Nsquared Barbecue Review: Affordable Flame-Grilled Meats Below $10 At One-north

The atas lot may say the one-Michelin-starred Burnt Ends , but for Nsquared Barbecue ’s co-owner Nick, it’s his fire pit in the heart of One-north’s Timbre+. Couple that with the quick service styles of hawkers, the pressure for him is real. Food at Nsquared Barbecue We ordered the Pork Belly Burnt Ends ($5.50) with Garlic Butter Mash and Honey Balsamic Romaine ($3) .

It looked stunning with its contrasting colours—gnarly bits of blackened pork belly were juxtaposed against flashes of green and red salad. It complemented the porkiness and marinade unexpectedly well, in the same way that the charred bits in claypot rice elevate the dish. Because of how developed the flavours were, I was rather disappointed that its texture did not live up to expectations.

While the fats were rendered to a velvety smoothness, the chunks of meat were chewy. My dining companion and I were impressed by the Creamy Garlic Mash ($1.50) .

It was also well seasoned with garlic and herbs, accentuating the potato’s natural taste. The Nsquared platter ($19.90) was hefty with a giant mound of meat.

Per to Had we known there was so much food, we would not have, on the Pork & Garlic ($3) smoked sausage. It came with grilled prawns, chicken wings, pork belly and grilled vegetables—all charred to an obsidian black.

The prawns were grilled to a greyish discolour, with streaks of black grill marks. But that in addition meant the shellfish had been overcooked, which unfortunately showed in its texture. That being told reporters, I sampled some parts on the outside, and the taste was commendable.

It had a familiar taste of hawker-style barbecued chicken, with an elevated layer of savouriness from the marinade. They were well seasoned with garlic and herbs, complementing the porky flavours.

The live band sings daily in the evening with a repertoire that ranges from oldies to the newest indie songs. It’s as well worth mentioning that most of the seating here is long communal tables, so you’ll probably be rubbing shoulders with tons of strangers here. It’s all about the quality of components, prep work and control of fire.

For those who are heading down, check out other must-try dishes at Timbre+: Timbre+ Review: Massive Food Park With Tasty Eats, Cheap Craft Beer And Live Music For After-Work Hangs Address: 73A Ayer Rajah Crescent, Timbre+, Singapore 139957 Opening hours: Daily 11am to 10pm Website Nsquared Barbecue is not a halal-certified eatery.