You have to hand it to Hanbaagaasuuteeki for its supremely confident choice of location. This Asian-inspired burger joint has opened up within patty-spitting distance of Shake Shack and Bleecker Burger, making this London’s prime hamburger nexus. Need meat sandwiched between buns? Victoria’s hectic transport hub is calling.
It feels a lot like hallowed West Coast burger joint In-N-Out with a K-pop twist
Happily, Hanbaagaasuuteeki pulls off its cocky move in a major way. A drop-in spot with high stools, counter-top tables and bright red splashes of colour, it feels a lot like hallowed West Coast burger joint In-N-Out with a K-pop twist.
As well as a few cursory sides, the menu features nine burgers, kicking off with a ‘1950s-style’ double cheeseburger, a tribute to the ultimate in trad fast food with a gentle Japanese lilt (its onions are rehydrated in dashi vinegar). It’s good, sure, but why not try something a little more exciting than the all-American classic. Hanbaagaasuuteeki’s more inventive burgers don’t seem like novelty additions, nor a panicked afterthought. On the freakier fringes of the menu is where the magic happens.
Take, for example, my favourite, the shrimp kong baga. Surf and turf if you happen to be surfing on the shores of Okinawa, this smashed, lacy beef patty comes topped with a cavalcade of crispy, deep fried shrimps, topped with sweet and tangy 1000 island-style dressing as well as melted cheese. There’s a scattering of seaweed strands on the top, because why not. Gently strange, it is almost certainly the best thing on the menu. Which isn’t to say the rest is mid. Far from it. A blue-cheese burger is bolder still, delivered with a fresh kimchi and green apple slaw to slice through the honking cream.
The chicken burgers are equally compelling. A just-numbing-enough Szechuan chicken option is stacked with perfectly crispy chicken, togarashi seasoning, lashings of kewpie mayo and pickles in a soft and squishable milk bun, while the green glow of the yuzu matcha version sounds and looks like a TikTok girlie hellscape, but actually offers a compellingly fragrant and heady citrus zip. Looks mad, tastes much less so.
Skip at your peril the miso-loaded fries with ginger and crispy seaweed, which are surprisingly light and shockingly addictive. That said, you can skip the overly saccharine honey gochujang sticks, underwhelming and plastic-y deep fried cheese batons drenched in a little too much sweet chilli sauce.
There are many, many burger bars in London, and Hanbaagaasuuteeki isn’t like the others. That can only be a good thing.
The vibe A fast food stop-off with serious foodie chops.
The food Asian-inspired burgers and fries.
The drink Soft drinks, Asahi and, strangely, glasses of pet-nat wine.
Time Out tip It’s open daily from 11.30am until 11pm, perfect for popping in after landing at Victoria station (or just before you jump on your train), and only a little bit more costly than a supermarket sarnie.