Gourmet hawker burger stall serves artisanal fusion Korean flavours at Lau Pa Sat ROKUS a.g.b

As the days go, people keep getting more and more creative with their food, which is probably why you’ve seen an influx of creative stalls in kopitiams and hawker centres nowadays. ROKUS a.g.b is one of them, serving an interesting fare of Korean fusion food.

It is unusual that they set up their hawker stall at Lau Pa Sat, because I thought Lau Pa Sat would be a location that typically highlights our local spread. After all, it is Singapore’s heritage kopitiam and a huge tourist spot. However, I’ve come to realise that Singapore’s food scene is internationally diverse, and with our modern audiences, I think we are becoming more welcoming of fusion flavours.

I am certainly right considering the crowd that I witnessed at ROKUS a.g.b today, and from the looks of it, they’ve garnered quite a substantial popularity.

What drew my attention was their interesting line-up of burgers that incorporated favourite Asian flavours of tteokbokki and gochujang into gourmet burgers! I’m always a fan of Korean flavours because of the strong Asian spices and sweetness in their sauces, so I had high expectations for this one.

Aside from fusion burgers, they also incorporated unique Korean-Western rice bowls for those who are looking for something lighter on the palate. I understand how burgers might get too heavy for some, so items that might intrigue you would be the Hamburg Steak Ramyeon (S$8.90) and Mentaiko Ribeye Ramyeon (S$10.90).

In the kitchen, they work with a 5 man team— a lady taking orders in the front, while 3 of them were primarily busy at their own stations, and the last person handled the presentation of food and the ushering of orders to customers. It was very systematic, as I quickly got my meal despite ordering 3 mains.

What I tried at ROKUS a.g.b

Since I’m big on the sweet-savoury flavours that Korean food offers, I went ahead to try the unique offerings of Tteokbokki Burger (S$13.90) and the Gochujang Burger (S$12.90). From the non-burger section, I ordered the Hamburg Steak Ramyeon (S$8.90).

In terms of portioning, I’d categorise them under the “just right” column— they didn’t spam ingredients but they didn’t scrimp on them either. For each burger that you order, you’ll receive a side of hand cut fries.

One of the best sellers is the Gochujang Burger. This isn’t unexpected for me because gochujang is an iconic constant in most Korean fares. The Korean chilli paste tastes more funky than spicy— in a good way though. 

The buttered burger buns sandwich capsicums of traffic light colours, a premium Australian grass fed beef patty coated with a layer of cheese, lettuce and fresh tomatoes. The peppers and buns were mildly charred, which created a smokier taste when eaten whole.

Each bite retained a significant beefy flavour with pepper-ish hints. I was surprised at how easy it was to cut through the burger; I usually make a mess with this but the tenderness of the beef made it much easier. While most might not understand how Australian chilled beef is definitely softer than other cuts, I appreciated its juiciness.

Next up, the Tteokbokki Burger. This is a thicker option with the addition of tteokbokki in one of the layers. Before this, I never expected that beef and rice cakes would go so well, but at ROKUS a.g.b, they really perfected the archetype of the Asian fusion burger with this one.

The burger contained about 5 to 6 rice cakes, which gave it a very chewy bite. The addition of these Korean delights helped to elevate this dish by giving it depth and dimension. Typically, when you savour beef patties, they are heavier in taste. However, with the ingenious use of tteokbokki, it neutralised the beef flavours and exuded a more natural flavour.

If I haven’t spoken about the fries, these are hand cut crisps that are lightly salted. Each potato is sliced on a daily basis, which explains their irregular cuts. I respect how ROKUS a.g.b abides closely to making their food entirely artisanal, as many burger chains and stores now serve frozen fries because of its convenience. However, they’ve established how hardworking they are, and we could see that through their food.

Despite how much I enjoyed their burgers, unfortunately, the Hamburg Steak Ramyeon was a miss for me. I believe this was a rendition of a hamburger, while the buns were replaced with ramyeon.

While I enjoyed their beef patty as usual, what I was slightly disappointed with was the taste of the noodles. It was very subtle in flavour, with a hint of flavour from the preserved radish. Maybe I was expecting something that was stronger in flavour to complement the hamburg, eggs and cucumbers.

Final thoughts

I’ve tasted many burgers and I couldn’t be happier with the ones at ROKUS a.g.b. I’ve watched several interviews of the owners and they’ve remained humble enough despite its popularity. Furthermore, I am hopeful that they’ll continue with their R&D research to continuously perfect their recipes.

Expected damage: S$7.90 – S$13.90 per pax

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