Mano a Mano!
Story & photos by Dr. Michael Lim The Travelling GourmetTM
Dr. Michael Lim The Travelling Gourmet goes to 313 Orchard to relish…
MARVELLOUS, Sensuous & Glamourous hand crafted Handburgers. That is the only MSG you will find here, because one of the 3 Directors, Chef Anna Lim is very particular about having no MSG and no preservatives in her restaurants. Even the burger buns are hand baked here daily. Rectagular and cube shaped lamps plus bench like tables set the scene for ‘posh’ burgers.
Every entrée comes with a choice of chunky fries, soup or Caesar Salad. I tried Blue Cheese Handburger…150g of prime New Zealand grass-fed beef with roasted pear for a touch of sweetness and texture, sexy melting Blue Cheese, sweet Onion Jam, handmade BBQ sauce on Baby Spinach & Tomato, all held together with a toasted caramelized onion bun. I sank my mighty molars in to find… OMG! It was delectable! Meaty & tasty!
Note the Caesar Salad in a nice bowl
Yummy Yummy!
I sampled also the aptly named Happy Lamburger which had 150g of premium New Zealand Lamb, 20mm thick, served “medium well”, ever so lightly spiced with Feta Cheese& Cumin, topped with an Egg ‘sunny side up’, minty Mayonnaise on a futon of Coral Lettuce plus Tomato slices. The bun is different being a rustic Cornmeal bun. With this, I recommend the Lychee with Mint Crush wonderfully presented in a Daiquiri glass with chunks of lychee and flecks of mint. This refreshing slush is excellent with the lamb as I find it takes the place of the traditional mint sauce.
I love Lamb!
LYCHEE with MINT Crush!
The chunky Mushroom Soup that accompanied the burger was also chunky and flavourful without being over salty. It is the kind of soup you could find in a pricey French style Bistro.
The Caesar Salad that comes together with the burger was a lovely Surprise! I expected a few tired lettuce leaves and some limp tomato slices with Vinaigrette…but it was served in a bowl with half a boiled egg, cherry tomatoes, brown bread Croutons Paysanne, Romaine Lettuce. The icing on the cake, or should I say Salad, was über-crunchy Bacon rashers!
Burger for Dessert?
It looked like a burger BUT it was actually two soft & fluffy Donut buns holding a “patty” of 70% Dark Chocolate Couverture spiked with crunchy Macadamias. The trimmings include Cream Cheese with Apple Brunoise which looks like mayo with onions, plus butter icing and Strawberries which replace the tomato.
They also have something awesome called “The Works” and “Double Ecstacy” which I have yet to try, so I am coming back for more Handburgers!
Incidentally, “Mano a Mano” means in Spanish, “hand to hand“.
As The Travelling Gourmet, I always say, “Food is Life!”
Live to eat and be well and happy!
{:-)
The Handburger
313 Orchard Road,
#B2-17/18/19
Tel: +65 6509 6214
Hours: 11.30am to 10pm daily
Ambience 3.5* Cuisine **** Service****
The Travelling Gourmet 