After trying Big Fernand in Paris last year, I was counting down the days until it arrived in London. It’s now open in Fitzrovia and set to convert us to its signature ‘hamburgés’.
London can be a tough burger market to crack, since we have so many fantastic home-grown options. So, what makes Big Fernand stand out from the burger-flipping crowd? Le fromage, bien-sûr! Raclette, Tomme de Savoie and Fourme d’Ambert are sourced directly from France and are a cut above most regular burger cheese.
Then there’s the quality of the meat (supplied by HG Walter), the sesame buns baked in London from Monsieur Fernand’s secret recipe and sauces made daily in-house.
Queuing at a burger counter is rarely a hoot, but Big Fernand’s troop of charming Frenchies wearing checked shirts and flat caps are sure to keep you entertained while you wait. Just like the Paris restaurants, they make it feel like a fun place to be.
I visited last week for a burger tasting with a group of London food and lifestyle bloggers. We started the evening pairing Big Fernand’s delicious Raclette and Tomme de Savoie cheeses with red, white and rosé wines from their drinks menu.
We then moved on to the counter to choose our burgers and watch them being cooked to order. If you can brave the winding spiral staircase (hold on to your tray like your life depends on it), you will be rewarded with a more private, chilled out place to hoover down your burger.
It has the feel of a vintage-style apartment with floral print walls, an old school radio, mismatched furniture, wonky lampshades and a super-comfy day bed, in the event of slipping into a burger coma.
Although I’d already tried Le Bartholomé (£9) before in Paris, I couldn’t resist ordering it again. It was just as decadent and delicious as I’d remembered but definitely bigger.
My succulent medium-cooked beef patty had a flavoursome, mature taste and was packed inside a big, tasty sesame seed bun. The thick-cut, country-style bacon was nicely smoked and went perfectly with the gooey, slightly nutty Raclette cheese (bacon and Raclette always remind me of après-ski indulgence in the mountains).
The caramelised onions, plentiful fresh chives and tangy, rich Bébé Fernand (barbecue sauce) are what really elevate the burger to legendary status. I mean, how often do you ever get fresh herbs scattered inside a burger bun?
It’s also worth noting that Big Fernand doesn’t waste any time with burger fillers like lettuce, pickles and raw onion – I’m completely onboard with this. Medium is my cooking comfort zone, but I would probably try medium rare next time – you can even order it blue rare.
Fernandines (£3) are made from fresh, hand-chipped potatoes and the portion size is generous. I personally find the cajun seasoning a little overpowering when sprinkled so liberally, but they are definitely some quality fries. They are however taken to a whole new level when dunked in the home-made house sauces – the smoky, creamy barbecue sauce was really addictive.
I washed it down with a bottle of Elixir d’Archibald Fernand (£2.80), which looks like it should contain something much more lethal than its lovely grapefruit lemonade. After all that delicious meat and cheese, the daybed was looking very tempting!
Big Fernand London flies the Tricolore well for the French hamburger atelier and after ironing out a few kinks since its opening, it has found its rightful place in the city.
For more information, visit: www.bigfernand.co.uk
Chérie City was invited by Big Fernand
Photos by Big Fernand and Chérie City
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