I am Cafe
Just opened on 28 February 2017, I am… Cafe now brings all that burger and fries (with some pizza) goodness right to our doorstep in the East. Situated on the third floor of Our Tampines Hub right next to the HomeTeamNS clubhouse, where there are already plenty of fun things to do, it takes a little bit of eyeballing but you won’t miss their trademark signage even from level 1.
Interior wise, it does remind you of Haji Lane, and I very much prefer an air-conditioned experience, although it does contain the noise of the hustle and bustle going on (it is a family casual restaurant after all so don’t expect classical music and hush-hush conversations).
Likewise, the menu still consists of old favourites such as their side of truffle fries, which is topped off with thick and creamy truffle mayo. Burgers, pizzas, and their fish & chips are also available, along with their signature mocktails (they’re halal certified). Don’t forget their desserts like the RAINBOW CAKE! Call me nitpicky, but while my ‘the boss’ burger is definitely scrumptious, I’d wish for the patty to be at least the same diameter as the buns so that I can pick it up to chomp down on it (hehe) without risking it popping out of the buns mid-bite. For the past year or so, I’d been absolutely dying to try I AM Cafe, since it’s probably one of the only hipster cafes in the area that I hadn’t previously tried. Whenever I walked past it on Saturdays the lines would always be prohibitively long, so I would – rather spitefully – tell my sinking heart “well, it’s not air-conditioned anyway“.
Cut to roughly 2 years since it first opened its doors on 15 Aug 2013, look where we are:
I came here with my cousin on a hoppin’ Friday night and waited about 30 minutes for a table. The cafe does not accept reservations, which is understandable, but always annoying. That being said, I think it acts as a discreet filter to screen out certain types of diners, e.g. those who don’t really care about food. Yes, those eat-to-live types who proudly proclaim ‘I’ll never line up for food’. Nothing wrong with that, but I sure would love to eat in the company of people who love eating, that’s all. It makes for a very cheerful crowd.
The fries deserve their own paragraph. These were great!! These bad-boys still had their skin on so you can tell they’re legit. I am usually in favour of fries that are rather crispy on the outside, but while these weren’t terribly crispy, they did taste DAMN good. I was very impressedThe burger tasted delicious, but I wish there’d been more of the messy sauce. Whatever little they coated the patty with was really yummy and meaty, so I was quite sad there was so little of it – now I get why they put quotes around ‘sloppy’ All cheekiness aside, I think the sauce is spot on and the patty really quite tender. The patty also didn’t come entirely apart like the ones from The Lab. I did however wish it were just slightly juicier; it felt a little dry towards the end We also shared the I Am…The Platters (S$18.90) since we wanted to be able to try more things from the menu. The platter came with 4 hot wings, 3 mussels, a whole soft shell crab cut into two, some squid, and 4 prawns. I’m not a huge fan of marshmallows unless they’re melted (like in smores or in baked pie-type recipes), but the chocolate drink itself was great. It wasn’t too sweet and had a slightly bitter note, which prevented it from being too cloying. 9/10
Service was surprisingly chipper for a Friday night, despite the full house. I think I would do well to come back and try their famed Fish ‘N’ Chips (S$15.90) soon. Will definitely review that once I’m done! Overall I Am.. seems like the hip spot to be at with your friends (it’s small, cramped, and water is self-service so it’s not the family-friendliest of places) for a fun night out. The ambience is great and abuzz with energy – there’s an open kitchen where they charcoal-grill half their menu, and you can see the cooks being all jocose and hipster. The downside of this is that if you sit close to the kitchen area, you WILL leave the place smelling like charcoal Still, small price to pay for relatively decent food with great heart and a great ambience!
I AM…
674 North Bridge Road (off Haji Lane)
#01-01, Singapore 188804
Notes: Accepts NETS/credit cards, no reservations
Opening Hours
Mon-Thu: 1130am to 11pm
Fri-Sat: 1130am to 1am
Sun: 1130am to 10pm
halal status: Muslim-owned
Halalicious rating: 7.7/10
Average spend per pax: S$32
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