BJ Burger Wars: Let’s Burger Vs Blue Frog

Next up in our Burger Versus Burger battles: two Sanlitun stalwarts sure to be on the tip of your tongue when conversation turns beefy. Let’s Burger a specialist burger purveyor; Blue Frog an American-style diner grounded in ground meat. Our ongoing mission: to root out burgers that are truly all killer, no filler. Who’s got it where it counts?

In the red corner: Cheeseburger, Let's Burger. RMB 65.

The brief. I’m sure this only cost RMB 58 not too long ago. “Commodity prices gone up” says the fuwuyuan. Several of their burger concoctions sound extraordinary, but, true to our guns, we’re judging the fundamentals here. So plain cheese it is. And it’s a beaut. Tall and strong. Graceful overhang of melting cheese like a nun’s veil.

The bite. The beef hits you immediately. Pleasantly broad, meaty flavor, with lots of tangy salad and sauce getting involved too. Flavorless cheese seems to exist for texture alone. Soft bun. Sweet relish flavor a little aggressive.

The beef. A fine ground, but juicy and plenty onion-y. Cooked well done as far I can tell but doesn’t suffer for it. Not the biggest patty in town. (Sniff)

The bits. Chunky raw red onion, sliced tomato (doused in a sort of watery mayo), gherkins and lots of tomato relish … on both sides of the beef. Too much, I beg you! Iceberg lettuce (yawn) - would benefit from a finer shredding.

Harmonious society. For all its neat lines, Let’s Burger’s beast has lacklustre structural integrity. Tragically, we had to unwrap the knives and forks after a couple of bites. Why? Too much sauce and the partly toasted, squidgy bun seems unable to keep all that slop in check. Marks lost.

Fries? Cost extra. Chunky, crisp-edged and fluffy in the middle– some of the best in town.

Next…

In the blue corner: Hamburger, Blue Frog. RMB 80 (w added cheese)

The brief. It this burger was at school, it would definitely be a prefect / hall monitor. Neat and tidy, well-dressed and pressed, if a little over formal. Jeez, relax a bit.

The bite. Yes, yes yes! (Beefgasm). Thick, doughy bread eventually yields to a deep, succulent mouth of beef with lots of cheese in the mix. Salad 'n sauce back up in the cheap seats, where they should be. Very satisfying.

The beef. This is one beef sandwich you can (and maybe should) order medium, providing it doesn't mean you get less of a dark, smoky char on the patty, which really delivers in the flavour department. The pic above it's medium-well. A not-so-coarse ground gives it a bit of a chewy bite.

The bits. Just the right amount of fillings - onions, lettuce, tomatoes and a single slice of lettuce, all performing their supporting roles with grace and humility. Tastier cheese than Let's Burger.

Harmonious society. Bun is markedly heavy and dense (especially compared to Let's Burger), but it performs its containment role admirably, proving an impenetrable ooze barrier. The whole binds together remarkably well, thanks also to the neat, sparse toppings, build quality and tight ground on the beef, allowing maximum in-hand pleasure to the last bite.

Fries? Eat 'em quick. The kind of fries you just know will taste nasty when cooled a little.

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Two pricey burgers - whether either are worth the outlay is down to personal budget, but Blue Frog does offer 2-4-1 on Burger Burger Mondays (gets busy - come early or late). Maybe it's a bit mean to judge Let's Burger on the strength of its humble cheese sandwich when they have so many imaginative varieties, but here I'd say the basics are better performed by Blue Frog, and you definitely get more beef for your buck. Perhaps it's significant that Blue Frog has an American at the helm (classic approach), whereas Let's Burger is a Hong Kong operation (gastronomic tinkering)? Discuss.

Verdict: Blue Frog nicks it.

Next time: Battle of the Beijing Granddaddies: Grandma's Kitchen vs Paul's Steak & Eggs

* All opinions expressed are those of an Englishman who once went to In-&-Out in LA (he didn’t even know about the secret menu, hah) and now has the gall to write this stuff.

Previous Installments:

BJ Burger Wars III: First Floor Vs Luga’s

BJ Burger Wars II: Union Bar & Grille Vs Flamme

BJ Burger Wars I: The Box Vs Vineyard Café