50
23
8
Level2
12
0
Vive le France?
2015-04-27 1552 views
With all the burger buzz spreading through Hong Kong at present, HongKongers are spoiled for choice when it comes to that prototypical American cuisine, the hamburger. One can choose to have double decker stacked burgers, spicy burgers, chicken burgers…it seems the list goes on, and the list of restaurants dedicated to this food phenomenon seems to be growing as well. Everyone wants in on the burger trend. Merde…Enter the French. Located in IFC, this burger joint has tremendous overhead (imagine
Read full review
With all the burger buzz spreading through Hong Kong at present, HongKongers are spoiled for choice when it comes to that prototypical American cuisine, the hamburger. One can choose to have double decker stacked burgers, spicy burgers, chicken burgers…it seems the list goes on, and the list of restaurants dedicated to this food phenomenon seems to be growing as well. Everyone wants in on the burger trend. Merde…
Enter the French. Located in IFC, this burger joint has tremendous overhead (imagine the rent) as it fights the current HK burger battle. After discussion with other foodies and a scan of photos on the Big Fernand Instagram page and hashtag, @hangrywifey and I decided to make the leap and see if the buzz surrounding Big Fernand could be lived up to or not.
We shared Le Bartholomé (135HKD), their Aussie pasture-fed beef burger with Raclette, pork bacon and homemade BBQ sauce, as well as Le Victor (120HKD), their Veal burger with caramelised onions and Fourme d’Ambert. A lot of the discussion out there has been concerning value for money and meat-to-bun ratio, so I was a bit worried. Would this burger survive the hype?
Le Bartholomé
$135
154 views
2 likes
0 comments
 The Bartholomé ended up being pretty good, with a delicious BBQ sauce that didn’t overpower the flavour of the beef, but rather, added a sweetness that combined with the Raclette’s flavour which ended up rather satisfying. I also was not upset by the size of the bun, because I’m typically a tidy eater, and the beef-bun ratio left it so that my hands were not a juicy mess upon completion. Score. However, le Victor stole the show. The veal meat was tender, and the Tonton Fernand (their sweet mayonnaise) paired beautifully with the burger. Both burgers ended up satisfying, and I wasn’t so full afterward as to slip into that food coma that slows one down in hustling, bustling HK.
Le Victor
$120
94 views
0 likes
0 comments
 There *was* a travesty on our table though, and it took the form of the Fernandines (or chips, or fries, or what-have-you). The spice/salt mixture used was quite lovely, but the consistency (aka ‘the sogginess factor’) was OUT OF CONTROL. We were so dissatisfied with the limp, soggy representations of fries on our plates that we left them uneaten. Ufffff. They were terrible.
So what will happen to Big Fernand? My predication is, while they have a novel idea (honestly, where else can you get a ‘French’ burger?), ultimately, Big Fernand’s expensive rental location and general lack of consistency are not enough to rise them through the ranks in the great HK Burger Wars. At present, there are too many other venues that are getting their burgers (and fries) right with higher consistency. So, we shall see (ce qui sera sera).
Suggestion: consider increasing the crispness of the fries, and considering adding an additional 25g to the burger patty. Also, drop the sesame seeds from the buns…perhaps in favour of a brioche-type bun? Best of luck…
(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)
  • Recommend
    Recommended
  • Report
1 Recommended
    Post
    DETAILED RATING
    Taste
    Decor
    Service
    Hygiene
    Value
    Date of Visit
    2015-04-25
    Dining Method
    Dine In
    Spending Per Head
    $135 (Lunch)
    Recommended Dishes
    Le Bartholomé
    $ 135
    Le Victor
    $ 120