AFTER a slew of Hong Kong favourites such as Tim Ho Wan, Mak's Noodles and Honolulu Cafe descending on the Singapore food scene, a mini-American invasion is under way. Kicking off with the US's most famous export, Burger Joint New York picked Singapore as its first South-east Asian outpost after South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and Brazil. The burger joint started life as a hidden eatery in Le Parker Meridien Hotel in Manhattan, before opening a branch in Greenwich Village. In Singapore, it opened in May at a newly renovated shophouse in Amoy Street - part of a cluster of units owned by a single developer.

In mid-June, Employees Only (EO), the legendary cocktail bar and restaurant from Manhattan's West Village, will open a couple of doors away from Burger Joint. EO ranks highly on the discerning bar-hopper's list - it's won everything from the "Best Bar in the World" award in 2011 to being fourth on Drinks International's World's 50 Best Bars in 2015.

The eatery was started in 2004 by five industry friends: Dushan Zaric, Henry Lafargue, Igor Hadzismajlovic, Jason Kosmas and Bill Gilroy. Besides Singapore, EO will also be opening in Miami and Austin, Texas, later this year.