Behold! BLT Burger

BLT Burger started appearing on friend’s Facebook updates over the last few months, so I decided to check it out for myself.

Doing a tiny bit of research, I found out that BLT doesn’t stand for bacon, lettuce, and tomato, as in the sandwich. Instead, the name is derived from the originator, chef Laurent Tourendei. The acronym stands for Bistro Laurent Tourendei.

I had high expectations. How did BLT Burger turn out?

The first BLT was opened in New York, with additional branches now in Las Vegas and Hong Kong. In addition to BLT Burger, there’s also a BLT Steak restaurant by the same chef located nearby on the ground floor of the Ocean Terminal complex.

BLT Burger is more of a casual eatery, serving American comfort food such as burgers, chicken wings, nachos, and several varieties of fries. Another attraction are their multiple kinds of milkshakes. They offer standards such as vanilla and chocolate as well as more complex concoctions like Rocky Road and PBJ (peanut butter and jelly). Also on the menu are “spiked” milkshakes that include alcohol. (These are similar to ice cream drinks.)

Once seated, the menu also doubles as the place-mat which allows you to browse before and during your dinner – a good way to discover new items or add something to your order.

How did the food stack up?

The first thing to arrive was my chocolate shake. Though it tasted good, there wasn’t much of a chocolate taste.

Over the years shakes seem to have lost their identity. In many places there’s not much a difference between chocolate and vanilla – and there should be! (My favorite milkshake in town is Gusto’s dark chocolate shake!)

When the burger arrived it looked great. I couldn’t imagine a better picture of a burger and fries! BLT offers several combos that include a burger, fries and a drink, which is what I opted for.

Aside from the classic burger, it appears that other items are not available as combos. For example, you can’t even order a specialty shake and pay extra – their sets appear to be structured in a rigid way. Perhaps this could be adjusted in the future.

To do a review, I figured I’d order the most basic item – “The Classic”, a 7oz. burger to which I added cheese for $8 HKD extra. I ordered my burger cooked a certain way, however when it arrived it wasn’t done as per my request, so I had to send it back. Hungry, I began eating my fries, which were good.

Though it didn’t take long to get my burger back, between the thick shake and my fries, I sort of lost my appetite. I’ll have to go back again to give the place another try. I’ll probably sample other items on the menu next time such as the chili, nachos and mozzarella sticks.

The service was good. Water glasses kept being refilled, which is more considerate than most places in this city.

BLT Burger isn’t cheap. The standard burger is $78 HKD (around $10 USD) and doesn’t come with anything. The most basic combo is $128 HKD and includes a choice of fries and soda. Higher up the rung is a set that includes a basic milkshake for $148 HKD. There are toppings such as cheese or bacon that you can add for an additional charge. To put things in perspective, BLT Burger comes in slightly more expensive than the Pressroom burger or twice as expensive as a combo from White Spot Triple O’s.

Part of the cost factored into the food must be the high rent for the premium location and private seating. You’re not sitting in a food court, but tucked away at a table or booth. BLT Burger is a stand-alone restaurant located in one of the dividing hallways between Harbour City and Ocean Terminal.

Have a look at our earlier post, Burger Wars, for more information on Hong Kong’s burger landscape!

BLT Burger
Shop 301, Level 3, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City
Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
852 2730-2338