The Grumpy Bear is a fast-casual restaurant that serves Western-style fare. The menu and look of the place reminded me of Buddy Hoagies, though the prices are a little less pocket-friendly and the ambience isn’t quite as cosy.
Nevertheless, after seeing that they had waffles on the menu, I decided that this was where I would be having my lunch that day.
The Beef Burger was quite good, featuring a patty with a nice balance of fat and lean meat (probably a 35:65 ratio). It was served with a regular sesame seed bun, though, and not the buttery brioche bun that the menu advertised. Luckily, the bun was very well toasted, which kept it from getting soggy. 3.5/5
The Fish & Chips was okay, but lacked that ‘ultimate crunch’ the menu touted (the fries/chips were crunchier, in fact). For the price tag (almost $18 without factoring in GST or service charge), you’re better off going to Botak Jones for better quality and value. 3/5
The Belgian Waffle didn’t look very delectable in its menu pic, but I really wasn’t expecting it to be anywhere near this bad. This was the softest, mushiest, most underbaked waffle I’ve ever tasted, and could be a strong contender for first place if I ever made a list of Worst Waffles of All Time. Considering the near twenty-minute wait, there was no way it should have been that underbaked unless there was something wrong with the iron. Sticking an $8.90 price tag on this atrocity seems almost criminal when it doesn’t even include ice cream. 1/5
All in all, if you can look past the atrocious waffle, the food at Grumpy Bear is pretty decent – though not nearly good enough to justify the Swensen’s-level prices. I’d only suggest coming here if you have the Entertainer app, which offers one-for-one deals to restaurants that are enrolled in its program.
Address: 301 Upper Thomson Rd, #02-10, Singapore 574408
Website: www.grumpybear.com.sg
