Some say a burger without cheese is like a hug without a squeeze. If the image of a classic cheeseburger includes an overwhelming amount of cheese melting all over a big, greasy beef patty, La Casa Burger & Pasta is sure to reinvent your imagination with their homemade speciality burgers.
Nestled in Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan, La Casa is spotted by its lemon-coloured facade, luminous light box and neon signs, attracting diners to stop by for some comforting bites. Founder and chef Tom Hui is dedicated to developing distinctive flavours by pairing various types of cheese with different meats and ingredients in his new cheese-focused burger menu.
We began our cheesy journey with the sirloin & truffle mozzarella burger ($89), which La Casa proudly considers its signature. The 150g sliced sirloin is sandwiched between a heavy drape of mozzarella cheese, alongside cucumber and onion, with an aromatic truffle sauce creating an unexpected depth of flavour. The tender sirloin, cooked to medium, offers a slightly chewy texture, and I was particularly happy with the bun, both fluffy and crunchy at the same time – just what my burger-loving heart desires.
Then came the pork & fontina burger ($72). Chef Hui has opted to match roast pork belly with strongly flavoured fontina cheese and apple chutney, along with a spread of honey-mustard sauce. The meat is juicy and flavourful, while the sweet, tangy dressing balances out the greasiness of the pork belly. A guilty pleasure!
We moved on to the vegetarian-friendly portobello & feta burger ($62), stacked with grilled portobello mushroom, feta cheese, baby spinach and chopped walnuts. This is another example of La Casa’s efforts to highlight the flavour of their ingredients with the right selection of cheese.
Apart from the cheese-focused options, the Asian-flavoured burgers also caught my attention, such as this electrifying chicken & Sichuan mala burger ($62 for regular size). The tender and juicy chicken steak coated in Sichuan-style mala sauce is sweet with a nice, spicy kick, balanced by a hefty slice of crunchy cucumber and shredded carrot. I really enjoyed this cheese-free burger.
Reasonably priced combo options are available, and we tried the potato wedges with truffle mayo, mala chicken wings and double cheese fries ($26 each). The baked potato wedges, covered by a thick and creamy layer of fragrant truffle mayo, are rich in flavour, but I found them lacking a crispy exterior. The cheese-smothered fries are another hearty choice, although the aromatic Sichuan peppercorn-infused chicken wings were more to my liking.
Verdict
La Casa, with its good-time vibe, is a cool spot to grab some burgers and beers, especially if you want something different from a standard burger chain. Their innovative take on matching different kinds of cheese with various meats and ingredients to create their own style of burgers is admirable. Discounts for both dine-in and takeaway are available from time to time, so be sure to ask.
2 Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan, 2505 0555, 6999 6143 (WhatsApp)
This write-up is based on a complimentary media tasting provided in exchange for an honest review and no monetary compensation. The opinions expressed here represent the author’s.
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