The Only Burger Review: Former HBB Chef Sells Gourmet Loaded Burgers And Fries At Tampines

The Only Burger opens in Tampines

Previously a home-based business during the pandemic, The Only Burger (T.O.B) has now officially opened its first physical stall at Happy Hawkers, located just three stops away from Tampines MRT Station. Here, diners can expect an extended menu, as well as a dine-in space. 

A 100% Muslim-owned business, T.O.B serves up enticing beef, chicken, or fish burgers with different toppings. To complete your meal, you can also choose to add $1.40 for fries, or $2.10 for additional two-piece tenders. Besides burgers, they also offer affordable Western food options such as rice with chicken or fish under $10. 

Something special about T.O.B is their signature double burgers. Their patties are marinated with their house-made seasoning to allow all the flavours to be fully absorbed. The patties are also only fried upon order, for you to enjoy the burger while still hot. 

Food at The Only Burger

Based on many reviews, their best-selling beef burger is The Oklahoma Beef Burger ($9.10 for single, $12.10 for double). 

The Oklahoma Beef Burger was stuffed with many elements. According to the owner, it contained two beef patties, double sliced cheese, tomato slices, red cabbage, battered fried onions, as well as three different house-made sauces. 

Upon first glance, I noticed the burger was stacked and covered in heaps of fried onions. The beef patties also looked juicy. There was also an aromatic smell of the caramelised onions wafting from the burgers, which made my mouth water. 

I was instantly amazed by how all the ingredients complemented each other after taking a bite. Initially, I thought the fried onions would overpower the entire burger, but boy, was I wrong. The fried onions did not taste greasy at all, but rather provided a slight crunch to the otherwise mushy burger. 

While this was a very delicious burger, I personally felt that it was too saucy, resulting in some parts of the burger being a little soft. But, if you like a sauced up cheeseburger, The Oklahoma will definitely be your jam.

As a spicy food lover, a must-try for me was The Spicy Chicken Burger ($9.10).

This burger consisted of a crispy fried chicken thigh, tomato, lettuce, T.O.B spicy sauce and T.O.B garlic mayo. The patty was thick and juicy, which somewhat resembled McDonald’s McSpicy. 

There was the unmistakable taste of paprika in every bite. Together with the punchy spicy sauce, the burger had quite a kick. The buns also fully absorbed the sauces, adding complexity and range to the burger’s flavours. The crisp vegetables also helped to neutralise the spice, allowing the heat to be more tolerable. If you’re someone who enjoys spicy food, this dish is right up your alley! 

For sides, we ordered cheese fries ($6). While I felt that this was slightly overpriced, the portion was huge, and the fries were evenly coated in a mixture of mayonnaise and nacho cheese sauce. 

Ambience at The Only Burger

Although T.O.B is located inside a clean and brightly lit coffee shop, there were not many patrons even during lunch hours. This could be due to Happy Hawkers being a newly opened coffee shop or it being slightly inaccessible, but I believe that as word gets around about this place, more people will start flocking down to try these burgers for themselves

The verdict

It was evident that a lot of effort and hard work was put into perfecting the burgers here, as I thoroughly enjoyed my meal. My personal favourite was the Spicy Chicken burger as the patty was thick and juicy, and the spiciness was just right for my liking. The Oklahoma Beef burger was delicious and memorable, as well, albeit messy to eat. Overall, I believe that there is room for some tweaks to the make-up of the burgers since T.O.B is still relatively new!

If you’re looking for another affordable spot to satisfy your burger cravings, check out our One Fattened Calf review. Or if you’re looking for more food around the East, take a look at our Tampines Mall food guide. 

Address: 602B Tampines Avenue 9, #01-01, Happy Hawkers, Singapore 522602
Opening hours: Sat-Thurs 11am to 3pm, 5pm to 8pm
Website
The Only Burger is a halal-certified eatery

Photos taken by Hor Kia Ee.
This was an independent visit by Eatbook.sg.