiments, my mouth was sweltering upon the arrival of the neatly packed burger. Unwrapping however, was like the Christmas when your parents thought an encyclopaedia would make a better gift than the toy fire truck you’ve been eyeing at.
The burger seemed like a rushed job put together, but I figured with the crowd it was forgivable. Initially I thought my body was slow to respond after a long day’s work, but 3 bites into the burger and I was still patiently waiting to be impressed. The “prime” beef patties were rather dry, and to some extent charred on the edges, but I figured such adjectives were thrown around menus too frequently these days.
Burning Man ($24) faired slightly better, possibly due to the added 50g of beef patty to withstand the chef’s butchery. Even so, the burger hardly left me wanting more and I was underwhelmed after all the hype built up in the food scene.
The sides were average too. I had the Naughty Fries ($9) – thick slices of potato dressed with chili con carne. Tasteful, could be more generous with the sauce, but appetizing nonetheless. The side of Wing-Its ($8) was no different than deep-frying your barbecued chicken wings, but I was pleasantly surprised with the portions given the stinge from other dishes.
Cocktail selections were more redeeming, with interesting names that match up to the taste; although I was puzzled at one point when the waiter told me they had ran out of Mary J ($17). She may not have had an album in years, but how does one run out of a cocktail unless they were all pre-mixed.
Three Buns was no more than a regular burger joint riding on the popularity of the Potato Head Folk brand. “Grub food” would be its best description, and the greasy aftertaste was no different from my regretful visits to MacDonald. With all the buzzing praise, I guess it’s either I take a trip to Bali for the real deal, or Three Buns may consider relocating to somewhere with a more distracting sea view.
Three Buns 36 Keong Saik Road Singapore 089413
Tel: +65 6327 1939
Opening Hours: Mon – Sun: 11am – 12am