It sounds horribly unlikely, but when I went to get my car tyres changed in Alexandra Village yesterday, which is such a boring job it has to be counter balanced with something vaguely interesting, we had lunch at what I can only describe as a kind of local Ed’s Diner; actually a hawker-style stall called De Burg. Not only were their regular burgers delicious and started at the bargain price of $7.50, but they served up a wagyu offering that really was restaurant quality.

De Burg have taken over a double hawker stall and made it restaurant style, complete with menus you can read at your table, checkered table cloths, unclogged bottles of ketchup and, joy of joy, napkins (no need to bring your usually obligatory packet of tissues).

The guy who runs it has worked in the food industry for 20 or so years and is done with paying restaurant rental prices, so very sensibly has taken advantage of the comparatively minuscule rent required for a hawker spot.

The only problem is the location.  They were in Ghim Moh before, which you can’t help thinking made them far better placed than Alexandra Village where they are now.

I ate their cheese burger which was perfectly done and served medium rare unless you ask for something different.  The  De Burg Decadence is definitely a man’s burger; made of wagyu meat it comes with grilled crispy bacon and a giant portabello mushroom – clever H asked for both of these to be served on the side, which was just as well or otherwise they would have made the burger so huge it wouldn’t have fitted into his mouth.

The wagyu number is only available on weekends and Fridays and while it was good, I thought that their regular cheeseburger ranked higher on the value for money/taste stakes.

I’m definitely going back again but this time with a bunch of friends I am determine to introduce to and/or covert to the much maligned concept of the Western hawker.

For more burger brilliantness, also read about my trip to &Made and Omakase Burger.

Main burger image courtesy of Makansutra