Burger & Lobster - Soho

Taking into account the name of the restaurant, the fact that the menu is limited to three dishes, and the inability to book in advance (unless in a group of more than six), I was certainly intrigued by Burger & Lobster. Three friends and I headed to the restaurant in Soho last Tuesday evening, eagerly anticipating this novel and much-talked-about eating experience. 

As the name suggests, this large and lively London restaurant offers either a Burger, a Lobster (steamed or grilled) or a Lobster bun, priced at £20 for each dish. I think this simple and straight-forward formula is the key to the restaurant's buzz and success, yet despite a limited menu, choosing was definitely not easy after sizing up all three appetising options on our fellow diner's plates. After asking our friendly and attentive waitress for her recommendation, three of us settled on a grilled lobster, and the fourth on a burger. Our food came exceptionally quickly, all served with a green salad and fries on flamboyant silver platters. 

Although intimidating to look at, the grilled lobster was delicious and succulent, perfectly complemented by the garlic butter we dunked it into. We donned our bibs and got stuck-in, using our hands to break open the shells and dig out the soft, sweet lobster flesh, slightly smokey from the grill. The accompanying salad also went down a storm, dressed with a simple vinaigrette and topped with croutons and parmesan. Furthermore, the thin fries were also well-received by us hungry students, although nothing spectacular in comparison to the main event.

The burger looked equally tasty, served in a sesame-scattered bun and stuffed with all the trimmings - bacon, cheese, pickles etc, and although you can't deny the fact that this is as good as a burger gets, if you are looking for value for money then the lobster is definitely the way to go. 

Altogether our evening at Burger & Lobster was a thoroughly enjoyable one - with the combination of a relaxed, casual atmosphere and delicious, excellent quality food to get stuck into, you can't really go wrong. Details such as the provision of bibs and fragrant wipes for our sticky fingers added to the experience, although the ironic tank of live lobsters situated opposite our table made me feel a tad guilty as I tucked into one of their friends! As we left the restaurant, the queue of a dozen or more eager diners pouring onto Dean Street were testament to our excellent evening at Burger & Lobster; a word of advice - arrive before seven to be seated and served straight-away. 

Burger & Lobster, 36 Dean Street, London, Greater London

C x

Rhubarb Frangipane Tart

I am by no means a rhubarb fan, very far from it in fact. Despite this, we have an abundance of the stuff growing in the garden, and as I hate to see good produce go to waste, I was determined to find a  way of cooking rhubarb that made it delicious. This frangipane tart is just the thing, with the crisp, buttery pastry and sweet rhubarb syrup balancing out the notoriously sour and acidic fruit perfectly. The recipe comes from a new book I recently received as a gift, 'What Katie Ate', written by graphic designer turned food photographer and blogger, Katie Quinn Davies. Although I have only tried out a couple of recipes from the book so far, I would highly recommend it to all foodies or budding food-bloggers. The book is packed with a series of imaginative yet accessible recipes, all accompanied by beautiful photographs of immaculately styled food - very inspirational! 

To serve 6-8 people you will need...

1 large bunch rhubarb cut into 10cm lengths

4 tbsp caster sugar

500ml water

1 sheet pre-rolled puff pastry

1 egg

Frangipane filling:

75g butter

60g caster sugar

125g ground almonds

2 egg yolks

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

You will need to...

- Preheat oven to 200C

- Make frangipane by beating all five ingredients ingredients together with hand-held beaters. Leave to chill in fridge until required.

- Place rhubarb in a large saucepan, add the caster sugar and water and bring to a simmer. Cook gently for 2 mins or until rhubarb is tender but NOT falling apart. Once cooked, transfer to a plate to cool using a slotted spoon.

- Simmer the cooking liquid over a medium-high heat for 7ish mins until syrupy and deep pink in colour. 

- Place the puff pastry sheet on a large greased baking tray. Score a 1.5cm border on all sides without cutting through fully, and prick the middle all over with a fork, avoiding the border.

- Spread/press the frangipane over the pastry, again avoiding the border, either with a palette knife or your fingers if it's easier.

- Lay the rhubarb lengths over the frangipane in two rows. Brush rhubarb with the thick rhubarb syrup.

- Brush the pastry border with the beaten egg, then bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until the edges are golden. 

- Serve hot or cold with whipped cream flavoured with vanilla paste/sugar. 

Enjoy! C x

Quick and Easy Thai Chicken Curry

Since becoming a student, this quick and easy Thai chicken curry has become something of a staple. Though not entirely authentic, this dish is simple and delicious, and a great one to pull out if you are hosting a large dinner party for your friends. The curry can easily be bulked out with more veg, for example red peppers or mangetout, and is best served with lots of side dishes. So throw together a big bowl of salad, tear up some naan breads or poppadoms, and enjoy a large social spread with your most appreciative and hungry friends!

To feed four or five people you will need...

4 chicken breasts

A large bunch of fresh coriander

1 large thumb sized piece of ginger

1 large chilli

3 garlic cloves

1 lime

1 tsp chilli powder

1 lemongrass stalk

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

2 large white onions

1 tsp tumeric

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tin coconut milk

1 chicken stock cube

Fish sauce and rice wine vinegar to taste (optional)

You will need to...

- Chop chicken into bite-size pieces and place in large bowl.

- Chop ginger, chilli, garlic and majority of fresh coriander finely - add to chicken.

- Bash lemongrass with flat blade of knife and split. Add this to chicken along with the rapeseed oil, juice and zest of lime and the chilli powder. Mix together and leave to marinate for an hour or so. 

- Once chicken has marinated dice onions and fry in large saucepan until translucent. Add ground coriander and tumeric and fry for another few minutes.
- Add chicken and marinate to pan and cook until chicken is sealed all over.
- Stir in coconut milk, stock, and a little water if necessary. Simmer gently for 15-20 mins or until chicken is cooked through.
- Before serving stir through remaining fresh coriander and add a few drops of rice wine vinegar and fish sauce to taste.
- Serve with fluffy boiled rice, salad, naan breads, chutneys, or whatever takes your fancy!

Enjoy! C x