Burnt Ends

Review Highlights

Alexander returns to Burnt Ends for his fourth visit, this time on Singapore's Dempsey Road — a former military base turned lush dining enclave. Seated at the counter facing the open kitchen and its custom four-tonne wood-fired oven, he goes à la carte instead of the chef's menu and kicks things off with a 1996 Dom Pérignon. Chef Dave Pynt traded a résumé that includes Noma and Etxebarri for fire, smoke, and one of the hardest-to-book restaurants in the city.

• ·Smoked quail egg tart with crème fraîche and a generous spoon of caviar — the opening protein bomb; "simple like a punch in your face and the effect is kinda the same"
• ·Grissini with taramasalata — Italian breadsticks meet Greek fish roe cream; "crunch, creaminess, saltiness, and a bit of sourness. It's got everything in it"
• ·Wagyu beef tartare with French caviar, plus Japanese Hamachi tartare with lemon, chili dressing, dill oil and shio kombu — "fish and chips... great ingredients and all the flavor in a single bite"
• ·Fire-kissed Wagyu chuck tail wrapped in shiso leaf and topped with Hokkaido uni — "every bite is pure joy"
• ·Roasted pig head meatball in lettuce with Sisig aioli and crispy chicharon — "strong and fresh onion notes, chilies and soy sauce... so many impressions in such a tiny thing"
• ·Unagi grilled and glazed, served with roasted bone marrow on white toast — "beautiful, shiny, silky texture and the flavor is just exploding"
• ·King crab slowly grilled with garlic brown butter, capers, parsley and fresh lemon — "insanely good. Beautiful ingredient perfectly cooked and one of the highlights of today"
• ·Australian Wagyu ribeye steak with salad — the main event, cooked over the same fire that defines every dish; they're "good friends with fire"

Alexander had a "really good time" on his fourth visit and says it definitely won't be his last. The service was nice but slipped occasionally given the high volume — this isn't classical fine dining. He compares chef Dave Pynt to a rock star: he could conduct an opera given his Noma pedigree, but instead chose to play in a band that gives unforgettable concerts. "Burnt Ends understands what people need, and with rustic flavor fulfill these desires... Quality ingredients, clever dishes that include everything that makes food great. Pure joy." He calls Pynt not only an amazing chef but a great businessman — the perpetually full dining room is all the proof needed. Total: $2,200 for two.

About

Burnt Ends is a one-Michelin-starred modern Australian barbecue restaurant on Singapore's Dempsey Road, opened in 2013 by Perth-born chef Dave Pynt. Pynt — who trained at Noma, Asador Etxebarri, and St John — built the restaurant around a custom four-tonne, dual-cavity wood-fired oven capable of reaching 950°C, where nearly every dish is kissed by flame or smoke. Originally a pop-up in London, Burnt Ends moved to its current larger space in 2021 and has since grown into a hospitality group spanning Singapore to Doha, Jakarta, and the Maldives, while earning a consistent spot on Asia's 50 Best Restaurants and The World's 50 Best Restaurants lists.