The Place Burnt Ends has been on our radar for the longest time, but we only managed to check it out last November. Yes, finally. Located in the Keong Saik enclave not far from another of our favourite restaurant Esquina (read our full review here), it is difficult to snag a reservation or seat for that matter at this Modern Australian restaurant as it is constantly swarmed with locals and tourists, coupled with its very specific reservation timings. We are not surprised though, given that the restaurant was most recently named Asia’s Number 10 Best Restaurant 2017 and World Number 70 Best Restaurant 2016. We reserved our table for a Saturday evening four months in advance!

The setting of Burnt Ends is a casual and fun space within a long shophouse, where we highly recommend the coveted counter seats where all the kitchen action is really is. There are limited tables at the back of the restaurant, which feel quite isolated from the action. The least ideal tables are those outdoors, which are mainly taken by walk-in customers who don’t mind dining by the walkway.

The Food You will notice that the menu changes periodically, though some signature dishes can’t be excluded such as the Burnt Ends Sanger. 

We started with the Scallop and X.O. (S$21) from the starters section, a huge ass grilled scallop prepared with delicious X.O. sauce which didn’t mask the fresh scallop taste thankfully. 

The much raved Burnt Ends Sanger (S$20) was yummy, but not in a mind blowing way. The tender pulled pork shoulder mixed with Chipotle Aioli filled up the soft brioche bun. Its better to not have high expectations for this dish – which left us slightly disappointed.

The Bone Marrow Bun (S$12) is a must try in our view if you have always been a fan of this sinful decadence. It’s oily, it’s delicious.

For meats, we had the Flank, burnt onion and bone marrow (S$26/100g). Flank is usually not my favourite part of beef but this grilled version was quite succulent and tasty, with much credits going to the accompanying onion and bone marrow for complementing its flavours well.

Rants Service was lacking. Definitely not something we expect for a restaurant of this standing. 

Will I Return Again? With a new Head Chef Jake Kellie appointed this recently, we can almost certainly expect more buzz with Burnt Ends and how the new chef will elevate the already acclaimed restaurant to a higher level. We will be excited to head back, not having to wait another four years hopefully.

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 4/5
Hole in the pocket: 4/5
Ambience: 3.5/5
Overall Experience: 4/5

Burnt Ends
20 Teck Lim Road
Singapore 088391
tel: +65 6224 3933

Opening Hours
Tuesday: 6pm to 12am
Wednesday to Saturday: 11.45am to 2pm; 6pm to 12am
Closed on Monday and Sunday

Ranted by The Ranter