Burger & Lobster - Soho

I’m a big fan of lobster - I love the stuff and since they removed the lobster tank from our favourite local fish restaurant I have been dying to find somewhere else where I can satisfy my cravings.

The first time I attempted to get into Burger & Lobster in Soho I rocked up on a Friday evening to be told that there was a 2 hour wait - WHAT?!? In the end I had to make do with watching others scoff down lovely looking food while I ended up in Burger King with a bottom lip so low I was in danger of tripping over it.

As a treat from her birthday a few weeks ago I took the other half along in the middle of the day in the hope of finally getting my ass onto a seat, a plastic bib round my neck and lobster in my belly. To Soho we returned and even in the middle of a Monday afternoon the place was packed. We waited 10 minutes before being seated.

The drinks menu was great and the range on offer far exceeds what’s on the food menu, in fact it’s probably about three times the size! I opted for Brooklyn Lager while Rachel went for Aspall Suffolk Cider (so predictable).

There are two essentially options and the clue is in the name of the chain - you can have burger or lobster. Alternatively and only if feeling brave or like a contestant on Man vs. Food you can opt for both. The specials board basically lists weights of lobsters and the price. While we were there you could opt for a 6lb lobster for just over £140. Ouch! 

We both ordered lobster and I was surprised when the full lobster arrived with a healthy portion of fries, a lovely looking salad and a gravy boat full of the richest and creamiest garlic butter. 

Whichever option you order the price is £20 plus your drinks and that is spot on in terms of value for money. As the pictures show, it wasn’t a small lobster and after tearing away and dunking the melt in your mouth meat in the garlic butter I was in heaven. I loved the food.

The fries were crunchy, perfectly salted while the salad was crunchy, had a variety of textures and just the right amount of dressing. After wolfing down the lobster and fries I have to say I was stuffed to the gills and couldn’t finish the salad - for shame!

If you are looking for somewhere different, somewhere that cooks seafood to perfection and a happy relaxed atmosphere then this place is for you. Even the waiting staff were uber polite, attentive and nothing was too much trouble for them even though the place was packed.  

Burger & Lobster have six different restaurants across London and you can visit their website here to find your nearest. 

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

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Honest Burger - Camden Lock Market

Confession time - I’ve become slightly addicted to finding and trying out burger joints in London. 

After an enforced break from work due to illness and suffering from extreme cabin fever I spent day after day trawling the internet looking for the best, more succulent looking places to try.

I have 10 places in my sights and aim to have them all visited and reviewed by the end of September. 

Burger at the Oasis (sadly no longer with us), a burger joint in Las Vegas sits at the top of my all time favourites while Dirty Burger is the best I’ve tasted in my adopted home city. Can I find anywhere better? The challenge is on!

I had seen Honest Burger in Brixton Village when I attended an ilumi event a few months ago, and had that not been a food tasting evening I’ve have wandered straight in and bought one. The smell wafting from the kitchen was rich and meaty while the place was packed which tends to be a good sign. 

I vowed there and then that an Honest burger needed to be consumed.

The first branch opened in Brixton in 2011 and since then a further five have opened in Camden Town, Soho, King’s Cross, Portobello Road and Oxford Circus. 

After a visit to London Zoo and with a stomach that was growling louder than an Asian Tiger we descended on Camden Lock in search of food. The many amazing stalls aside (that’s for another time - in short, it’s a foodie dream on a Sunday afternoon) had me drooling but I was on a burger mission and after searching high and low (seriously, 15 minutes) we finally found the entrance to Honest Burger. 

To say that it’s a narrow entrance is something of an understatement. If you blink you will miss it, it’s actually opposite Shaka Zulu and Gilgamesh.

Having never been to the chain before I had no idea what to expect but I had seen a few reviews that suggested I was in for a treat. What struck me first of all was how close the tables were together. While the place was empty when we arrived this wasn’t a problem but as it started to fill up on a warm afternoon it became quite stuffy inside and when I’m eating I don’t particularly like to be nearly sitting on the lap of the stranger sat at the table next to me - it’s one of the reasons I try to avoid places like Wagamama.

Browsing the menu doesn’t take long. Like Dirty Burger the choices are quite limited - a picture of the menu is below.

The menu

The staff were really attentive, they gave us time to cast an eye of the menu before taking our drinks order - I opted for traditional lemonade which looked great when it arrived in a jam jar with plenty of ice. It was so cool and refreshing and set me up for the meat treat on its way.

I ordered the tribute burger at £10 while my partner in crime had the cheese burger priced at £8.50. Not cheap by any stretch of the imagination but the burgers do some with fries. Again, the staff knew their stuff and were attentive, they even came back to check how we wanted the burgers cooked.

The waiting time was reasonable, a good ten minutes to sip at our drinks while watching the world go by and there is no better place to people watch than Camden Lock Market on a warm sunny afternoon. 

As the cheese burger was placed down I think I drooled a like bit with envy, especially when my burger rocked up with a film of grease covering the entire top of the brioche bun. I was so hungry even this couldn’t put me off. There were plenty of crispy fries that were perfectly seasoned and full of flavour.

The Cheese burger

After dismantling the burger to take a look I was impressed that the bacon was cooked really well and was crunchy, just how I like it. There was plenty of American cheese and the relish mixed with the mustard pickles combined wonderfully. The patty was cooked medium and again I couldn’t argue with the preparation, it looked fantastic and as I took the first bite there was a taste explosion in my mouth. The beef patty was rich in flavour and juicy without releasing a spray of grease and fat onto my shirt. 

As we entered I was really hungry but after finishing the burger I was actually so full I struggled to finish the fries. 

My Tribute burger

While I think it is slightly overpriced and I was disappointed by the seating layout, how greasy the brioche bun was I couldn’t argue with the fact that it tasted amazing and filled me right up. Chomping away on a burger where you can taste the rich beef while watching the world pass you by was a fun experience. 

I don’t think I’ll be visiting the Camden Lock branch again unless it’s empty however I will be trying the  larger Honest Burger in King’s Cross on a more regular basis, especially as it is just around the corner from my office.

Honest Burger doesn’t beat Dirty Burger or the specials at Bryon Burger but you could do a lot worse, especially in Camden Market with the ‘special’ £4 Chinese meals on offer.

RECOMMENDED

Where is your favourite burger joint? Why not let me know in the comments below?

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog.

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Dirty Burger - The Best Burger in London!

For someone so obsessed with trying to reverse the ravages of time I really shouldn’t eat fast food, but I just can’t help myself when it comes to Dirty Burger.

I first spotted a review for Dirty Burger in Time Out when looking for the best burger joints in London.

All of the reviews had me literally drooling and as they had a branch in Kentish Town, Camden I just couldn’t contain my excitement. I even started to stalk pictures of the burgers online and on Twitter. It became something of OCD moment for me and it wasn’t long until I ventured off to find it – map in hand.

Make sure you play with Google streetmap before you leave home – this place is a hidden gem and you are more likely to walk on by a few times before you find it. I know I did.

Dirty Burger doesn’t need to be all flash and gimmicky - it also doesn’t need a menu the length of your arm. They sell burgers, correction. They craft the best burgers in town.

With a simple pricing system and few options ordering doesn’t take long – you can have a cheeseburger, burger or what is known as a Dirty Cop Out (that’s the vegetarian option). In addition, there are fries and onion fries (think stringy onion rings).

Once the order has been collected you can then tuck in. The patties are served on a brioche bun, smothered in a lovely tangy mayo with a tomato and gherkin. The burgers are juicy and the flavour to die for – you can really taste the deep rich flavour of the meat come out with each bite.

The patties use several cuts of beef including rib eye and Bavette. The juiciness comes from the way in which it’s cooked. Rather than just slapping the meat onto a grill the chefs drizzle stock over the cooking patties and then cover them so that they steam in their own juices.

Each time I visit I’m never disappointed – the fries are hot and crunchy. They have texture and flavour. The onion fries are awesome and so much nicer than conventional onion rings, but best of all the quality and consistency of the burger is king.

With a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks on offer you can’t go wrong if you fancy a snack or have a hunger hole the size of Texas.

Dirty Burger has everything you need.

As an aside, the shack in which Dirty Burger is located is always clean and tidy. It’s not the largest place on earth and it can become slightly crowded at times. Don’t let this put you off – pop in for a bite to eat and you’ll be hooked for life.

At £5.50 for a taste sensation of a burger you can do a lot worse.

Burger King who anyone?!?

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

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