A relaxing environment with truly lip-smacking burgers makes for an excellent experience at Fatboy’s, the perfect meal for any burger buff.

The words “fast food” are synonymous with burgers, and in that realm, burgers are king. They’re the perfect quick meal – packed with goodness (meat, condiments and veggies at the very least), handhold-able and eaten with relatively little fuss. What’s not to like?

In recent times, burgers have begun to expand outside the domain of fast food and are now a culture all on their own.

Western eateries like Botak Jones, Crazy Ang Moh, and more recently, The Handburger and Burger King’s Whopper Bar have given a new perspective to burger eating – allowing enjoyment to the fullest with more variety than just the traditional beef or chicken burger.

Enter Fatboy’s, located in suburban Upper Thomson, one of the newest kids on the block.

At first glance, the understated shop house is almost too easy to miss with only a simple red, black and white signage identifying itself, but step inside and that’s where the magic begins.

Opened on Sep 25 this year, the 45-seater restaurant offers a decent variety of burgers complete with handmade patties (although they admit their fries are bought frozen) as well as some combinations that leave you wondering (pork with peanut butter and bananas anyone?).

A must-try is the Fat Basterd ($14) featuring 2 thick 150g beef patties, double bacon, double cheese, a fried egg and dressed in a homemade barbecue sauce made with premium herbs and spices (need I say more?).

This monster is so big that it’s pretty much impossible to eat by hand (or to put in your mouth, for that matter). Understanding this, a knife and fork are provided to help you along in your conquest, and a toothpick is stuck through every burger, American-style, to hold your chow together.


Wimpy Fat Basterd

For the less ambitious however, a “wimpy” single version of the burger is available at $12.50, a fair move to allow people of all appetites to sink their teeth into the signature dish.


Pizza The Hutt

And if you can’t get enough beef, stuffed with a 150g beef patty, salami, tomato, concasse, mozzarella and jalapeños is Pizza The Hutt ($12.50), a lovely pizza-inspired burger that brings elements of an Italian pie in between 2 buns.

Jalapeños seem like an odd addition, but are used such that they pop in your mouth and give a sour zingy kick without making the burger overly spicy. A nice touch indeed!


The Holy Caesar

Options are also available for those who don’t or can’t take beef. The Holy Caesar ($11.50) contains a slab of grilled chicken breast, bacon, and Parmesan cheese topped in Caesar dressing.

The chicken patty does seem dry on first bite, but the Caesar dressing does well to add the right amount of moisture to an otherwise relatively ordinary burger.

Also available at Fatboy’s is the option to build your own burger using all the ingredients that go into regular menu items. This means you get the chance to create the meal of your dreams and go as crazy as you want with toppings and sauces.

This concept, together with the Fat Basterd, is a favourite among customers so far according to owner Bernie Tay, 36.

“The burger bar which allows you to build your own burgers is very popular and being one of its kind currently, we thought this is one of our special features,” he says.

He adds, “We hope to bring the personal diner culture closer to the neighbourhoods. Ultimately, Fatboy’s will always be a neighbourhood bar and diner, which is why we stay away from the shopping malls.”

It’s this approach that seems to appeal to their customers, myself included. Unlike other burger shops, the atmosphere is significantly more relaxed, and you don’t feel pressured to leave even after finishing your meal.

“I love their environment, because it’s in a casual format, a factor all burger joints should contain. After all, it’s still a casual type of food,” says student Jasmine Chan, 17.

For Melvin Heng, 32, the availability of both burgers and beer (Hoegaarden and Stella Artois fresh by the pint) at 1 location is a winner.

The sales manager, who was dining at Fatboy’s for the first time, says, “I woke up with a craving for beer and burgers today so I just thought of popping by. It helps that it’s near my place (in Bishan). In Singapore if you’re looking at a place with burgers and beer there are pretty limited options but I thought to try it out and I’m quite happy.”

At the end of the day, what Fatboy’s offers is the quintessential laid-back and personal dining experience that we’ve never quite had in Singapore, a fitting contrast to the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Couple that with delectable burgers and it does seem like a star is born.

Admittedly though, burgers may not be everyone’s thing, but if you’re a fanatic like me, Fatboy’s is the place to be if you’re ever in Upper Thomson.

Fatboy’s is open daily from noon to midnight at 187 Upper Thomson Road. For enquiries, call +65 6252 8780 or email enquiries@fatboys.sg