Burger and Lobster, Ludgate
If you like keeping things simple, you could do worse than head to Burger and Lobster. The restaurant, which has just opened its ninth outlet in London near the Old Bailey, keeps things exceptionally down to earth. If you need to know what they serve, it’s on the sign above the door. Their Ludgate branch is exceptionally chic, with a mixture of open plan tables and discreet booths. As soon as you enter the restaurant, you can see large tanks containing the lobsters heading for the kitchen. These crustaceans come all the way from Nova Scotia in Canada.
The menu consists of three options; the burger, which is a steak burger which comes with bacon and or cheese, the lobster roll which is accompanied with mayonnaise and served in a brioche bun, and the one and a half pound lobster, which can be served either steamed or grilled.
Given the simplicity of the menu and the fact that this is a chain outlet, it might be tempting that this is a characterless venture with a template rolled out from central HQ. However, the staff are very knowledgeable and were able to provide good-natured advice about what my companion and I should go for. In the end, my companion and I plumped for the burger and lobster respectively. My companion was exceptionally pleased with his burger, which was substantially layered, with good quality meat and finely crisped bacon.
With the lobster, I am something of an expert in ravaging the crustacean to extract every single last piece of meat from its body. Armed with the large crunching cracker as well as the pick, I set about breaking through last piece of the carapace. The meat in the claws was the best part, as well as the delicately prised out meat in the legs. For twenty pounds, it is pretty good value for an entire lobster although you would be hard pressed to say the same for the burger, irrespective of its quality.
Given that this is the ninth branch to open in the city, going to Burger & Lobster is hardly a unique experience. But given that it has managed to open nine in the city means that it is obviously attracting demand from its clientele. It is easy to see why it keeps customers coming in and the restaurant was certainly filled up when my companion and I visited. Good service, great food and some nifty cocktails on the side, Burger & Lobster is well worth a visit.
Burger & Lobster
30 Old Bailey
Ludgate
EC4M 7HS