London’s Burger & Lobster lands in Manila — here’s what to expect
MANILA, Philippines — The name alone tells you what to expect — a straightforward menu of burgers and lobsters.
Located on the ground floor of SM Aura Premier in Taguig, Burger & Lobster opened in February with a streamlined concept — wild-caught Canadian lobsters flown in fresh and gourmet burgers — and a few Manila-exclusive items to celebrate its arrival.
“Manila’s love for bold flavors and communal dining makes it a great home for the global name,” said Eric Teng, Managing Partner of Burger & Lobster Manila and owner of Mango Tree. “We’ve brought the best of the brand while adding a local touch.” The brand started as a simple idea in 2011 among four friends in London who wanted to focus on just two key ingredients.
Unlike the dark, steakhouse-style ambiance of typical lobster or burger chains, the Manila outpost is bright, airy, colorful, and modern, making it a casual spot for lunch or dinner.
What’s on the menu?
The Signature Lobster Roll is one of the brand’s most popular dishes — inside a warm, soft brioche roll is a heaping mound of tender and plump lobster meat lightly dressed in lemon mayo. The buttery, sweet bread almost steals the show here.
The Manila counterpart is tailored to local tastes and is what I gravitated towards more — the new Manila Roll combines chilled prawn and lobster meat with fresh mango and calamansi mayo, all in the same buttery brioche bun. The mango adds a natural sweetness that plays well with the generous and creamy seafood filling, while the calamansi cuts through with a bright, citrusy zing.
Then there’s the Honcho Burger, also a Manila exclusive — a smashed double-patty burger stacked with sautéed mushrooms, melted cheese, caramelized onions, and drenched in a peppercorn-cream sauce. Surprisingly, the crispy-edged patties stayed juicy, soaking up the creamy and savory sauce alongside the buttery, fluffy buns.
For larger groups and the best of both worlds, the B&L Combo Two has a Mayfair Burger, a whole Canadian lobster (grilled or steamed, and which you have to crack), a lobster roll, and a signature lemon garlic butter sauce in one platter, with optional sides like fries and a salad. This is a good way to sample multiple items at once — and you might end up dipping everything in the addictive lemon garlic butter sauce, too.
Burger & Lobster’s Mac & Cheese is both an adult and kid-friendly option made with crabmeat, prawns, and macaroni in a creamy cheese sauce topped with mozzarella.
The Seafood Linguine is a simple tomato-based pasta with mussels, shrimp, and crabmeat, fired up by a slow-building heat from chili peppers (the addition of quality shrimp and crabmeat likely explains the steeper price tag [P990] compared to other seafood pastas elsewhere).
One unexpected highlight? Iced tea. Made with muscovado sugar and lemon, it’s served in biodegradable plastic bags made from cornstarch — a Southeast Asian exclusive that first appeared in Malaysia. It’s a play on street-style drinks but in a more sustainable form. It also makes eating with your hands more convenient and fun.
“We’ve worked closely with local suppliers to source the best ingredients, and we’ve created dishes that not only maintain the quality and standards of Burger & Lobster but also cater to the tastes of our Filipino guests,” said Chef Brian Chong, the brand’s development chef.
With a straightforward mix of classic global favorites and dishes made for the local palate, Burger & Lobster brings its signature simplicity to a new dining crowd. – Rappler.com
Burger & Lobster is located in SM Aura, 26th Street, corner McKinley Pkwy, Taguig City. It’s open from 10 am to 10 pm.