Overview
Last week, we were flocking to Neil Perry’s new less-than-$10 Burger Project, to find out how the many-hatted chef fares when it comes to feeding the people. And now, the exotic-yet-bargain-priced burger is taking on yet another incarnation with the opening of Burger Liquor Lobster. The chief drawcard is its seafood menu: lobster rolls, prawn rolls, crab burgers and popcorn lobster, all for $15 a piece.
Popping up for the summer in both Paddington’s The London Hotel and Manly Wharf Hotel, the eatery and bar takes the space previously occupied by Chur. The affordable prices don't mean there's any skimping on the ingredients front. The lobster is of the salt and pepper variety, accompanied with lemon aioli, chives, red onion and lettuce, while the crab is crispy soft shell, spiced up with chilli Singapore sauce and cooled down by Asian slaw.
As far as burgers go, they're all $10 and come in five editions: beef, chicken, pulled pork, lamb and vege. These traditional-sounding flavours are each delivered with a twist. The chicken, for example, is dressed up with mint, shallot, slaw, chilli and lime mayo, while the vege is comprised of chickpea and lentil fritter, beetroot yoghurt, kale and corn relish. Plus, if you're carb-conscious or GF, you can opt to have your mini-feast wrapped in lettuce rather than a bun, or order it as a salad.
That'll leave you a few extra calories to spend on the cocktail list. It's all about fresh, summery concoctions, such as Lychee Passionpit (vodka, lychee, passionfruit sorbet, sparkling wine), My Tini Wini (gin, lemon juice, lavender syrup, watermelon, raspberries, crème de peche), and Rock Lobster (Bulldog Gin, St Germain elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, pineapple juice, yellow Chartreuse, orange blossom marmalade). They're all priced at $16.
Both venues have taken on a playful, nautical fit-out. You’ll notice it most at The London, where glass buoys, ropes and crab pots are all part of the décor.
Burger Liquor Lobster opens on Tuesday, November 11, at Manly Wharf Hotel, ((02) 9977 1266; East Esplanade, Manly) and upstairs at The London Hotel ((02) 9331 3200; 85 Underwood Street, Paddington). Opening hours are midday till late, seven days a week.