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Just around the corner from Borough Market, Yen Burger – named after its owner, Yen Nguyen – is a stylish little spot, all dark grey walls, wooden tables and dinky stools, which serves Japanese-inspired burgers and ‘Asian-influenced’ cocktails.
Arriving on pink-and-white-striped paper in a wooden basket, the signature Yen Burger looked adorable. Its 6oz wagyu beef patty oozed delicious juices, while strips of smoky turkey bacon added extra meatiness, balanced by the sharpness of pickles and shiso. (There are also Aberdeen Angus beef, chicken and cod versions.)
If you’re a herbivore, try the All Veggie burger, which came filled with panko-breaded avocado and succulent portobello mushroom (they have vegan cheese, just ask). A side of Asian slaw was nicely tangy, with blasts of citrus offsetting the creaminess of the mayonnaise. But the dashi-sprinkled chips were soggy and underwhelming.
Happily, desserts – though there are just two choices – were fairly decent. But there were other rough edges: tables are too close together, and on a Friday night the place was verging on raucous. Still, waiters were friendly and seemed to know their stuff. So maybe pick a quiet night, unless you’ve got a yen to party.