There is perhaps this sense of nostalgia, as people who grew up having Botak Jones are probably in their 30s and 40s – from teenagers then to perhaps parents with kids now.
Botak Jones known for its burgers and Western food such as Cajun Chicken and Fish & Chips, had more than 10 outlets in Singapore during its hey days.
I recall it was an inexpensive alternative when I wanted a meal near Orchard Road, as I had meals at their makeshift tables at Youth Park (now who remembers that?)
It is owned by Bernard Utchenik, an American-turned-Singaporean, who is really better known as “Botak Jones” (“Botak” means “bald” in Malay.)
His food has never really left us though, with two Big Bern’s outlets at Timbre+ and Gluttons Bay, though both have closed in 2021.
Botak Jones is back to Deport Road, in a Yue Hua Eating House – a kopitiam in the middle of an industrial estate.
The queue of Day 1 of operations landed up to 2 hours of wait to many, and the food was sold out by 2 to 3pm. They originally intended to have dinner service, but have now planned to shelve it to start on Friday. Thankfully I pre-ordered before hand.
Available on the menu include favourites of The Botah Burger ($10.50 for burger, $13.50 for set), Chilli Dawg ($13.50 for set), Cajun Chicken ($7.50), BBQ Chicken ($7.50), Fish and Chips ($8), Norwegian Salmon Fillet ($18.50), Rosemary Lamp Chops ($22.50), NZ Ribeye Steak ($23 for 250gm) and Caesar Salad ($5.50).
The Botak Burger ($10.50) is probably what you have to order, with options of a Double Botak ($16.50, $19.50 with set) for two patties, and U-Crazy-What ($24.50 for burger, $27.50 with set) for a mega three-patties tower.
The beef patty is hand-made, marinated with mixture of spices, and flame-grilled to medium-well. If you like your burgers well-done, let them know before hand.
The patty was still considerably juicy and flavourful after dabao, coming with cheese, iceberg lettuce, tomato and onions.
It is still that good-old classic Botak Jones Burger that would give you that sense of familiarity and comfort; but if you have never tried it before, you may wonder what all the fuss is about.
Loved those crinkle cut Spicy Fries with salt and their own spice mix. Addictive.
The Fish and Chips ($8 for regular, $15 for large) uses White Basa breaded with Japanese bread crumbs.
However, the slab of fish could be cut too thin and so it became on the harder side after takeaways, and customers may prefer something more flaky or juicy.
The Cajun Chicken ($7.50 for regular, $13 for large) is another fan favourite, and I enjoyed that light smoky flavours after it was being char-grill.
The mozzarella cheese on top would have tasted more melty if dine-in, while the spicy Cajun sauce had a bolds flavour with a subtle earthiness, though could be spicier.
The team was apologetic for the long queue as it was not quite what they expected. They have just installed more equipment to ensure the food is prepared to their standards.
”A short apology to those of you whose food wasn’t as expected, we can and will do better, we have to.”
The Original Botak Jones
Yue Hua Eating House, 118 Depot Lane, Singapore 108754
Tel: +65 9380 5339
Opening Hours: 11am – 8pm or sold out (Mon – Sun)
Other Related Entries
10 Best Gourmet BURGERS In Singapore With Islandwide Delivery
Ashes Burnnit (Golden Mile Food Centre)
Skirt & Dirt (Tiong Bahru Food Centre)
Zipp Burger And Pasta (Great World)
Burger Bench & Bar (Amoy Street)
* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. The above food was a treat from The Original Botak Jones team.
