THE late great Elmore Leonard’s list of 10 rules for writers begins with “Never open a book with the weather”. Oscar Wilde said “conversation about the weather is the last refuge of the unimaginative.” Google “quotes about weather” and you get 334 million results. Not only is talking about the weather more topical than ever right now, but it’s irresistible.
Which is why I too have said much about it over the past couple of months. The rain! So much rain. (Leonard’s rule number five: Keep your exclamation points under control.) Previously, I could do that typically Capetonian thing and refuse to put my nose out the door, but a brief training stint in the UK in March taught me this: if you don’t go out when it’s raining you’ll never go out at all. So off to Burger & Lobster we went, ostensibly for the Tuesday night burger special: two smashed pure beef patties, topped with Ranch dressing, a slice of American cheese, cheese sauce and a jalapeño, bacon and red onion relish, served with skinny fries, for R109. It’s pictured at the top of the story – just look how amazing it is.
I didn’t know about the chilli element when I was invited, and my friend who goes by the name Wolf was keen to try their namesake burger. So that settled that. We went off-script and perhaps a little mad.
The Wolf Burger is a 180g pure beef steak patty, topped with 70g lobster meat, Brie cheese and truffle mayo, on a warm, toasted, home-made brioche bun. For me, it was more difficult to choose because they all sound so darn delicious. I ended up with the Legacy – 180g pure steak patty with Jack Daniel’s basting, topped with mozzarella cheese, caramelised onion, guacamole and pickles. On a warm toasted brioche bun, of course, and with fries. The Holy F*ck was so tempting but in name only (for me) because it’s drenched in hot sauces, which illustrates we would all use that term differently and depending on context.
B&L dishes up all sorts of yumminess with things like buffalo wings, ribs, mac and cheese, as well as the burgers and lobster promised in its name. Truffle lobster mac and cheese anyone? What about a Big Boy Lobster Roll, big guy? We started with the softest of beef ribs with a sticky Jack Daniel’s glaze, and bacon mac and cheese wrapped in phyllo pastry. Carbs upon carbs, what’s not to love? Burgers come in various sizes to suit an assortment of appetites, as well as veggie/vegan, and chicken.
The cocktails are quite something too, with lots of special effects and pyrotechnics. Click here for the menu. Wolf had The Royal Escape – Clitoria Ternatea (yes, it’s a real flower, look it up, and it’s what you’d expect) infused Patron Silver shaken with blueberry juice, coconut and almond cordial, lemon juice and fluffy stuff. The drink is served tall over ice and charged with soda water and a cassis drizzle. I was boring and drank wine.
Somehow we managed to squeeze in a white chocolate crème brûlée to share before we headed out onto the rain-slicked streets reflecting the red glow of the light spilling out from the warm interior of the restaurant. A rich indulgence all round to be sure, and worth going out for.
Click here to see B&L’s current specials, and more info here. They’re open daily from 12pm to 10.30pm, 105 Bree Street, Cape Town
PHOTO CREDIT: Rikki Hibbert
