Burgers have always been a huge hit, and demand in Hong Kong is greater than ever – and not just for the classics. Exciting new creations and meat alternatives now adorn HK menus, with influences from around the world. We decided to give a few of them our very own grilling. Read on for our fourth and final review of burger restaurants in Hong Kong – Honbo in Wan Chai.
Honbo
Our final burger destination was Honbo, which goes against the grain and instead focuses on doing the classics very well, largely ignoring the bells and whistles. There’s a scaled-back menu of various cheeseburgers with no-frills popular ketchup and mustard on each table. The restaurant touts itself as “A homegrown classic cheeseburger joint that celebrates simple and straightforward American-style burgers through honest cooking and careful sourcing of quality ingredients” – and it truly delivers!
What’s on the menu?
The patties are Double Gold American beef from Wisconsin (in 2oz and 4oz sizes), which are coupled with unique potato milk buns from their own artisanal baker, and a few slices of good ol’ American cheese. Add pickles, onion and house sauce, and we’re off to the races! Most of their burgers consist of all these same ingredients in varying amounts (bacon is another option); you simply choose your patties, and how many, and the number of slices of cheese.
The Gold Standard ($178) is a half-pounder of two 4oz patties, double cheese, bacon and the fixings above. It’s generous and benefits from a good glug of mustard.
Another great option is the Grilled Chicken Burger ($98), with moist teriyaki chicken thigh and kewpie – good flavours and a welcome alternative to the Honbo range of classics. The Chilli Cheese Fries ($78) were a big hit, too – wonderfully crispy with a deep rich welcoming chilli.
More intriguing options on some Honbo menus include the Scallop Burger with Hokkaido scallops, Japanese rocket leaves and wasabi pico de gallo, and the Soft Shell Crab Burger with ginger slaw and old bay tartare sauce. The Impossible Burger comes with Vegan XO sauce.
There’s such a wonderful choice of burgers in Hong Kong – from a classic Honbo cheeseburger to exciting modern alternatives. On that note, it’s time to down tools and find an inviting seat to chow down on another juicy handheld delight!
Honbo burger restaurant is at G/F, Shop B, 6-7 Sun Street,Wan Chai, Hong Kong (Also at Central, Tsim Sha Tsui, Tsuen Wan & Macau).
honbo.com
This article first appeared in the Summer 2023 issue of Expat Living magazine. Subscribe now so you never miss an issue.
