Restaurant review: Burger & Lobster

London import Burger & Lobster keeps its menu - and décor - minimal. Can this be a recipe for success?

In a city brimming with multi-cuisine outlets, finding a restaurant that knows what it serves is something of a relief. And that's exactly what Burger & Lobster does. Having been founded in 2012, the London-born restaurant has been considered rather revolutionary. After all, it proved that 'the more, the merrier' doesn't always hold true on menus - and that perhaps restaurants should start perfecting one or two dishes instead. Well, judging by the chain's overall success, it's on to something. Burger & Lobster managed to quickly expand to New York and Kuwait, and so it came as no surprise when it opened its first outlet in Dubai last year.
Tucked within DIFC, the place certainly manages to make a first impression, with what looks like barrels stacked together to create an exterior wall. Walk in, and you'll find a corridor of fish tanks containing live lobsters. The whole thing is pretty eerie but impressive nonetheless. The interiors tell a different story: wooden tabletops and floorboards, red cushions and brick walls - it's a rather upscale diner, but lacks a certain 'X-factor' that we've come to expect from the venues in DIFC. Nonetheless, the corner booths looked comfortable, and that's where we chose to settle in for the evening.  
The waiters are friendly, and they know the menu like the back of their hand. This is not surprising because the menu, like the restaurant's title, doesn't mince words. There are three options for lobsters, three for lobster rolls and four for burgers. Everything comes with a portion of fries, and some with an additional side of salad. That's about it.  
What about appetisers, you ask? Well, there's another menu for bites, which mainly comprises smaller versions of the mains - the restaurant really does stick to its guns when it comes to concentrating on one or two ingredients! Admirable - but just how long before groups come in looking for a sharing platter, nachos or some chilly cheese fries?
I opted for the Spicy Lobster Popcorn, and it was everything I hoped it would be - deep fried nuggets, the sweetness of the meat contrasting perfectly with the spiciness of the chilli sauce. My dining partner ordered the Mayfair Burger, which was a juicy beef patty with all the usual toppings. It got the nod of approval, but failed to blow our minds.
Onto our mains. I decided to mix things up with their two specialities and chose the Beast Burger - a gigantic burger, with lobster meat topping the beef patty. If that's not enough, it's accompanied by lobster claws (which are really the best part of the lobster in my book), and a generous portion of lemongrass butter sauce. The burger was a bit too big, but the bun was soft and the patty cooked to perfection. The lobster meat was, unfortunately, overpowered by the beef, so I moved onto the claws. Meat was pried off and generously dipped into the sauce. Delicious - so don' be afraid to get cracking.
My dining partner went for the Hot Mama, which was another decadent burger much like the Mayfair - only with extra pickles, spicy mayo and a special sauce that gave it an exotic curry-like flavour, which was unlike anything we've tasted in a burger before. The size was just right - now this was a burger that I would come back for.
There were more options for desserts than what I'd expected. The Lemon Cheese Mousse came in a quaint cup, dusted with powdered biscuit, giving it a cheesecake-like texture. But the Choc Brownie my dining partner ordered was the winner here - crisp and warm, and topped with good ol' vanilla ice cream. I was stuffed, but managed to help him polish it off.
With their compact menu and simple interiors, Burger & Lobster is one of those places that screams minimalism. And while that is impressive, a smaller menu usually means that every dish has to be outstanding to really make a point - and we're not sure all of them are. While it is commendable that they want to focus on a few dishes, the lack of more finger food options can be limiting for bigger groups. In the end, I really do admire the idea behind the restaurant - I just wish I could have it with a side of chilli cheese fries and nachos.
janice@khaleejtimes.com

• Food and Dining