The ‘BB’ Burger at Bar Boulud Knightsbridge

Words & Photography by Marina Benjamin and Luiz Hara

Name: Bar Boulud

Where: Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park, 56 Knightsbridge, London DW1X 7LA, http://www.barboulud.com/london

Cost: Starters range from fish soups to salads and are priced from £9-19 while sharing boards of charcuterie start at £30. Mains are a selection of bistro dishes (£9-£34) and desserts (£6-12) are modern inflections of French classics. The Menu Buchon (working lunch) is good value, with 2 and 3 courses for £18 and £21 respectively.

About: Bar Boulud occupies a swish street facing location on the ground floor of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. At lunchtimes, a crowd of tourists and shoppers, business folk and families, pours through the giant front doors, making for a bustling brasserie atmosphere within. 

The wait staff is completely professional yet an informal mood prevails, which is all the better to eat with. You won’t find the haughty pretentious of haute cuisine here - instead the restaurant gets on with feeding people delicious and hearty food that hails from provincial France; the steaks might come with chimichurri; the burgers with green chilli mayo; and the fries arrive, thin, crisp and moreish, in paper cones that sit in metal tins.

There is a sense of fun about Bar Boulud, where playful snacky additions top and tail the menu, from cheesy puffs made of gruyère-infused choux pastry at one end, to truffles textured with puffed rice at the other. And the drinking can verge on frivolity: there is a Gin menu that stands on its own and boasts not only gins flavoured with saffron, but tonics tinged with elderflower, cardamom, watermelon or lemongrass. Every now and then, depending on who’s visiting, or indeed, on a whim, the sommelier might decide to open a 6 litre Imperiale of wine and treat lucky diners to extraordinary vintages from Bordeaux or the Rhone Valley at a fraction of what they’d normally cost.

What We Had: We came with one goal in mind: The London Foodie’s ongoing appreciation of the top-notch burger. Yet having travelled through London on an unseasonably warm day, cross-town from meetings elsewhere, we were hungry enough to be tempted by the aforementioned gougères (£5), and a zingy starter of gravlax (£12) – delectable slices of salmon cured in gin but curiously missing the usual dill borders.

I love a restaurant that takes pride in its bread, and Bar Boulud gets extra points on this count, because it serves pointy sheaves of well-textured baguette with exquisite pats of creamy butter, salted just right.  If you’re not careful you could fill up on bread alone. Or even better, bread washed down with a glass of the Francois Monay house Champagne, sold at a very reasonable £12.95 a glass.

The burgers, when they came, brought a whiff of Americana with them. Sitting in regal solitude on their rectangular white plates the char-grilled patties looked fit to bust out of their buns, in explosions of generous demi-rare redness, juicy and properly textured in a visibly granular way. 

Bar Boulud offers just three kinds of burger: The Yankee (£17), which consists of 8oz of prime British ground beef, minimally accompanied by staples from the vegetable crisper drawer – lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle. Cheese is optional. I opted to have it, but was a little disappointed that it had congealed on the way to our table and wasn’t the hot and molten sludge I’d been anticipating. The meat, however, was faultless; soft enough to adhere, but grainy enough to fall apart at the merest contact with tooth. And packed with flavour too.

Other options include The Piggie (£19), topped with barbecued pork, jalapeno mayo and cabbage, and served in a cheddar bun; and the ‘BB’, priced at a royal £24. This stunning confection of patty, foie gras and short ribs stuffed into a black onion seed bun with a slick of horseradish mayo, could challenge the healthiest of appetites. My dining buddy claimed his ‘BB’ was sublime and symphonious, and neither of us left a crumb on our plates.

It just so happened that the day before we visited, the sommelier had opened an Imperiale of Chateaux Clos Marsalette Bordeaux (2013). It was smooth as you like, and dreamy with warm red fruit tastes and aromas. This was available at £16 a glass, but you can also enjoy a 125ml glass of Barons de Rothschild Legende de Lafite at Bar Boulud for just £5.90.

Likes: Scrumptious burgers that set a bar for others to follow, and the best bread and butter in town. The Chateaux Clos Marsalette Bordeaux wine was exceptional.

Dislikes: I’d like to see a range of condiments offered with the burgers, mustards and relishes that you can add on and play with. This, it seems to me, would be in the spirit of friendly build-your-own dining that Bar Boulud cultivates so well.

Verdict: Bar Boulud is a great lunch spot in the heart of Knightsbridge – writing this, I can’t think of much else I’d rather have right now than their BB Burger & frites with a glass of Chateaux Clos Marsalette, perfection! Recommended.

Mission: Find the Best Burger in London - The Stack at Malmaison

It's been a while since I reviewed a proper burger, so it was about time I revived my earlier search for the best burger in London (see reviews here). I love Japanese food, I adore French cuisine, but it is the humble burger that gets me every time.

So when I heard that Malmaison Hotel's Brasserie in Clerkenwell (reviewed here) had a new burger addition to its grill menu - The Stack - it didn't take much persuasion.

The Stack (£19.95), created by Executive Chef John Woodward, is a meaty feast for any self-respecting carnivore - a succulent 250g patty from 28-day aged Donald Russell Aberdeen Angus beef with Gruyère cheese, grilled bacon, sliced baby gem lettuce, onions and tomatoes. It comes in a deliciously toasted bun (good texture - neither a squidgy bap nor a tough ciabatta) with layers of crispy, battered onions rings. But best of all is the delectable foie gras slider with caramelised onion that tops out this towering new burger. As if this were not enough, a portion of French fries is also included in the deal.

As intimidating as it may seem, I had no trouble in polishing this off, accompanied by a lovely bottle of Valpolicella Ripasso by Villabelvedere, which was priced at a reasonable £28.50. If you are not hungry enough to go for The Stack, you can still enjoy the Mal Burger which is all of the above less the crispy onions rings and foie gras slider (£14.95).

Mission: Find the Best Burger in London - Davy's of Regents Place (**Win a Two-for-One" Voucher**)

**THIS RESTAURANT HAS CLOSED DOWN**

Isn't it nice to find good quality food where you least expect it? Euston is not exactly the epicentre of London restaurant dining, but there are some interesting surprises there. Around Drummond Street, the many South Indian vegetarian restaurants and sweet shops (Gupta's) were some of my favourite haunts when I lived in Chalk Farm in the '90s.

More recently, I visited Davy's Restaurant and Wine Bar in Regents Place at the bottom of the Euston Tower to try their burgers. Davy's is better known for its traditional wine merchants and wine bars, but has over 30 venues across London including many that serve food.

This branch of Davy's is unfavourably tucked away in a somewhat anonymous area at the foot of a huge office block. Closed at the weekends, it caters mainly to workers from the many surrounding offices, although it is not far from Tottenham Court Road.

The food menu is reassuringly short, with main courses such as charcoal-grilled rib-eye steak, fish cakes, vegetarian linguini and Cesar salad. It is the burgers though that are the mainstay of this restaurant's menu, with varied choices including wasabi tuna, venison, Thai chicken and Moroccan lamb as well as classic beef options. Beef burgers come in two sizes - 200g and 300g.

I opted for the 200g "Cheese and Bacon Burger" (Denhay cheddar and Suffolk back bacon) @9.95, while Dr G went for an "Alpine Burger" @£9.95 with sautéed mushrooms and Swiss Gruyere cheese.

The meat was flavoursome and tender, the patties were perfectly cooked medium rare as we requested, and were served in toasted ciabatta buns. Although I don't favour ciabatta for burgers finding it too hard or chewy, Davy's was just right with a yielding texture. The burgers were served with four of Amy's excellent homemade relishes.

To accompany our burgers we also had a portion of "Hand Cut Chips" @£2.95, and another of "Mac 'n' Cheese" @ £2.95. These were deliciously crisp and cheesy, and I wished I had ordered a third portion.

As would be expected from the offshoot of a wine merchant, the wine list is a cut above the usual burger chain fare. It is very reasonably priced with many options below £20. We drank a bottle of "L'Enclos du Chateau Lezongars 2002" @£25.50, a Premieres Côtes de Bordeaux - a full bodied and easy drinking wine. I was also impressed by the other items on the drinks menu, real ales, lagers and ciders, and in particular the nearly full range of Greenwich Meantime beers.

For dessert, we had a combination of tasting glasses of crème brulée and banoffee with cream which were delicious and ended the meal nicely.

**Win one of 10 Two-for-One Vouchers for Davy's Regents Place - leave a comment below with your name and e-mail address (mrblogsathotmaildotcom) by Friday, 14th January 2011, names will be randomly selected by random.org at midday.**

Thanks for entering the competition. All comments containing e-mail addresses will be contacted by Davys for their Two-for-One vouchers.


Cost: The London Foodie was a guest of Davy's at a cost of around £13 per person for a burger and accompaniment (chips or macaroni cheese) but excluding drinks. Davy's is a member of Taste Card offering 50% off the food bill to members.

Likes: only Davy's branch specialising in a range of good quality burgers, delicious homemade relishes and a very well priced, comprehensive drinks list.

Dislikes: despite the central location, it is slightly difficult to find and a little out of the way.

Verdict: another excellent option for anyone finding themselves in or around north Tottenham Court Road and craving good quality burgers, chips and Greenwich Meantime beers. I will definitely return. Highly recommended.

Mission: Find the Best Burger in London - Fine Burger Co. (REVISITED)

Fine Burger Co. (REVISITED on 4th and 9th December 2010)

Sometimes I get a "thank you" e-mail from restaurants I review (which is nice), and occasionally a restaurateur will get in touch saying he/she has noted some of my "dislikes". It was with some surprise though that I heard recently from the Fine Burger Co. following my review (here).

Sam Steele, the marketing director and wife of one of the company's two founders, invited me to meet her and Austin Latimer (head chef and co-founder) at their Islington branch. Sam, a former BBC employee, quit her job to join Fine Burger Co.'s top management team and assist the company to address some of the quality issues which they acknowledged had been a problem at the time of my earlier review.

It was with some apprehension that I accepted this invitation but I really should not have worried - Sam and Austin were highly professional, friendly and interested in hearing my feedback. We had lunch together, and unsurprisingly the burgers, chips and onions rings were excellent. The meat was delicious and had been perfectly cooked. The bread supplier had been replaced and the improvement was significant. But then what was the likelihood that I would be getting a bad burger sitting with two of the company's owners/top managers?

Dr G and I decided we had to return anonymously to find out more. On the 9th December 2010, we arrived at the restaurant just before 10pm. Long after peak time, the restaurant wasn't busy, and I half expected things to be past their best. I was pleased to see that the waiter in charge was not the one I had seen there previously with Sam and Austin, so our cover was not blown. The French waiter who helped us on the evening (Lucas) was brilliant - attentive, very friendly and unobtrusive.

I ordered a "Beef Sizzler" @ £7.80 (smoked bacon, aged cheddar, tomato relish and mayo) while Dr G went for "Beef Guacamole and Bacon" @ £7.95 (coriander and mayo).

The burgers were again very good - excellent, tasty meat cooked medium rare as we had ordered. The sandwiches were not overfilled by other ingredients and the focus was entirely on the quality of the meat. The bun had the perfect texture and was strong enough to hold the sandwich together without being chewy or hard.

To accompany our burgers, we also ordered portions of "hand-cut chips" @ £3, "tempura onion rings" @ £3 and "fried baby squid" @ £4.95. The chips and squid were both good although I felt that the onions rings were a tad greasy.

We had a bottle of Spanish Tempranillo at £17 (surprisingly the most expensive bottle on the menu). It was a lovely wine at this price point, with red berry fruit flavours, and a hint of vanilla from the oak ageing.

A very interesting addition to the restaurant since our last visit is their new interactive touch screens by Touch UK Limited. These are great - not only can we see pictures of the dishes but we can also order through these screens. Most importantly, diners can play various games including food and drinks trivia, and play against other tables if desired, much fun.

Much to my surprise I find myself recommending the Fine Burger Co. following my two recent visits. I would be very interested to hear your experiences with this restaurant in the coming months.

Cost: the Fine Burger Co. is affiliated with the Taste Card which gives members 50% off their food bill. Our bill on this occasion was £34 after this discount including a bottle of wine. Excellent value for the improved quality of their burgers.

Likes: much improved patty and buns, great burgers, chips and a very good Tempranillo at £17 only. The FBC participates at a number of events throughout the year including Glanstonbury, Big Chill, Royal Ascot, among others.

Dislikes: the onions rings were adequate but a little greasy in my opinion. Having lettuce under the patty would also help prevent the lower half of the bun getting soggy.

Verdict: greatly improved burgers, very friendly service, excellent value. Recommended.

Mission: Find the Best Burger in London – Fine Burger Co.

**THIS RESTAURANT HAS CLOSED DOWN**

Following my disastrous visit in May 10 which you can read below, I REVISITED Fine Burger Co. on 4th and 9th December 2010 - for the updated review of this Burger joint, please go here.

Fine Burger Co.

There is little to say about the burgers at this popular chain – the only “fine” thing about them is in the restaurant’s name.

Dr G and I visited our local Upper Street branch one evening before going to watch a movie at the nearby Screen on the Green.

The menu read well and I was tempted to “supersize” by paying an extra £2 for a 12 ounce patty. Luckily I didn’t and ordered a single “Sizzler Burger” @ £7.80 (6oz beef patty, smoked bacon, aged cheddar, tomato relish and mayo).

Despite asking for my burger to be medium rare, my patty was so overcooked and dry I could hardly swallow it. But hang on – wasn’t this supposed to be made from “traditionally reared, free range Aberdeen Angus beef cattle?” – so how could it be so utterly tasteless?

There was little if any “aged cheddar”, and the little I could see tasted completely non-descript. The bun “handmade fresh everyday by an Italian baker” had been topped with seeds but had no flavour or texture to hold the dried-out patty. What a disaster!

Dr G ordered a “Catalan Burger” @ £7.65 (beef patty, grilled Spanish chorizo, piquillo peppers and aioli). Similarly, the burger was overcooked, dried-out and tasted industrially processed. The chorizo was also dry and very hard. A completely forgettable burger in Dr G’s opinion.

We ordered a portion of “onion rings” @ £2.95. The batter was thick and drenched in oil, and the rings tasted like they had just come out of a frozen packet despite the price.

Little does farmer "Stuart" know what FBC will do to his quality beef. I wish the Fine Burger Co. would concern themselves with making good quality burgers rather than trying to save the planet.

The “chunky chips” also @ £2.95 were crisp and, surprisingly, tasted quite good.

We ordered a bottle of their house red wine, a 2008 Fleur de Vigne, a blend of Grenache and Merlot grapes from the Languedoc @ £13.50. The wine was very easy drinking, soft and mellow, and at that price we felt it was also very good value.

Cost: £30 including 12.5% service added to the bill, and after a 50% discount on the food bill (FBC is part of the TasteLondon card scheme, to which I belong).

Likes: good but expensive chips, reasonably priced wine list.

Dislikes: the food, a large patch of mould on the wall in the passageway to the lavatories half an inch thick, use of every marketing cliché available to advertise their burgers.

Verdict: Completely forgettable dining experience - avoid at all costs.