Last Updated on September 29, 2020
Le hamburgé with a je ne sais quoi comes to London
Big Fernand, the popular French burger brand, has set down roots in London’s French enclave of South Kensington, just two minutes’ walk from the tube.
This famed burger brand, started life in 1993 in the middle of a small Parisian street, in a neighbourhood restaurant redolent with the smell of herbs and fresh bread. Now Londoners can enjoy these tasty hamburgers made with a marriage of fresh in-house ingredients and high quality responsibly sourced meat, to create as they say at Big Fernand, le hamburgé with a je ne sais quoi.
The décor is stylish and simple, the walls are a mix of distressed brick and tiles, hung with art Deco lamps, a long banquette runs along back wall and there are with several wooden tables with bench seats and neon signs in French blazing on the ceilings. Kitsch retro French pop was playing on the loudspeakers, the staff (wearing masks) were French-speaking and so it seemed were a lot of its clientele, I’m sure this is a good sign! We dined in-house but they also seem to do a good takeaway service.
What makes Big Fernand different from the average burger bar is attention to quality, in keeping with the French theme. The menu is short and concise and offers a selection of burgers made with beef, chicken, veal and lamb as well as a veggie option.
Food is served on small metal trays. I chose the Le Jura (£9.50), a premium beef burger with Morbier cheese, smoked bacon, grilled red peppers, chives and Big Fernand olive sauce. The beef was tasty and cooked to perfection, the unusual combination worked remarkably well and I particularly loved the juicy grilled peppers, which made a nice change from tomato and it was complemented by the crisp smoky bacon and nutty flavours of the cheese.
My friend ate the vegetarian option, of which there is only one – Le Portobello (£8), a pleasingly meaty mushroom burger topped with flavoursome Tomme de Savoie cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, caramelised onions, chives, and a good splash of Big Fernand cocktail sauce.
We accompanied our burgers with a seasonal mixed salad (£3) with sun-dried tomatoes, chives and vinaigrette and some Fernand Frites (£3) – crisp and alluring allumettes.
To drink there’s a choice of soft drinks, a selection of beers or red, white or rosé wine. We had a crisp and yeasty white beer and a French Chardonnay, soft and fruity with balanced acidity.
Puddings (£4) come in cute pots with two options to choose from – a Raspberry Godet – a rich and creamy raspberry mush made with mascarpone cheese, raspberry, coulis and speculoos or La Mousse au Chocolat – light and fluffy with a hint of bitterness.
Big Fernand offers good fast food Parisian style, simple, fresh, affordable and very tasty.
Big Fernand
39 Thurloe Place,
South Kensington,
London, SW7 2HP
+44 (0)20 3031 8330
Looking for an alternative Burger restaurant? How about Burger and Lobster in Leicester Square?
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