In the last few years there has definitely been a spread of London based smaller chains branching outside of the capital. Bristol has Byron and Wahaca now and we are awaiting a Meatliquor on Gloucester Road. Bath, always further down the list of places to plant a chain, mainly due to the size of the city and also the rents I imagine are astronomical. I am from Bath and I feel I am qualified to judge their restaurant scene as already too packed with chains for such a small city. However when I heard that a Burger & Lobster was landing in the rejuvenated Milsom's Place site, what used to be Shire's Yard, I was curious. Although other than Colonna & Hunter, every other food site is a chain, Yo Sushi, Jamie's Italian, Carluccios etc. But I have always been curious about Burger & Lobster so when I was invited by the lovely Charlie and Chris to join them at their table on the soft launch night I jumped at the chance to go.
After a few drinks at Colonna & Hunter we arrived at the restaurant. First things first, the venue is beautiful, a former church, the Octagon has high ceilings coupled with the low lighting and the angles of the space just make it feel very special. We ordered some cocktails and decided what to feast upon. There is no menu at Burger and Lobster you can either have a burger, a lobster or lobster roll for £20. Or for £30 you can have a whole burger and share half a lobster with your companion, this also includes pudding. Shonette and I decided to buddy up for this so we could fully experience the food.
Shadowy photos aside, you get a lot of food on the tray. Shonette and I had chosen for our lobster to be grilled and come with garlic butter sauce. The lobsters come with some appropriately, or inappropriate if you're a lobster, claw shaped crackers to access the meat from their coral shell prisons. My general experience of eating lobster is minimal so it was like solving a puzzle working out where the best place to crack which would reward me with a boon of lobster meat. Except boon isn't really the word I would use because although tasty it is a lot of effort for little meat.
Luckily the burger was substantial enough to ensure I wouldn't go hungry for a couple of days, the meat was pink and juicy and you can top it with cheese and bacon which is exactly what we all did. It was a tasty burger and I enjoyed the side salad it had parmesan shavings and a lovely light zingy dressing.
You won't go hungry at Burger & Lobster, unless you're a vegetarian. Plus bibs with your meal so you don't splatter yourself with lobster innards is my top tip for dining here. Burger & Lobster is a little on the pricey side but when you consider it's lobster it is a good deal. It offers something a bit different and the building is worth the trip alone. Plus below you can find an underground cocktail bar in the chapel part of the building, The Confessional which also does amazing sandwiches, I personally can't wait to try it. To find out more about Burger & Lobster visit their website.
