August 02, 2013

Bear Bites 熊の食 Singapore ~ Super Cute Taiwanese Bear Paw Burgers At *SCAPE!



We were planning to have fried chicken, but mention "Bear Burger", my attention was quickly shifted. So kawaii (cute) sounding, how would it look like? Well, in the realm of social media, nothing stays as a mystery for long and the answer was soon revealed through Instagram. The photo I saw was cuteness to the max!! I’m definitely gonna try this very photogenic burger!


Aptly named “Bear Paw Bun”, these are essentially Taiwanese-fusion burgers with buns in shape of a bear’s paw. The Taiwanese founder was holidaying in Japan and was inspired by some Japanese buns he chanced upon. Bear Bites 熊の食 Bear Paw Bun was then created, a burger concept which embraces the Western culture with Asian ingredients.

The iconic bear paw print on the bun itself is representative of Taiwan's national animal, the Formosan Black Bear.

Sooooooo adorable, the buns became wildly popular and are a must-have for any visitors to Feng Jia Night Market, one of the top favorite night markets among the young generation in Taiwan, where it was conceived. Now we can get our hands on one of the very first bear paw bun outside Taiwan, right here in Singapore’s *SCAPE!


The bear paw buns reminded me of the Chinese traditional steamed "Kong Bak Pau" (braised pork belly buns), albeit more attractive ones. But more than just being visually appealing with paw prints and lovely colors, the buns are actually imbued with different flavors. Would you choose your favorite color or favorite flavor bun for your burger?

Here's how to order your very own Bear Bites 熊の食 Burger in 3 simple steps:

Step 1: Choose a Meat - Karaage Crispy Chicken ($4.80) / Oishi Fish Fillet ($5.80)
Step 2: Choose a Bun - Original Milk / Brown Sugar / Yam / Curry / Oat / Squid Ink / Strawberry (seasonal)
Step 3: Choose a Sauce - Mushroom / Sweet & Spicy Thai / Black Pepper / Tartar / Honey Mustard / Golden Cheese

I would suggest to get the Bear Paw Combo of Chicken ($7.80) or Fish ($8.80) which comes with drinks and fries (add $1 for cheese fries) to make it a complete meal. The affordable pricing and substantial portion makes it a very worthwhile meal, and most importantly, it's tasty!


While the fish is merited for its moist flesh and winsome pairing with the recommended sweet and spicy Thai sauce, I personally prefer the chicken. The huge chuck of fried chicken meat is very tender and wonderfully encased in a crispy coating. My choice of mushroom sauce to go with the chicken was a safe match which could hardly go wrong.

I had wanted a strawberry (pink) bun but it was not available so I choose the curry (pale yellow) bun instead. Its soft, spongy texture provided a nice textural contrast to the crispy chicken, both complementing each other perfectly.

The initial worry that the different flavors from the bun and sauce will clash too strongly with each other was unfounded. The steamed bun is actually quite subtle in flavor, yet tasty enough if I'm to eat the bun just on its own.


For more greens, a simple salad of Smoked Salmon with Japanese Yuzu Sauce ($6.80) is a good choice.

I would love to enjoy my cutesy bear paw burgers in aircon comfort but guess the alfresco seating under the trees gives a vibe of dining in the wilderness amid the unpredictability of nature's surprises from the sky (think: falling tree leaves/flowers, bird s**t). I was almost tempted to shade myself with my umbrella lol. Perhaps a takeaway would be a better idea next time.

Service can be a tad faster but it was very warm and sincere. I almost thought I was back in Taiwan where the street vendors are all so friendly. Oh I miss Taiwan so much!!!

Thanks to our local entrepreneurs Joseph and Benedict for bringing these delicious Taiwan treats into Singapore!


Update: Confirmed with Benedict that the food is not Halal-certified, but does not contain any pork or lard.


Bear Bites 熊の食 Singapore
Address: 2 Orchard Link #02-42, *SCAPE, Singapore 237978
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BearBitesSingapore
Opening Hours: 10.30am - 10.30pm


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