Although the Burger and Lobster restaurant has been a firm favorite among customers in London and New York, the first franchise outside of Europe and the United States of America recently opened in Grand Avenue-The Avenues. From the sterling quality cooking techniques to the establishment’s customer service transparency, the restaurant maintains the exceptionally high dining standard of its original London branch.
Overlooking the hippest part of the mall, the restaurant offers much-needed respite from the hustle and bustle of weekend shopping. The moment you set foot in Burger and Lobster, a sense of friendliness and comfort envelops you. This is largely due to the edgy yet welcoming London branch-inspired interior design that features dark, lobster-red seating and various references to the meticulous processes behind each dish. A wall entirely constructed of authentic wooden lobster cages and warm, asymmetrically arranged light bulbs draws you in to the restaurant as well as its core values.
The lobsters served at Burger and Lobster are freshly sourced from Canada using this very harvesting method. Placed on the seabed with bait inside, lobsters crawl through the narrow gaps and remain there until the cages are raised by fishermen. This traditional, non-invasive method allows the lobsters to arrive in Kuwait fresh and alive. To reinforce the establishment’s dedication to fresh food, customers are invited to watch the lobsters crawl around large wall-mounted tanks. However, the largest and most impressive lobsters are found in the cooled purifying system, which contains up to 300 live crustaceans at one time.
Although lobster makes up a significant part of the menu offerings, another reason that people have flocked to the restaurant is because of its famed burger. In keeping with the overriding theme of fresh produce, the beef is prepared each and every morning and patties are constructed on site. This is why each burger is bursting with organic, natural flavors and unmatched juiciness. The chef recommends the flat plate patty – should be cooked medium and no more than medium-well in order for the meat to really fulfill its potential.
A seasoned dining establishment, Burger and Lobster knows its customers’ tastes and offers them the nothing short of the best. In light of this, customers are provided with a drink and desserts menu and choose from the set signature dishes. There are three main options – the lobster, the burger and the lobster roll – all of which can be ordered individually (KD8.950) or as a sharing combo (KD26). For large groups and lobster veterans, the Big Boy option allows you to hand-pick an enormous lobster for which you pay by kilogram. During my visit I was shown one of their largest crustaceans, which had a claw width of over 25cm and costs KD96 to match. The Big Boy meal – which warrants dedication, a large group of people and more than a couple of hours – comes with unlimited French fries and drinks.
In order to taste the best of Burger and Lobster, we ordered a combo meal and their recommended dessert, Death By Chocolate. Although the lobster can simply be steamed, we ordered the grilled option, as the chef recommended the smoky flavor that goes hand in hand with this method of preparation. The lulling soul/swing jazz soundtrack and attentive staff make the swift service feel even faster.
When the meal arrived, each of the three elements had been carefully divided in two, allowing for hassle-free sharing. The plate was a burst of color and nothing short of a culinary masterpiece. The halved burger was topped with a bright yellow tag reading “medium-rare”. This offset the pourable buttery lemon garlic sauce. The evenly-cut French fries tumbled out of their beaker and the mixed salad was crisp and topped with flaked parmesan cheese. The centerpiece of the dish was certainly the creamy lobster flesh encased in the red, glossy shell. On the sideline – but definitely playing the game – was the lobster roll, a spectacle in itself.
The 280g burger patty was topped with both cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses as well as bacon and salad. This was encased in a soft, shiny, sesame encrusted bun. In order to get the most out of the 1.5lb lobster, we were equipped with a set of implements, which included a lobster cracker as well as a pick. The fresh taste of the sea was perfectly matched by the buttery lemon sauce, which can be ordered either with garlic or without. One of the restaurant favorites, the lobster roll, was created with very simple ingredients but the result was a complex and moreish taste of fresh lobster, Japanese mayonnaise and lemon.
After this medley of ‘surf and turf’ flavors, the dessert arrived in all of its chocolate-y glory. Topped with an endearing caramel-filled lobster chocolate, there were countless elements to this sweet. The creamy chocolate sauce was covered in velvety brownie chunks, dark chocolate slivers, chocolate balls, caramel lashings and so much more. It is definitely a dessert for the hardened chocolate lover with all its dark chocolate elements.
Dining at Burger and Lobster is a truly unique experience, not only because of the exemplary food on offer but also because of the working atmosphere that is evidently integral at the establishment. There is an inclusive environment that exists behind the kitchen doors that you only glimpse during a meal at the restaurant. However, if you visit the various Burger and Lobster social media platforms, there are countless pictures of the team’s training by London’s original representatives. Seeing into the fun-filled processes behind the service that customers receive makes eating there even more enjoyable.
Burger and Lobster is located in The Avenues, in the Grand Avenue. It is located on the second floor, overlooking The Cheesecake Factory and Victoria’s Secret. Its opening hours are 12pm-11:30pm every day. Follow the restaurant on Facebook at Burger & Lobster Kuwait and on Instagram @burgerandlobsterkuwait. They can be reached at 2220 0954.
