We’ve come a long way since we exclusively broke the news of Shake Shack’s impending arrival in Singapore last March. For over a year, the entire project was shrouded in mystery, though we were also the first to report that the outlet in Jewel Changi boasts two floors. Anyhow, while the Shack in Singapore officially opens only on April 17, we attended its media preview yesterday (April 11). Is the food as good as SS in New York, which we've tried a coupla times while on vacation? Well, here’s a blow-by-blow account of our experience.
1of32
This is where you’ll queue
In anticipation of the crazy crowd that will no doubt descend upon this space from April 17, the “fine-casual” restaurant has already prepared a couple of rope barriers at its entrance. Whether or not these are enough to contain the queues of burger-crazed Singaporeans is another story. Incidentally, Shake Shack's location within Jewel Changi is primo — it’s right at the mall’s entrance and you can’t miss it as you walk through the doors.
2of32
Perhaps you could sit here while you wait…
Just beside the queue area is this space filled with cushy-looking leather seats. “They’re for our VIPs,” says the Jewel Changi concierge primly when we ask. However, we did spy some decidedly, uh, non-VIP-type folks chillaxing here later. Perhaps you and your gang could try taking turns to rest here while one of you waits in line. Don't say we told you, though.
3of32
What you see on the first floor
This roomy dining room on the first floor greets you when you finally make it past the queue. There're 90 seats here, and another 90 upstairs.
4of32
What to order?
Study the menu board to your right, before you reach the front of the line. So you can place your order pronto instead of hemming and hawing. 'Cos why would you further delay the moment the burger reaches your lips?
5of32
The kitchen
Hopefully, these same ecstatic smiles greet you when you rock up to the kitchen counter to make an order.
6of32
Video killed the radio star
A cute video wall with cool SG-centric graphics spans one side of the first floor. For you to gaze at while you wait for your grub.
7of32
The view
If you grab a table deep inside the first level dining room, you’ll enjoy a partial view (it's kinda blocked by the train rail) of Jewel’s jewel: the rain vortex.
8of32
Stairway to heaven
But it’s worth walking up this short flight of steps to the upper level — we prefer the cosier ambience there.
9of32
View from the top
You get a bird’s eye view of the hungry, non-Shake Shack eating souls wandering downstairs from your airy second-floor perch. No rain vortex lah, but somehow it's a bit more serene here.
10of32
Upstairs dining room
Check out the adorable mural and groovy lamps. The booth seats here are pretty comfy, too.
11of32
The menu
Now, for the bit you've been waiting for — the food. Singapore’s menu sees most of the New York HQ’s signature burgers and side dishes on it, plus three SG-exclusive desserts and a shake (see below).
12of32
ShackBurger, $9.20 single; $12.90 double patty (Better Than What We Had In New York!)
Let’s begin with the classic ShackBurger. Filled with the ‘smashed’ 100 percent Angus beef patty that launched a thousand copycats. So, we’ve had this at the New York HQ at Madison Square Park, as well as the Shake Shack branches in Tokyo and Hong Kong. And we’ve invariably found the beef tasty but sometimes slightly overcooked. Well, the meat at our media tasting is definitely reasonably juicy — though it's still not the most succulent burger we’ve ever eaten. We suppose it isn't easy for the beef to be inundated with drippings since these cooked-to-medium 'smashed' patties are so thin. It takes great skill to keep a slim patty that's deliberately flattened as it's being cooked super juicy, hence the sometimes inconsistent results we've encountered previously. But the beef (rumoured to be a mix of sirloin-chuck-brisket; its exact blend remains a secret) — imported from the US, the very same patties used in Shake Shack New York — boasts fabulous flavour. It’s rich with the full-bodied savouriness of the healthy, hormone-free cattle grazing in the Midwestern farms from which Shake Shack gets its meat. There’s also a great sear on the patty, which gives it a wonderfully charred crust. The cheddar, melted so it has the perfect ooey-gooey mouthfeel, plus the legendary tangy ‘Shack Sauce’, add umami and moistness to it all.
13of32
Oh, those buns
For all that talk about beef, it’s the photogenic potato flour buns that we think Shake Shack are masters at. No one, thus far, can rival these divine, golden-hued orbs. They’re silky crumbed, plush like the puffiest goose down pillows and so damn fluffy. Yet, they’re sturdy enough to not crumble into a soggy mess even after hanging out for a while with its meat-and-veg filling. The ground spuds lend the buns a fragrant sweetness that regular wheat flour doesn't. In the US, they’ve commissioned famed bakery Martin's to create those rolls. Here, the buns are baked by the Paris Baguette bakery café chain folks according to the same American recipe. Korean F&B conglomerate SPC Group, who’s behind Paris Baguette, were awarded the licensing rights to set up Shake Shack in Singapore. The burger brand also partnered SPC to open Shake Shack outlets in Korea. Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer was spot on when he told us last year that the Paris Baguette-made buns “are as good as the ones in New York”. The $9.20 price tag here is just a few cents steeper than the single Shack Burger in NYC, which goes for approximately USD6.30 (SGD8.60). Reasonable, after factoring in the cost of importing the American beef and other ingredients to Singapore.
14of32
Shroom Burger, $10.80 (8 DAYS Pick!)
This is our first time trying this vegetarian burger. ‘Cos, well, we usually go to a burger joint to eat beef. That being said, this is really quite delicious. A breaded whole portobello mushroom stuffed with melted cheese forms the plump patty here, and it's sandwiched between the same dreamy potato flour buns.
15of32
So cheesy
What we love in this shroom burger is its well-balanced blend of cheeses. The Colby, Monterey Jack and Tilsite lend sharpness, butteriness and a gorgeous chewy-oozy texture when you bite into the crisp coated Portobello that leaks earthy juices. Incredibly fun to eat. Shake Shack Culinary Director Mark Rosati tells us that this was one of the most challenging burgers to create on the menu, especially when they first started out hand-crafting them from scratch at the original Madison Square Park branch in NYC. “Now, we’ve gotten someone else to assemble them in larger quantities for us!” he shares.
16of32
Shack-cago Dog, $6.50 (As Good As New York's!)
A Chicago-inspired hotdog featuring an all-natural beef sausage in a potato roll. The skinny frank is split down the middle length-wise and grilled so that its edges crisp up (but alas, this means some of its juices also escape). The sausage is aptly beefy and savoury, but a touch salty for our Singaporean tastebuds. Meanwhile, the tartness of the pickles and spiciness of the sport pepper crammed within the soft bun also jostle for attention.
17of32
Dog eat dog world
So this tastes pretty much the same as what we’ve had in New York, though we still prefer the saucy chilli-topped dog there (unavailable in Singapore, sadly) as the robust meat sauce evens out all that brininess.
18of32
SmokeShack, $10.90 for single; $14.40 double patty
Think a cheeseburger with applewood smoked bacon and chopped cherry peppers. We didn't get to taste this at the media preview, though. So watch this space for updates when we revisit the Shack.
19of32
Crinkle Cut Fries, $4.50; $5.90 for Cheese Fries (As Good As New York's!)
Standard issue crunchy-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside potatoes here, but “with zero artificial ingredients”. We say go for the plain fries, the ones draped in a cheese sauce become slightly too rich after a while (though they are quite yummy initially).
20of32
Pandan Shake, $7.80 (8 DAYS Pick!)
Honestly? We were mentally prepared for this Singapore-exclusive shake to taste like the kind of coconut and pandan dessert that angmohs go nuts for. Meaning, er, meh and somewhat artificial-tasting — like weird canned coconut instead of the fresh stuff that we're lucky to get so easily in Singapore. So we were pleasantly surprised that this is really rather shiok. Thick vanilla frozen custard ice cream is blitzed with coconut puree and pandan, then scattered with gula melaka crumble and toasted coconut flakes. The shake brims with luscious, lemak coconut, and it's perfumed with the intoxicating scent of pandan that’s fairly natural-tasting (even if this may or may not contain freshly squeezed pandan juice). Quite lovely, especially when the palm sugar bits on top melt into a caramelly morass.
21of32
Liquid ondeh ondeh? Somewhat, lah
This pandan shake, says Mark Rosati, was inspired by the ondeh ondeh, which the Shake Shack chefs sampled before from a shop in NYC. “We took four or five days to develop this recipe,” he shares. “We’ve been doing this for while so we can do it pretty quickly”. Steady, lah.
22of32
Shack Attack Concrete, from $7.50 a single scoop
In Shake Shack speak, a ‘concrete’ is frozen custard mixed with different mix-ins. And what is a frozen custard, you ask? A richer, denser style of ice cream, essentially. At Shake Shack, it's made using “only real sugar, no corn syrup, and milk from dairy farmers who pledge not to use artificial growth hormones”. This one stars a fudgy chocolate ice cream topped with tiny squares of velvety brownies from Singaporean bake shop, Plain Vanilla. The American burger chain is famous for collaborating with local artisanal sweet shops in whichever country it makes an appearance in. Yay for the PV guys since we're fans of their bakes. It's drizzled with fudge sauce and 60% cacao chocolate chunks from another Singaporean purveyor: bean-to-bar choc brand, Lemuel Chocolate. This concrete is sweet, sinful and strictly for chocoholics.
23of32
Jewela Melaka Concrete, from $7.50 a single scoop
This dessert's clever moniker alone deserves applause. It’s another item exclusive to SG. The shake’s same silky and aromatic vanilla custard is mixed here with coconut salted caramel, Lemuel chocolate chunks, shortbread bits and gula melaka. Not bad, but the gula chunks are a bit too big and harden quite significantly as it rests on that cold custard.
24of32
Takes Two To Mango Concrete, from $7.50 a single scoop
This cute number, also a Singapore-exclusive, is inspired by the Chinese mango sago dessert. Vanilla custard is blended with fresh sliced mango, sago pearls, shortbread and freeze-dried mango bits. Light, refreshing and easy to scarf down, though we would've appreciated a bit more fresh fruit in this.
25of32
There’s booze, too
If you prefer beer over sweets, try the ShackMeister Ale. It's a bittersweet, hoppy, malty number brewed by Brooklyn Brewery in NYC exclusively for Shake Shack. This frosty cup cuts through all the rich burgers and fries most gratifyingly.
26of32
Stuffed? Go shopping
There’s lotsa Shake Shack-branded merch in-store, neatly displayed on a shelf for you to spend more dollars on, post-meal.
27of32
Cheapest item on the shelf
These SS socks are yours for just $2.50.
28of32
Singapore tees
The Merlion makes an appearance on this SG-exclusive T-shirt.
29of32
Green spot
The shirts come in green, too.
30of32
Baby stuff
Shake Shack bibs and onesies, anyone?
31of32
Shake Shack toys
This Lego-esque SS shop replica is adorbs!
32of32
Bottom line
What we tasted — at the media preview at least — is pretty much as good, probably even better, than the burgers we've had at Shake Shack's New York HQ. We're also quite charmed by the Singaporean-inflected desserts at this local outpost — especially that surprisingly lemak pandan shake. We'll update this story when we make it down to the Shack for another visit (if we survive the inevitable queue, that is) once it opens officially.
Shake Shack opens on April 17 at #02-256 Jewel Changi Airport, S819666. Open daily 10am-10pm.
I consent to the use of my personal data by Mediacorp and the Mediacorp group of companies (collectively “Mediacorp”) to send me notices, information, promotions and updates including marketing and advertising materials in relation to Mediacorp’s goods and services and those of third party organisations selected by Mediacorp, and for research and analysis, including surveys and polls.
New coffeeshop stall Ayah Dim Sum serves HALAL snacks like chicken char siew bao and xiao long bao, made from its Hong Kong owner’s recipes! #8dayseathawker #8dayseat #dimsum #halal
The Coconut Club's 'new-gen Singaporean' concept, Belimbing, serves well-loved local dishes with interesting twists! Like kueh salat, which head chef Marcus Leow has turned into yummy Corn Salat, made with every part of an ear of corn! #8dayseatrestaurant #8dayseat #belimbing #sgfood
You can get a variety of matcha muffins at viral shop Pretty Good Muffins, which offers over 20 flavours at $2.50 and under each! #8dayseattrending #8dayseat #muffin #viral
For just $3, you can get generously-portioned nasi lemak, mee rebus, mee siam, lontong and mee soto at well-loved stall Nurul Delights. The best part? The food is SUPER sedap! 😋 #8dayseathawker #8dayseat #nasilemak #cheapandgood
Husband-and-wife hawkers Nurul and Nazreen are well-loved in the west side for their unique Muslim-owned stall. The couple offers heartily-portioned dishes like nasi lemak, mee rebus, mee siam and lontong for just $3 each! 🫶 #8dayseathawker #8dayseat #muslimowned #nasilemak
After her grandma was diagnosed with dementia, former Les Amis sous chef Chia Jin Fang decided it was time to leave her kitchen career and spend more time with Granny — by opening her own excellent cafe at home! Other than cafe-standard brews, she introduces fancy flourishes like a torched caramelised banana and delicious matcha lattes! #8dayseatcafe #8dayseat #matcha #cafe #coffee
People are queueing for Pretty Good Muffins even before it opens for business. Their wallet-friendly muffins with over 20 flavours and a matcha latte menu are not to be missed! #8dayseattrending #8dayseat #matcha #muffin
Husband-and-wife hawkers Christopher and Christina offer a very unusual treat — muffins that are meant to be eaten cold! The couple came up with their own special muffin recipe to ensure it still tastes good at fridge temp 😱 #8dayseathawker #8dayseat #muffin #dessert
Good friends Vicky and Atiqah met as makeup artists on the set of Ch 5 drama Tanglin. They have now opened a halal dim sum hawker stall together, after a bouncing back from an unsuccessful venture bringing in Haidilao’s instant hotpot sets! #8dayseathawker #8dayseat #halal #dimsum
Retrenched at 55, former engineer Christopher became a hawker selling his own unique creation — cold muffins that taste just as good chilled! 😋 #8dayshawker #8dayseat #muffin #hawker
Napoli pizza legend Vincenzo Capuano has mesmerised the internet with his pizza-making, and here’s how he makes his Provola e Pepe pie! #8dayseatrestaurant #8dayseat #pizza #vincenzocapuano
Napoli pizza legend Vincenzo Capuano has mesmerised the internet with his pizza-making, and here’s how he makes his Provola e Pepe pie! #8dayseatrestaurant #8dayseat #pizza #vincenzocapuano
You May Also Like
Content is loading...
This browser is no longer supported
We know it's a hassle to switch browsers but we want your experience with 8 Days to be fast, secure and the best it can possibly be.