I’ve walked past &MADE by Chef Bruno Menard many times. And despite hearing some favourable reviews on the

restaurant, I’ve never had the urge to try it. It is because of the Restaurant Week promotion that I decided to uncover the hype myself.

The interior design of the restaurant reminds me of a New York café. The usual black and white tiles with pieces of red accent pieces. &MADE’s Restaurant Week set dinner menu, which is priced at an affordable $35++, consists of a salad, burger and dessert.

Nice Salad, as it is called, is after all a not-so-nice dish of greens with anchovies and sardines drowned in salad dressing. It is obvious that not much heart and finesse are required to put the salad together. It is at best amateurish and any high school student is capable of whipping such a simple salad.

The NY Bacon Burger and Truffle Fries is just as mediocre. I’ve always been very sceptical over the quality of “gourmet” burgers in Singapore especially when I’ve tasted better burgers in New York and at a fraction of what it costs here. This is one classic example. When the waiter took my order, I was not asked how I would like my beef done. Thank goodness, the beef is done just right with a pinky interior. It is juicy but any longer, the patty will be overcooked. The patty is rather thick which makes it difficult to bite. The accompanied Truffle Fries is a huge let down. The truffle oil is so faint that the fries taste so ordinary and bland. And the truffle fries cost an additional $6! What a rip off!

At this stage, the meal is so disappointing that there isn’t any expectation on the Lollipop Waffle. The dessert scores well on presentation but the taste does not match up to its appearance. Although the waffle is warm when served, it lacks the crisp texture commonly found in good waffle. It is only saved by the assorted caramel, dark chocolate and vanilla sauces.

Frankly, the food at &MADE is good enough to fool school-going children where quantity is often mistaken as quality.

&MADE
9 Scotts Road, Pacific Plaza, #01-04-06, Singapore 228210