Let's Burger

Let's Burger
L-RS-20, Lakeside, 11 Solana, Chaoyang District, Beijing

Let's Burger tries very hard to become the pre-eminent burger joint in town, and for a good few years it has been one of the very bests. Using buns from Pekotan Beijing, the capital's pre-eminent bakery, Let's Burger's product used to scream luxury and progressiveness in a culinary scene that used to stay largely mute. Times have changed, but there is a lingering feeling that Let's Burger hasn't changed much. Judging by the cheese king burger ordered on this occasion, their effort seems to have regressed back to the days when miracle whip, unmelted cheese and ketchup with a questionable spice mix could lure customers by the thousand. Here, Danish Brie is floured and deep-fried, so theoretically it would melt easily on the bite. But alas, the Brie has been idling for some time and has since hardened. The two slices of American cheddar have barely moved their temperature. The beef patty is cooked to its death, though to its credit the patty mix has enough fat to keep the meat moist and juicy. with beef patty & organic vegetables. Topped with blue cheese dressing. The blue cheese tastes stale and entirely superfluous, but the worst is the slushy mayo. I frankly don't know which brand the kitchen uses but that has to change. In the end, what promises to be a symphony of many flavors turns out to be a cacophony of noise, flair and little harmony among the elements.

Let's Burger used to be great, and judging from its fine team which has opened other good restaurants in Beijing and elsewhere over the years they could return to greatness again. What they need is to rethink the menu, keep comical concoctions inside the test lab and return burger making to the basics: good and correctly-cooked beef, good bread, melted cheese and good bread. The destiny should not be far to the Let's Burgers proprietors.