Burger Boutique opened in 2005 and developed a loyal following pretty quickly. It was the first dedicated burger joint in Kuwait and this focus was evident in how good the burgers were. Others of course followed suit and now Kuwait has more burger places than you can shake a stick at. So when Burger Boutique reopened last month, after being closed for a year, we wanted to know whether it still had that special something.
From what we found, they still have it, plus a whole lot more. Those expecting the same Burger Boutique will be in for a surprise, but trust us, one they’ll like. The location has changed (directly opposite the old place) the logo has changed, the color theme has changed, the menu has changed, the concept has changed; the only thing that hasn’t changed is the quality of the food.
They now have an in-store bakery where they bake all their own burger buns – potato rolls, whole wheat sweet potato rolls – and hot dog buns (they also bake the buns for Slider Station here too). Building on this, they also make their own pickles, jalapenos, sauces, smoke and flavour their own bacon, have cheese made to their very own specifications and even make their own sausages! They pretty much make everything they can themselves. The beef is grass-fed, certified organic and the fries are cooked in healthy canola oil, the ketchup is even organic. There are no preservatives, no nitrates, no GM foods; as the menu attests ‘it’s natural’. It doesn’t stop there; the menus are printed on recycled cardboard boxes, the napkins, cutlery, and wrappers for the burgers are all made from recycled material too. When the menus become damaged they then get recycled to make bill holders to present the cheque to the customer in. Burger Boutique screams organic, natural, quality.
Another thing they also provide is transparency. A large window provides a view of the bakery where you can see all the buns being baked, which is pretty much a twenty-four hour operation. The grill area is also open and there for all to see. They want you to know the quality of the ingredients and how the fresh it all is.
They offer eight signature burgers and eight sliders on the menu. We loved the Bacon Swiss and the Green Chilli burgers. From the sliders we had Room 22 and went crazy for the Under The Sea, which is a fried fish filet, with citrus tartar sauce, served on a red bun. But for the creative amongst you out there, they also offer a chance to build your own burger; first choose organic grass-fed beef or chicken; then decide if you want a potato roll, whole wheat sweet potato roll, or a lettuce wrap; then choose from cheeses like Tillamook Cheddar, Black Truffle White Cheddar or good old American; then sauces including Green Chilli Aioli, Smoky BBQ Ranch, or Portobello Cream; free toppings include House Pickled Chili or Cucumber and House Sweet Relish; finally there are premium toppings such as Hickory Smoked, Apple Wood Smoked, or Maple Chipotle Candied Bacon, Caramelized Onion or Fried Organic Egg. This allows the choosy eater to order exactly what they want and the creative eater to truly indulge and experiment. You could have a different burger every time no matter how many times you visited Burger Boutique.
To go with the burgers you can choose from a variety of fries such as Herb, Cajun, or Dynamite, which come topped with house made chili, cheddar, bacon, roasted onion, and jalapeno & chipotle ranch, that are every bit as good as they sound. There are also Sweet Potato Fries and Pommes Noisettes, which are little balls of mashed potato that are then fried. To go along with the fries they also have some ‘accessories’ – Maple Sticky Buffalo Shrimps (Just like OFK), Onion Rings and Mushroom Poppers are both breaded in Panko which give them a crunch and lightness like no other breadcrumb can, then there are the Jalapeno Bottle Caps, which are slices of jalapeno, breaded and fried and served with honey mustard. Warning, these are addictive!
The Hot Dogs are delicious, which is understandable as they make the sausages in-house. We went for the New Yorker, which comes with organic ketchup, mustard, mayo, house sweet relish, fresh jalapeno, and sauerkraut.
For those watching the waistline, Burger Boutique offers the option to Zap It. What this means is that you can choose lean grass-fed beef, fat free cheese, and low fat sauces and dressings for your burger. You can even zap your fries, which means they will be air-fried using 60% less oil. This cuts the calories but tastes just as good. We struggled to tell the difference.
After you’ve finished and settled the bill, you’ll probably (if you’re like us) be thinking of dessert. There are none on the menu but worry not, you’ll be encouraged to stop by the Skinny Cloud counter on your way out. This is a brand new concept being offered by Burger Boutique. Skinny Cloud is an ice-cream like treat that is billed as being ‘half the guilt, twice the fun.’ First choose a flavour of Skinny Cloud, then choose fillings. They will then be loaded into a machine that looks a little like a drill that will swirl your Skinny Cloud and your filling together – you’re essentially creating your own ice cream! You can then choose toppings. At the recommendation of Burger Boutique’s infamous Vilas, we went with Peanut Butter Skinny Cloud and swirled in Maple Chipotle Candied Bacon. Amazing! French Vanilla, swirled with frozen Dally’s Chocolate Pudding (from the Slider Station dessert menu) with white chocolate topping was also delicious, and devoured.
Behind the Skinny Cloud counter you may recognise the old Burger Boutique door, which has been reconstituted and now adorns the wall in a very stylish manner. This nod to the past that is present in the newly opened Burger Boutique is fitting. It’s all changed here but they know why they were loved in the first place, and that certain something is definitely still there, only more so.
For those who haven’t tried Burger Boutique before, you should; for those who loved the old Burger Boutique, accept change, and you will love the new Burger Boutique even more. We don’t see how anyone couldn’t.
b + f Burger Boutique is located on Mezzanine II, Arraya Mall, Sharq. For more information visit www.burgerboutique.com or call 22299775. Follow them on twitter @BurgerBoutique_.
