burger & lobster

Well, if the Russians behind Goodman steakhouses, now also owners of sizzling hot Mayfair joint Burger & Lobster, couldn't even be bothered to come up with a more inspring name, then why should I for this post?

I'm not complaining, though. Burger & Lobster does actually deliver exactly what it says on the tin. Too many restaurants nowadays come over all superior with their conceptual dining and complicated seven-section menus so it's really rather refreshing to see someone has got the guts to go and do the complete opposite. You can imagine my excitement then, when I first heard a whisper (literally, the amount of press was less than modest) about Burger & Lobster, another no-res institution, and its promise of a £20 lobster, a whole one that is.

So when it officially opened last Saturday, I hurriedly got together with my food mate and raced down to Mayfair. Having recently visited a handful of prettily decorated, achingly hip new restaurants, Burger & Lobster's space came as a disappointment. It has all the right components: bare brick walls running behind the bar on one side and stripped grey concrete on the other, bright red banquettes at the back and a collection of quirky light fixtures (a row of bulbs sandwiched between two steel lobster claws suspended above our table made me smile)... yet somehow it felt lacklustre. At first glance it was reminiscent of an old-fashioned steakhouse, and not a particularly classy one at that.

However, I commend Burger & Lobster for its simplicity, and its owners for the ingenuity of putting two of the most loved foods together in one place, with a commitment to doing them both well. Essentially, what they have done is made the lobster (a primarily aristocratic creature) more commercial, and the burger (a less elegant fare) more up-scale.

What lacked in the interiors department was more than made up for with a truly great atmosphere, tipped by friendly and relaxed, but not overwhelming, service. The staff here greet you with such familiarity and charm, you could easily be fooled into feeling as if it's been your comfy little local for years. When we politely asked the whereabouts of our menu, our waiter smiled, pointed to his apron, emblazoned with the 'Burger & Lobster' logo and said 'this is it.' Our conversation went something like this:

Waiter: "Lobster or burger?"
Me: "Lobster please."
Waiter: "Would you like that grilled, steamed or as a lobster roll?"
Me: "Grilled."
Waiter: "With classic butter or lemon and garlic butter?"
Me: "Lemon and garlic please."
Done.

Even the laziest, most indecisive diners can't complain. It's the least I've had to work for my dinner and it felt great. At this point, a waiter arrives with our disposable bibs, an extra 10 points for Burger & Lobster. Ever since Chicago Rib Shack (their baby back ribs and onion loaf are my most shameful secret guilty pleasures), I have been looking all over for a place that provides these frightful-looking wearable napkins that make me look about eight. So they don't make the sexiest of outfits (I wouldn't recommend coming here on a date, by the way), but you never, ever, regret putting them on. I know this because I have, on too many occasions, ruined a treasured item of clothing, especially when it involves shellfish, meats on the bone and/or when I'm feeling particularly gluttonous.

The lobster, though smaller than I expected, looked and tasted great. It was soft, bouncy, sweet, and if I'm to be a tad pedantic, also slightly overcooked, but only by a mere 30 seconds - not the end of the world. The sauce, though lacking a little in acidity, was buttery and rich with a weighty garlic kick. It certainly won my vote and went incredibly well with my Albarino - a refreshing and unexpectedly dry Spanish white with beautiful honey notes that lingered on the sides of my tongue for just about long enough. The burger, cooked medium rare, was topped with cheese and streaky bacon which was more chewy than crunchy. The meat itself was succulent, juicy and the seasoning was close enough to being spot on. Both platters were served with a decent portion of fries and a salad, which sadly was so scantily clad with dressing, it might as well have been in the nude. The stars however, were the pickled onions and cucumber, which cut through the richness of that burger with a sweet, sharp crunch: an underrated feature that I never fail to appreciate.

There were only two options for dessert: chocolate mousse or lemon mousse, neither of which aroused my palette at the time, so we left them. Had I known what was coming for pudding I would have ordered a lobster roll to share as well, but hey ho, you can't have everything.

So did Burger & Lobster deliver? Well, in fact it did. I'd absolutely be back for a lobster, which I appreciated for the fun factor (who doesn't like tearing one apart and scooping out the best bits from the claws with bare hands?) and undeniably great value for money. But I'd be a fool to order the burger again. It was good, don't get me wrong, but for that amount of money, I was expecting full bells and whistles - perhaps a limited edition Wagyu topped with pancetta and a slab of expensive cheese - which it certainly wasn't. Considering Bar Boulud's Piggie Burger knocks you back a mere £14, it's fairly obvious that the Russians have taken us for a ride. 20 quid for a good burger was, quite unashamedly, a right rip off.

Just telling it like it is, folks.

29 Clarges Street, Mayfair, London W1J 7EF Tel: +44 (0)20 7409 1699