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SINGAPORE: The King has arrived, Burger King that is.
The fast food giant's latest innovation, Whopper Bar, was unveiled at Clarke Quay last month. If you think this is just another one of Burger King's many outlets in Singapore, you're wrong.
The Whopper Bar, the first of its kind in Asia and only the third outlet in the world after Orlando, United States, and Munich, Germany, bears no resemblance to the traditional quick service restaurants found in shopping malls or the heartlands.
Its modern, bar-like atmosphere, complete with a whole new colour scheme (red, black and grey) and design - expect warm lightings, high tables with bar stools, lounge sofas and even specially-created personalised sound zones where guests can plug their iPods in and listen to their favourite tunes - complements the Clarke Quay scene. Even Burger King's trademark logo has undergone a facelift. A flaming logo is displayed to showcase the sizzling, sexy side of the Whopper.
Enough about the aesthetics, let's get to my favourite part – the burgers.
Four new burgers - Angry Whopper, Western Whopper, Sweet Mexicana Whopper and Rodeo XXL - have been introduced alongside the popular BK Doubles Mushroom Swiss and Cheesy Bacon Tendergrill.
Living up to their brand promise, "Have It Your Way", you can pick one of the above burgers and customise it to your liking.
Here's how you can dress up your burger: First, select your burger with either single, double or triple beef patties, or "even up to 20 patties! It's all about your choice", said Mr Peter Tan, President of Burger King in Asia Pacific.
Then choose from a whopping 24 toppings and condiments that can be aptly described as "fit for a King". Apart from the usual suspects of onions, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, ketchup and mustard, those who like their burgers a little spicy can add on sauces like fiery hot and rendang, or a round of sizzling chilli rings – all on the house.
If those don't cut it, there's more.
Toppings such as mushroom, Swiss cheese, onion rings, turkey bacon and even nacho chips are available at S$1 each. So mix and match away, you are only limited by your imagination!
I decided to order a Rodeo XXL, a double-pattied burger topped with onion rings, American cheese, BBQ sauce, with additional toppings of mushrooms and black pepper sauce. While the waiting time was slightly longer than the quick service restaurant, it was still acceptable, considering the number of different requests the staff have to look into.
For those who are new to the Whopper, a note of caution: Don't be a kid in a candy store and get carried away with the toppings and sauces or you will be struggling during the mid-way point. Being a quick eater, I required twice as long to finish my Rodeo XXL.
Speaking with the crew, I learnt that the Sweet Mexicana Whopper, a double-pattied burger topped with nacho chips, grilled onions and sweet salsa sauce, has been specially designed for the ladies. And unless you have a high threshold for spiciness, think twice before ordering the Angry Burger - the kitchen has upped the heat to suit the local palate.
With burgers ranging from S$8.95 to S$11.95, I find prices a little steep, considering the food and drinks are served in disposable packaging similar to its cheaper cousin at Burger King.
But here's something Burger King, or any other quick service restaurant in Singapore, doesn't have – beer. If you, like me, like to wash down your burgers with a good ice cold gold, you can order them up at the bar - just make sure you are of legal age.
A Tiger beer costs just S$2 (S$3 for a Heineken) with any value meal, now that's cheaper than any 'kopitiam' I know.
Despite the slightly steep prices, the Whopper Bar is a good place to hang out among the sea of restaurants and bars at Clarke Quay. And since it closes its doors late at 3am, clubbers now have another supper option apart from the McDonalds at Liang Court or Lau Pa Sat.
Whopper Bar is located at Block 3B, River Valley Road, #01-06, Clarke Quay (beside The Arena) and opens daily from 12pm to 3am.
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