Burger and Lobster
JAGUAR FUNGSA INDULGES IN FRESH SEAFOOD AT THIS UPSCALE DINNING ESTABLISHMENT
Must-try: Lobster Roll, 1.5lb whole lobster
Price: £££
Good for: Special occasion, fine dining experience
Overall: 4.5/5
Looking for a special night out with your coursemates, your flatmates or perhaps a special someone? Look no further than Burger and Lobster. Sure, as a student it would be difficult to justify going to an establishment such as this, with the three main course options coming in at £20 each. However, it is definitely worth paying that amount of money for an evening and meal you won’t forget.
The principle behind the restaurant is in its name.
This is a restaurant whose menu consists of three items: the Burger, the Lobster, and something in between which goes by the name of the Lobster Roll (but more on that later). I have to admit that choosing to come here for dinner with friends was no easy choice, with all the more affordable offerings happening to be nearby on Charlotte Street. In the end, we decided to go for something a little more upscale which we hoped would satisfy our desire for some fresh seafood.
The closest establishment is just a 5 minutes’ walk from Oxford Circus. As was the case in all Burger and Lobster restaurants, the restaurant exuded a rustic and country feel reminiscent of a snapshot from the American Northwest. The theme of the restaurant was evidently inspired by the location from which the Lobster came: Nova Scotia, Canada. According to its website, all the lobster is flown in fresh from the Atlantic Ocean and kept in some of the biggest lobster tanks in the restaurant industry.
I had a chance to try the scrumptiously tasty Lobster roll, which is cold lobster meat dressed in a light Japanese mayonnaise and served in a warm, toasted brioche bun. The first bite into the bun was extremely satisfying, as the firm texture of the lobster meat and the crunchiness of the golden butter- toasted bun went so well together that it was hard to continue the conversation with friends. The optional squeeze of lemon also provided some much-needed zing to counter the rich flavours of the roll and added an extra dimension to the taste.
The other dish to highlight was the fresh lobster itself. It’s red, fresh and most importantly, it’s huge! You get equipped with the tools for plucking out the juicy white meat hidden within the hard, seemingly undefeatable shell. But don’t worry, it doesn’t take much effort to uncover the pearly meat, ready to be eaten with plain or lemon garlic butter. You can get the lobster served steamed, or initially steamed then finished on the grill. I would recommend going for the steamed-only option since the lobster juice is retained, giving the lobster that fresh-from-the-ocean taste, as if it was only caught this morning!
Unfortunately, neither my friends nor I had the chance to taste the other half of the restaurant’s name, the ‘Burger’ with its steak specially sourced from Nebraska out in the American Midwest. The natural marbling found in the steak gives the meat its tenderness, and I am sure it would live up to the high standards set by the other two main dishes.
All of the main dishes come with a side serving of fries and salad which is decent but nothing to write home about. The salad itself was a little too sour for my taste, although the vegetables fresh and the fries crunchy. Furthermore, the service was efficient and the staff, who described to us the (non-existant) food menu, were friendly. We did not have to wait very long for the dishes to arrive after the order was made.
Anyone looking for somewhere to go on a special date or occasion should definitely have Burger and Lobster on their mind, note it down and you won’t be disappointed!
6 Little Portland Street
London W1W 7JE