Burgers Hong Kong

Level 3 Soundwill Plaza II – Midtown

Burger reviews, Causeway Bay, Exquisite, Hong Kong

The Chop House

BBQ Beef, Bacon & Cheddar Burger

The Chop House’s BBQ beef, bacon & cheddar burger is an exquisite burger. Starting of one a great note, this burger adventure will have a couple of hiccups along the journey towards the end, but upon completion, one can surely be satisfied with what has been experienced – an accomplished burger taste balance, one that shows that this burger has received a certain level of thought and care… at least for its taste.

The burger will initially make itself noticed by a delightfully radiating burger smell that touches your senses as it lands at your fore with an accompaniment of a strong BBQ aroma that feels zesty to the nostrils – after all, the burger has been christened with ‘BBQ’ as a first name, and with that one should expect great BBQ flavoring. The result: a rightly rich sweet-sour BBQ tanginess so powerful that the burger should be a little more sparing with its sauce, in actuality the sauce is not bad – the amount just needs to be toned down a little or grilled. Still, remove a bit and I found that the experience was still an pleasurable one… again, in terms of taste.

The first bite is quite captivating – the bacon makes a first great impression with a wonderfully sharp salty taste that feels nice to the tongue, not too crispy slightly chewy. Close by, with a shape to perfect to have been hand massaged and fashioned, one can feel the patty charming its way in with an agreeably soft juicy texture and enjoyable beef taste that is seasoned with an appropriate amount of salt. The vegetables, feeling that green crunchiness, play their parts correctly with an outstanding tomato; and the cheese, which doesn’t much feel like cheddar, leaves a gooey touch with a good subtle flavor.

The tribulation, a proportional and constructional one, commences about half way through this hamburger when the overloaded heavy BBQ and mayo sauces begin to swirl and swamp the burger – sabotaging the vessel, a soft pleasant but delicate bun that can’t handle the burger’s engineering challenges. Tearing itself apart in the last stages, revealing a patty that feels slightly short, once completed only a terrible mess remains. One does have the option to add additional components to the already overloaded burger; marinated beats, sweet onion, and the stupendous chili mustard. The tator tots are meh.

For 160.00 HKD this is a delicious burger with sturdy burger taste balance that is worth a visit, to bad the construction and the burger ingredient ratios are a little choppy…

The Chop House

1 Tang Lung Street

Causeway Bay

Hong Kong

+852 2771 3177

Tagged burger reviews, Burgers, Causeway Bay, hamburgers

May 09 2014

Tipping Point Brewing Co.

Burger reviews, Decent, Hong Kong, Sheung Wan

238

238 Burger

238’s 238 burger is a decent hamburger. This burger design has a certain euro-essence to its burger taste balance; and with that they’ve tried to play around with the burger components, the results is a burger experimentation that didn’t go horribly wrong, but didn’t exactly go wonderfully right either. The hamburger’s decency is much less derived from its burger taste balance, which in actuality can be quite enjoyable, and much more stemmed within its dreadful burger construction. As one stares at what has been presented, it’s difficult to snub the immediate inadequacies that fault the hamburger – inappropriate assemblage that is visibly apparent in the burger’s main support pillars, the patty and the bun.

The beef patty will be the first one to call attention, it has a nice brown crisp coloring to it that is accompanied by a tangy-esq beef taste that is well seasoned; unfortunately, as it visually crumbles, it lacks the texture of a real patty. I’m not certain what ‘chopped a la minute’ means, but I hope it doesn’t mean that the beef was minced, fried, compressed, and pattied, all in that order, within a minute’s time – cause it really felt that way. Then we have the bun, which is really just a bread roll; and as a roll, what the patty lacks in strength, the bread makes up in a hard exterior that won’t break as you bite into it expelling the burger contents outwards. The garlic seasoning on the bread was a nice touch though.

Finally there’s the mayo, a what-feels-like home made mayonnaise that is thick and rich and good turns out to be a real mess… literally. It’s like someone in the kitchen got so excited with their mayo that they smothered the burger in the stuff, leaving you with an explosion of condiment that’ll figuratively cancel out any vegetables present in the burger, veggies which are quite alright. They did seem to have forgotten one of the ingredients in the burger, listed in the menu is bacon, in my burger, was no bacon. The thick golden fries are quite excellent.

For 150.00 HKD one gets to wrestle a hamburger, and ends up covered in white stuff; and while the euro-taste might be interesting the construction is not. Towards the end, the fries were a little more enjoyable than this over-complicated burger.

+852 2517 7322

Tagged burger reviews, Burgers, hamburgers, Hong Kong, Sheung Wan

May 02 2014

2 Comments

Burger reviews, Central, Edible, Hong Kong

Tipping Point Brewing Co.

Classic Cheese Burger

The Tipping Point’s classic cheese burger is an edible hamburger. The overarching burger experience has an unwelcoming feeling from start to finish; and at the end, rather than a sense of satisfaction, there is one of relief – solace that one has completed the difficult task of stuffing this salty burger down one’s throat and leaving this locale.

As the little sized burger arrives, literally dumped in front of you by the irate staff, it brings with it a smelly smell of burntness and old oil that lingers throughout the first moments of this burger’s existence; the small size, which makes it possible to finish the burger within a few good bites, means that the burnt smell will waft throughout most of the hamburger experience – later on, this smell of uncleaned grill, will exit through the nostrils as the burger enters the mouth.

Peering beneath the hood won’t make a thing better, what one does have is: blackened grill marks on a bun that is soft and spongy; a patty that is both thick and compact, that is properly pinked inside and at first has a great beef taste that diminishes into saltines as one eats through; you have slivers of bacon, that’ll aren’t all that tasty but are all that salty; a cheese that is pretty oh-kay; and finally, a feeling of desolation as one notices that there isn’t any sort of greenery or verdure amongst this party. All this combined makes for an edible charred grilled burger taste balance, one that is reminiscent of a Burger King’s cheeseburger – except that Burger King will more likely offer a superior burger experience.

Also, have I mentioned how salty this burger is? They really tipped the point on that one. It does appropriately seem like bar food though, it is after all a micro-brewery, the burger’s so salty it’ll definitely encourage some beer ordering. At least, besides the burger mass, the burger has a good hamburger construction, it is burger sturdy and it’ll hold its shape… but so will a BK cheeseburger. The french fries felt a little soggy and old.

This cheeseburger is undoubtedly not worth 180.00 HKD (24.00 USD), and 28.00 HKD for a couple of slivers of bacon is preposterous – for this price they could of at least included a shred of vegetation. Tipping Point really tipped the scales on this burger – unfortunately towards the more shoddy side…

On another note… I seldom talk about the locales and I don’t usually mention stuff about the services I receive, but sometimes the service in places can be ridiculously abysmal. I don’t think anyone would appreciate having cash tossed across the table because the waiter thought the tip was insufficient – seriously waiter dude, we hadn’t even finished discussing how much tip we’d leave, or if any would be left at all, but you’re attitude made the decision pretty simple.

79 Wyndham Street,

Central,

+852 2868 2892

Tagged burger reviews, Burgers, Central, Edible, hamburgers, Hong Kong

Apr 25 2014

Burger reviews, Central, Decent, Hong Kong

Red Bar + Restaurant

Red 1/2 pound beef burger

Red’s 1/2 pound beef burger is an decent delectable hamburger. Much better enjoyed sitting outside on the terrace on a cool clear day, this burger experience, appreciated alongside Hong Kong’s magnificent Victoria harbor and savored under the imposing erection that is the IFC 2, the second tallest building in the city, is a satisfying one. Engulfed by a riveting cityscape – the hamburger, with its size and good burger taste balance, seems equally imposing; from the moment it lands on the table, as the eyes measure up, one might have regretted the appetizer.

The burger’s presentation holds up, the performance is proficient, and the burger construction is solid; the ingredients, managing to pull through almost reaching exquisiteness, indicate that some care has gone into this burger. Still, there are times in which the burger taste balance feels as though a heavy-handedness of salt occurred – a saltines which may be derived from the rich but flabbily textured bacon. The patty holds a fine beefy flavor, and though it does feel somewhat chunky at times – leaving a desire for a slightly softer formation, it is filled with juicy meat juices; the cheddar cheese, nicely melted and not too sharp, creates an enjoyable composition. The vegetables feel crisp, and even with their seemingly thick appearance for the hamburger, already a hefty sized burger, the veggies don’t create a sense of overpowerment – not even the onion.

Built so that even an amateur burger eater can enjoy this experience, the burger has a sturdy burger assemblage. Although the first big bite might prove to be a challenge, the burger will eventually compress enough for even the most delicate bite. This, I believe, partly has to do with a bun that has soft chewy qualities throughout, whilst it size can be overbearing at times, it holds the burger, and its thick patty, within. A floating mayoey taste in the burger was a nice touch, however, the fries, cooked to a crisp, weren’t all that enjoyable.

For 165.00 HKD (21.00 USD), plus 15 HKD for each additional topping, the burger is a bit on the pricey side; but when you consider its size, and, if your early or lucky enough, the view from the terrace, its worth to give it a try – in any case its always impressive to stand next to IFC2 and simply look up!

+852 8129 8882

Tagged burger reviews, Burgers, Central, decent, Hong Kong

Apr 11 2014

Burger reviews, Central, Decent, Hong Kong

Linguini Fini (closed)

LF Burger

The LF Burger is a decent pedestrian hamburger. One might not think to visit Linguini Fini particularly for their burger, in actuality their pizza encounter is vastly better than their burger experience; but upon a first visit as one studies their menu, hidden all the way on the last line, an interesting sounding burger calls out… with spicy ketchup and roasted garlic mayo along with the option to add pancetta (Italian bacon) and mozzarella cheese, the burger, seems to only ask for a chance.

The burger presentation does seem slightly lazy; slumped on the plate lacking a certain burger finesse, it does not come across, and later feel, like a great Italian stallion… it is not a powerful gallop into the stomach – the ingredients, especially the burger construction, do not fully deliver that memorable burger ride – what you get is a satisfactory burger taste balance with a worrisome built.

As one begins to build the hamburger everything appears correct, there is appropriate compression, and more importantly the portions stack up properly. It is immediately after the first impending bite that things begin to go awry, the outstanding offenders being the pancetta followed closely by the patty.

The pancetta ads a pungent salty kick to the burger, and cooked to an unyielding crisp, that bacon kick might just be powerful enough to chip a tooth – needless to say, the pancetta, might not make it to the finale. The beef patty carries a zesty taste to it, it is unknown whether the taste comes from the meat being kept in the freezer for a little too long, as a trained butcher at our table suggested, or from the spices and seasoning in the beef, hopes are for the latter. Worse still is the patty texture, soft and airy, as you hold the burger the patty will begin to tear and ooze away from the hamburger core – a struggle to strategically eat the burger ensues; the result: a center of bread, which is softly toasted maintaining its bun shape, and mushy veggies without meat. The mozzarella cheese doesn’t perform as well on the burger as it does on the pizza; but the burger did have a nice garlic buttery aftertaste. The spicy ketchup felt a little too sour and the fries, which are not included, are alright.

The LF burger has some potential, what it desperately needs though is a hamburger whisperer – but until that happens don’t expect much. For 168.00 HKD (21 USD) for the burger plus 20.00 HKD for each the pancetta and mozzarella think like one of the great four turtles and order a pizza!

+852 2857 1333

Tagged burger reviews, Burgers, Central, decent, hamburgers, Hong Kong

Apr 04 2014

31/F & Rooftop The Hennessy
256 Hennessy Road
Wan Chai

Burger reviews, Edible, Hong Kong, Wan Chai

Ham & Sherry

Beef “burger”

Ham & Sherry’s beef “burger” is an edible “hamburger”. There’s an odd feeling to Ham & Sherry when one enters with the intention of indulging on a burger; as one awaits the burger’s arrival, as one ganders across the tables, one might begin to wonder why no burgers are being served… certainly, for a dish as popular as a hamburger there must be some other patrons waiting. Tis only moments after your burger arrives that you realize what was happening all along – that the burgers where always there.

I know, it doesn’t particularly come off looking as a traditional burger, and even though assurances were delivered that the meal laid before my eyes is in fact a “burger” it was, sadly, hard to truly enjoy this “burger” experience – from start to end, from presentation to performance, this simply did not fill the burger void within. What you end up with is the burger equivalent of a bicycle wreck – a “burger” with poor burger taste balance, with inferior burger assemblage, with an undeliverable burger satisfaction; a “burger” without its burger essence. What follows is a downward spiral of burger disappointment, one that culminates in a figurative slap to the face of one burger lover.

Upon encountering this small burger, one is rushed by a sense of bafflement and wonder as to why the burger has been cut in half, and more importantly, what to this day still remains an unresolved mystery, where that other half may be. As you gaze and examine through the ingredients, one can’t argue that the right components aren’t present; but even with keeping an open mind, these ingredients seem lost – without a purpose. The ciabatta immediately strikes out, a little too hard, dry, and thin, it just doesn’t feel appropriate; the airy beef patty, even with the correct temperature, lacks seasoning and a genuine beefy taste; the cheese, sharp and somewhat overwhelming, just doesn’t lay well; and the sweet onions, a false hope for vegetables, rebels the “burger” with its sweetness. There was one seeming winner in the bunch, the bacon, a bacon that is soft and chewy with the right amount of crispiness; it did well at first, until you begin to notice its overly greasy perspiration. The garlic fries are alright.

For 108.00 HKD this is not a commendable “burger”, I’m sure Ham & Sherry have great dishes, but for a burger you can and will find better. One awkward thing did happen after being there for an hour or so… in front of us, amongst two pretty looking ladies, something resembling a beef burger with the proper bun and proportions appeared, it was a beef burger – slap. Yet, after this experience it would have probably also been a disappointment.

+852 2555 0628

Tagged Burgers, hamburgers, Hong Kong, Wan Chai

Mar 28 2014

4 Comments

Burger reviews, Decent, Hong Kong, Wan Chai

Wooloomooloo Steakhouse

Beef Burger

Wooloomooloo’s beef burger is a good decent hamburger. More likely than not, one is sure to have a great burger experience; soaring high above Hong Kong’s rooftops, accompanied by magnificent views of Kowloon and the Island, as you scan the horizon at the verticality that is this city – it’s easy to get sidetracked on what’s important here: the actuality of the burger. Like I said, this is a burger experience that is worthwhile; but, does this hamburger inspire as much as its setting?

The burger’s introduction is immediately received with a pair of mixed feelings, while the overpowering whiteness of the plate might induce a notion of bleakness, as if something is missing, the attractive and sizable burger brings forth enthusiasm. As one becomes a witness to these emotions, and one begins to devour this hamburger, there is a realization that there is a pattern of ups and downs to this burger; in the end, the result is a burger, that unlike it’s view, is uninspiring.

The ingredient seem to be of a good quality, and as one, they do manage to pull of an decent burger taste balance; still, they do boast a certain burger carelessness, eventually becoming apparent that with a little more attention these ingredient can live to deliver a burger taste balance of a much higher degree. The juicy sirloin beef patty manages to radiate a wonderful beef taste, a flavor that rises above all other ingredients; regrettably, the taste is not enough to make up for its insufficiently thin proportions. The bacon, rich in that awe inspiring bacon taste, is sadly noticeably flabby in feel; the cheese, soft and gooey in texture, is a tad too sharp in flavor; and the vegetables, while crisp and balanced, stem blandness. You see, with this hamburger everything is good, but there’s always a ‘but’. Only the egg, with a firm white, and runny tasty yolk, manages to pull through unscathed.

Then there’s the bun; inappropriate for this kind of restaurant, has no salvation… overbearing in size, dry and rough in texture, feels like the most generic burger bun one could find; the ease in which the bun tears away, concludes in a conscious awareness that this burger is poorly constructed. The fries, crisp with a soft center, are alright.

For 155.00 HKD, this is a good burger experience. Unfortunately, not so much because of the burger, but because of the setting. This is a hamburger with a view, an inspiring view that makes the burger experience so much greater than it actually is, but if found on the ground floor, this burger experience might become somewhat more real.

Wooloomooloo Steakhouse

Hong Kong

+852 2893 6960

Tagged Burgers, Hong Kong, Wan Chai

Mar 21 2014

1st/F, 63 Wyndham Street,

Burger reviews, Central, Exquisite, Hong Kong

Restoration (closed)

Burger

Restoration’s simple burger is an exquisite hamburger. It is a gorgeous southern belle in the center of Hong Kong; the hamburger, vivacious in both appearance and taste, makes a grand entrance, charming your senses as it releases a waft of its delightful burger perfume into your nostrils – preparing your body for what should be a beautiful burger experience. What follows moments after that whirl, from the instant you envelop this hamburger, is a rich and tasty burger taste balance rush; and the realization that prudence has gone into the ingredients as well as the construction – resulting in mouthfuls of exquisite burgerness.

Often encountered in Creole cuisine, one might notice that black pepper has a well distinguished role in this burger, a role that achieves a welcoming kick of southern spice; furthermore, the beef patty, full of flavorful meat juices, accomplishes a neat beef taste that is subtly accentuated by the apt peppery seasoning. Although the texture of the patty might feel slightly coarse at times, the patty is offered with the right thickness and correct diameter – creating a near perfect ensemble with the bun and other ingredients.

The melted cheddar cheese, which clings to the patty with a thick radiant summery yellow, properly manages to softly gleam throughout the burger experience; the vegetables, finely tuned to the portions of the burger, establish an evident sense of freshness and, particularly the tomato, natural taste. The bacon does leave something to be desired for, not because of its slightly charred appearance – which surprisingly doesn’t have a blackened taste, but more so because of its heavy saltiness that can disturb the burger. Though I have to mention, the bacon is not included in the burger. The tasty toasted bun, spring and soft, appropriately adjusts to the inner workings and assemblage of the burger, absorbing the juicy remnants while keeping the burger tightly held under its arms – it gives a feeling of satisfaction as you hold this solid burger. The piquantly seasoned fries are great.

Served only during lunch, for 108.00 HKD this burger is definitely worth a try. As part of a set lunch it’ll come with a choice of soup or salad, and four cheese options for its cheesy topping. However, it is unfortunate that the presence of fries, though good and plentiful, comes at an additional cost of 25.00 HKD. One last thought, I really hope that Restoration preserves the consistency of this exquisite burger, as one of the best burgers in Central – i’m sure Louisiana detectives Rust and Martin would approve, laissez les bon burger temps rouler!

Restoration

Central,

G/F Moonful Court, No. 17A

+852 2536 0183

Tagged burger reviews, Burgers, Central, exquisite, hamburgers, Hong Kong

Mar 14 2014

2 Comments

Burger reviews, Decent, Hong Kong, Wan Chai

Ted’s Lookout

Cheeseburger

Ted’s cheeseburger is a decent hamburger. The burger actually shoulders a superb burger taste balance; sadly, this great hamburger performance is belittled by a patty that feels embarrassingly inappropriate – a patty that because of its dwarfed size struggles to glisten as it hides in-between the other ingredients. As you await for the arrival of your burger, as you peer at others’ burgers, as your head frantically twists and turns looking for a sign of proper burger proportions, and as you begin to realize that size does matter – prepare to have a moment of disappointment sink in.

As I said, the burger taste balance of this burger is exquisitely good; the bacon shines through with a chewy firmness that brittles as it enters your mouth, the vegetables feel fresh and alive with color and taste; the cheddar cheese adds the right amount of gooeyness without being too vague; and, if you throw in some truffle aioli, be sure to expect a flavorful buttery touch. The bread is savory, it has a soft chewy sponginess to it, it is a good bun; and when you do manage to meet the meat, the meat has a great juicy beef taste, a beef flavor that is strong and untouched.

The problem… the misfortunate size of the patty that throws the whole burger ecosystem out of balance; suddenly, the bread seems too big and airy, the onion too powerful, it feels like there is too much empty space in this burger. The moment you pick it up there’s a sensation of wobbliness, a construct about to topple out – you’ll notice amateur burger eaters struggling to hold it together, and the more adept eaters keeping a lookout for falling ingredients to not leave behind. But persist, after a few bites of too much bread and too little meat, once you’ve bitten through the outermost regions and begin to reign on the patty you will be rewarded with a great burger taste balance and that burger satisfaction – if only for a number of bites. The fries are great.

For 128.00 HKD and 15.00 HKD for additional toppings, such as bacon, based on the burger taste balance, this is a good burger to try. However, one would wish to not be disappointed by an ill-suited beef patty, and resulting poor stability. Hopefully Ted will one day look out from his lookout into the horizon and realize the potential in his burger. I don’t know if this is a case of restaurant frugality, or a consideration to serve a ‘light-er’ lunch burger (burgers are only served for lunch); but I do know that proper burger proportions are essential for a decorated burger.

Ted’s Lookout

Moon Street,

Wan Chai,

+852 2520 0076

Tagged Burgers, Hong Kong, Wan Chai

Mar 07 2014

B/1 Wharney Guang Dong Hotel,

Burger reviews, Decent, Hong Kong, Wan Chai

The Canny Man

Crofters Beef Burger

The Crofters beef burger is a decent hamburger. This burger doesn’t really stand out in any way, it’s actually quite a normal hamburger. Still, one day a week there is something that makes this burger quite special; it’s not so much the burger itself, but a promotion behind it. A deal that takes place on Mondays, a deal that turns a pretty forgettable burger into a slightly more memorable one, a deal that includes a cold pint of Carlsberg beer (probably the best beer in the world), a deal that creates an affordable burger – on a Monday! The Canny Man’s Monday burger promo lets you enjoy a decent hamburger with a nice cold pint, all for 98.00 HKD – this should already start making your Monday a little better! On any other day though, this magical Monday burger, becomes a rather ordinary hamburger…

The hamburger makes an entry in a promising light, a light that dwindles down upon the first few bites; as you begin to traverse this burger, you are soon to realize that it lacks a certain hamburger excitement. The well circumferenced patty, properly matching up to the edges of the bun and with the right temperature, has a notable beef taste. In itself, the patty makes a strong stance, a stance that is unfortunately brought down by its fellow compatriots. The dull egg, with a mild baby chicken flavor; the tedious vegetables, thick and at times, in particular the onion, overbearing; and the flat bacon, cooked to a softness that shouldn’t be allowed for bacon – all three contribute to create a feeble burger taste balance.

The bun brings forward and insipid usefulness – while it can hold the burger as one, it’s dry and at times provides an excessive bread feeling, one that could probably be countered with a slightly thicker patty. Given that the beef patty is at a whole other level of richness, you’ll wish that the other ingredients had the same level of commitment – there is certainly no ‘I’ in ‘team’, but ‘team’ spelled backwards reads ‘meat’, and this burger has that going for it. The ginormous wedges are good.

On any other day than a Monday i’m not sure i’d go too much out of the way for this 112.00 HKD burger; but come Monday, I know I wouldn’t say no to this decent burger with a pint of beer for 98.00 HKD! Like I said before, it’s already a decent way to start the week!

The Canny Man

57-73 Lockhart Road,

Wanchai,

+852 2861 1935

Tagged Burgers, Hong Kong, Wan Chai

Feb 28 2014

Shop B224A, Times Square,

Burger reviews, Central, Decent, Hong Kong, Sheung Wan

Blue Butcher

Butcher’s Wagyu Beef Burger

The Butcher’s Wagyu burger is a good decent hamburger. It is reminiscent of a simple cheeseburger – a thick patty, a bun, a shred of tomato, and a slice of cheese; a cheeseburger that is just a little more classy a little more expensive, that can probably be tied to, as its name suggests, a meat lovin’ butcher’s idea of a hamburger – which makes for a fine idea, this execution on the other hand…

The presentable but desolate hamburger does offer an enjoyable burger experience, a nice hamburger taste balance. The rightly chewy bun shows a shiny firm outer shell that is soft to the touch; and the well textured patty which has a good beef taste but lacks that serious Wagyu flavor, is complemented by competent seasoning that doesn’t overindulge the burger taste balance – which is heightened by the rich truffle mayo. Together in taste, these ingredients work adequately; in construction, there are some faults. Holding and eating the hamburger, as the bun tightly encapsulates the patty, there is a pleasant feeling of compression and soft tear. Still, moments before, even with a grand presentation, one can already see the abstract construction – a patty too thick and mismatched for the bun, that’ll lead to a thoughtful strategic first bite and a likely defeating last bite, that dreadful incomplete final bite that is only bread.

Surprisingly, for being a butcher’s burger, there isn’t any bacon or other fanciful meats in the composition, even more startling is the incorrect meat temperature; this, together with the slivers of vinegary tomato, that kinda make up for ketchup, leads to a feeling that this burger needs a little more care in order to reach a level of minimal exquisiteness. In the end it’s just meat and bread, a ghostly cheese that is there but hard to experience, and a longing for a little greenness. And I know what you’re thinking, but don’t do it, don’t put the salad in the burger… the dressing will overpower the burger in a husky sourness – leave it be. The fries were good, though a little too salty, but distinguished with the truffle mayo.

For 190.00 HKD i’d like to have a more enriched burger experience, with a wide variety of layered tastes, not just a fancy cheeseburger that tastes great but feels like something is missing – oh and by the way, just for your information, it’s only served during lunch time.

+852 2613 9286

Tagged burger reviews, Burgers, Central, decent, hamburgers, Hong Kong, Sheung Wan

Feb 21 2014

7 Comments

Burger reviews, Causeway Bay, Exquisite, Hong Kong

BLT Burger

The BLT burger is an exquisite hamburger with a great appearance. The bun has a nice curvature to it; the bacon, as it firmly sticks out, a great reddish-pink; and the crumpled lettuce, a wholesome greenness. As you observe burgers on other tables, some half cut as it’s occasionally customary in Hong Kong, your hamburger senses will begin to tingle. It shouldn’t be a surprise, but based on previous decent experiences at BLT Burger in Tsim Sha Tsui, this hamburger has a surprisingly great burger taste balance. Still, with an evident pompously oversized bun and a clumsily sized patty the components of this burger, while entertaining, don’t necessarily match up comfortably.

Construction flaws aside, overall this is a good burger experience. The properly temperatured patty, which hides within the depths of the mild cheese and the bun, has both a worthy beef taste and a juicy meat presence – strong enough to leave a pink hue on the bun. In turn, the chewy soft bun, which at bites does feel oversized, will hold the juices without tearing apart; that combined with BLT’s secret sauce, which isn’t so secret once you try it, gives this hamburger a luscious feeling – one that your flavor buds can look forward too.

The meatiness of this burger is further enhanced by the magnificent bacon, alive with color and a crispy texture, the bacon feels thick with that marvelous bacon taste that burps so good. Along with the veggies, that do a pretty swell job on their own, the burger has a fitting Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato christening (BLT actually stands for Bistro Laurent Tourondel, but Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato is more fun).

However, BLT burger could greatly benefit from a careful look at their own blueprint for a better burger – ask for one when you get there. In it they show how a hamburger should be constructed, but when compared to the real thing, either the bun’s circumference and width need to be reduced or the patty’s diameter and thickness need to be increased. The patty’s is already quite satisfying, thus a more appropriately sized bun could substantially improve the enjoyment of this burger. The thick fries, waffle fries, and sweet potato fries, are all great sides to this burger.

For 98.00 HKD plus 10.00 HKD extra for cheese this is a strong exquisite burger, a good calibre hamburger that is worth a try, but that needs a little extra umpf for it to truly be majestic. If you do try it, remember, try the one in Causeway Bay.

BLT Burger

1 Matheson Street,

Causeway Bay,

+852 2506 1500

Tagged Burgers, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

Feb 14 2014

33 Wyndham Street Lan Kwai Fong

Burger reviews, Central, Decent, Hong Kong, Lan Kwai Fong

Gold by Harlan Goldstein (closed)

HG Burger

The HG Burger is a decent hamburger, its lacklusterness isn’t so much derived from its average burger taste balance, but more so from its abysmal proportions; this burger, the Mr. Magoo of hamburgers, small and expensive, is comprised of cumbersome shapes that result in an uncomfortable construction. From a gold restaurant this sure is a bronze burger.

At first, awkwardly spread out, this slight burger is met with a troubled feeling; as you gander at all the ingredients, ready to build the hamburger, you won’t be entirely sure how exactly they’ll all fit together. The greens, in desperate need of some fine slicing, lack a certain elegance; a gaucheness that becomes clearer as you forge this short stocky hamburger – the tomato and onion, too thick for the good of the burger taste balance, are likely to become unlucky characters taken out before the finale.

The patty, which has the right amount of herbiness to complement the burger taste balance without overwhelming, has an acceptable beef taste. Still, juicy splotches followed by a dry center become a puzzling revelation; to add to the perplexity, the patty is shaped like a freak’n oval! Molded too high and too thin, it’s proportioned well enough to, one, not cover the whole assigned bun area, leaving the last bite as bread and soaked up juices, and two, an uneasy overly extended first bite. Due to pork fat in the mix, the restaurant won’t serve a medium rare patty – you can ask for medium, but it doesn’t really matter since it’ll arrive well done.

If there is a bit of gold to be found in this burger, it’s the white truffle mayo; your taste buds will certainly fondle and appreciate the thick cream buttery texture that accentuates both the burger and the fries. The bun also makes a pleasant sweetish addition, a certain softness in the innards with a firm surround keep the bun robust; sadly, it doesn’t make the hamburger any less of a struggle to hold and devour. The one single solitary half piece of apple wood smoked bacon was good and crunchy; and the Gouda cheese with a strong visual presence, passes on pretty mildly. The fries are good.

In the end, some ingredients do a good job while most underperform; which is too bad, because for a burger that is priced at 228.00 HKD one wold expect that everything would at least be bearing on golden… at least they didn’t skimp out on the truffle mayo.

Gold by Harlan Goldstein

Level 2 LKF Tower

Central

+852 2869 9986

Tagged burger reviews, Burgers, Central, decent, hamburgers, Hong Kong, Lan Kwai Fong

Feb 07 2014

UG/F King Ho Building
41-49 Aberdeen Street
Central

Burger reviews, Edible, Hong Kong, SoHo

Aberdeen Street

Aberdeen burger

The Aberdeen burger is a disappointingly edible hamburger. It’s quite clear that this burger has received little to no care, existing simply because somebody thought a hamburger should be on the menu, without understanding burger graciousness. From the moment the burger is walked out of the kitchen, the vast uncolored grayness of the patty and the dull un-crisp yellowness of the bun, will make you suspect that there’s something inappropriate. Nothing about this burger is great or exciting, the ingredients feel bland and/or disproportionate – giving it a less than decent burger taste balance. You’ll almost feel annoyed that you have to finish it – you have to, in view of what you’ll have to pay for this poorly constructed burger.

The patty, considering that this is a ‘grilled’ steak tartar, has a disheartening beef taste; instead you’ll receive a herby patty that lingers with a zesty tangy sourness, made even more unappealing by a surprise in the form of an oddly shaped pickle hidden within. The exceptional dissatisfaction of the beef does not end at its appearance and taste, but persists in a chewy decrepit texture that begins to fall apart as soon as it is lifted from the plate. There is not much to say for the single tomato slice and iceberg lettuce; actually, for a burger of this price I’d expect they’d at least get some romaine lettuce or crisp fresh onions in it… but no… they don’t. The one ingredient that does leave a mark, although not a stupendous one, is the strong goat cheese that engulfs the burger, like a fire out of control, instead of complementing it – you might as well be eating cheese with an soft but bland piece of bread that lacked a certain toastiness. The sautéed potatoes… aren’t all that notable.

At 188.00 HKD for this burger, do not walk up the hill, do not pass go, do not collect anything; go somewhere else, run, be free to choose a more delectable burger, at the minimum a decent one. For 188.00 HKD this should be a more exciting burger, at least a burger with a single strip of bacon… but probably if this burger had bacon, it would still be just edible.

Aberdeen Street