Along with Cantonese eatery Four Seasons and the loftily located Duck and Waffle, lobster roll joint Burger & Lobster has long been considered a gastronomic must for tourists visiting London. So it was no surprise when the opening of Burger & Lobster in Bangkok at Gaysorn Village late last year prompted massive queues consisting of locals and tourists (Chinese, to be precise).
So, what’s the deal with Burger and Lobster? The menu is as straightforward as its name— the restaurant specializes in two items: burgers and lobsters, the latter served as is or in a variety of sauce-topped incarnations. A spin-off of popular London steakhouse Goodman, Burger and Lobster started out in 2011 in Mayfair with only three items. The eatery gained so much love that it began expanding around the globe in locations like New York, Dubai, Kuwait, Genting Highland, and most recently, Bangkok.
At the Gaysorn Village outpost, Canadian lobsters (stored in tanks surrounding the spherical dining room but hidden from the diners’ view) end up in hefty dishes like the B&L Thermidor, which sees whole lobster steamed with a herbal velout. thickened with mushroom sauce and cheese (B2100). Lobster is also served in an intense and creamy tom yum soup (only available in Bangkok, B1,850) that’s also uncharacteristically sweet (presumably to appease chili-intolerant tourists).
For indecisive diners who can’t decide whether they should go for a burger or lobster, the establishment offers a massive surf ‘n’ turf dish (B2,900) that features a ten-ounce Nebraskan beef patty, and a whole lobster sinfully topped with melted brie and truffle mayonnaise. The lobster, juicy and well-seasoned, was enjoyable; the patty, which was slightly bland and overcooked, was less so. Often overlooked are a series of impressive appetizers like lobster croquette (B350) and lobster mac ‘n’ cheese (B350).