Video
Read full review
2008-07-16
5 views
In recent years the word 'gourmet' has lost its exclusivity. Once used in such context to convey sense of luxury in cuisines, now the meaning has been twisted into notions of novelty, or rarities that descended on us through food trends. Even rusting dining is part of the "gourmet" world now, how ironic can it gets? With burger joints opening here in Hong Kong faster than we can blink and look closely, there is a new establishment right here in Central, the beating heart of the so-called Gourmet
Custom-made burgers are hardly anything new, but with choices as diversed as ones offered here at Gourmet Burger Union, it encourages customers to return with an adventurous palate. To make your own, first you take one of those clipboards and fill in your name, then you select the meat (Angus Beef, Chicken, Lamb, and how much of meat you want, ranging from $63 for vegetarian patty to $98 for 1/2 pounder patty of Angus Beef). For each burger you are entitled to 1 cheese (any 1 extra cheese costs $15). Feel free to choose from Mozzarella, Monterey Jack to Stilton, Brie and Halloumi. Moving on, you will need two toppings. Personal favorites are grilled onions (sweet and appropriately charred) and roasted red bell peppers (sweet and delicious). For the gourmet factor you can add extra $10 for each "gourmet topping" which included choices like Prosciutto, Hummus, Homemade Guacamole or Portobello Mushroom. You're almost at the end of the list when you choose the sauce you like. Feel free to go with the choices here. Basilico Pesto is a bright green concoction with no signs of pignoli taste to it. Truffle cream, I heard, is like biting into a mushroom. Choosing the bread is an easy task at the end.
There is also something called "burger in a bowl" for the health-conscious crowd who must have a bed of greens for their meal. Lettuce blend, rocket leaves or Mixed Baby Greens are what you are going to get, and from what I see they are neither very bright nor very gourmet in appearance. The beef patty that comes with the burger are juicy throughout and cooked to medium unless notified for rare or fully cooked (you can't ignore the shock on their look if you order completely cooked). The 'medium-ness' in the patty can hardly be noticed since the patty is so thin and fragile as it falls from your hand every time you take a bite., Make sure you have your buns thoroughly toasted, because mine isn't, even upon request. Don't feel bad to send back your order if it is not what you wanted. There is no way you need to settle for fully cooked cardboard drenched in fat, when you ordered rare patty with a thin strand of pinkness within. The staff can be very casual and forceful to convince you that they are busy, and you will eat your burger as it is. My advice is, don't give in, as you can easily pay $100 dollars for a burger, you may as well want it perfect, afterall, you have walked up those stairs (reminder: the third stair from the bottom is wider than the rest. High-heelers beware!) Aside from the cooks having trouble getting everything right and an extended waiting time is expected, Gourmet Burger Union serves relatively good food if you go safe and order something without particular fuss to construct. Fries are the shoestring type, and potato wedges are satisfactory.
Shakes were not ready at the time of my visit, and surprisingly wine is in the fridge but nowhere to be found on the menu. You can fax in your order from your office, but I prefer the clean slick corner window standing benches facing the traffic. Those with sensitive noses can stay away as the smell of grease can be experienced before you enter the downstairs entrance. If 'Gourmet' only stands in the means of food by the variety of choices to be made, from common to rare; Or it stands for piling up all the 'different' foods together and be done with, then Gourmet Burger Union will live up to its reputation fittingly. But noticing that 'gourmet' extends beyond just the food, as dining out is every bit and art as much as science to many, GBU failed to deliver a sensible notion of gourmet, as the simplicity of a comfort food is replaced by an ill-fitted amount of foods that don't belong there.
Post
