Be Burger Obsessed with Gourmet Burger Kitchen

Mark and I found ourselves at the Promenade level of Dubai Marina Mall as we were invited for dinner at Gourmet Burger Kitchen one fine weekend. It was both our first time at the mall and at the restaurant so we were both excited. I read that GBK aimed to change the UK burger scene forever and have taken pride of themselves up to now by serving up a variety of handcrafted burgers, combining 100% prime beef with the freshest ingredients and burger sauces every day, so this dinner was very much anticipated. :p

Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Dubai Marina Mall

The playful interior was what I noticed first. I found the combination of rustic and contemporary interiors very cool and amusing. It definitely had that British diner vibe, which is just fitting as it was established back in 2001, by three Kiwi guys who set up the first Gourmet Burger Kitchen in Battersea, South London.

That "Burger Obsessed" inscription on the wall also got me more excited to try out what GBK has to offer. We were supposed to occupy the seats just right across the counter, but Mark was still nursing an injured leg and I didn't want his wheelchair to block other customers' view of the very inviting "Burger Obsessed" inscription, so we just settled with the table next to it.

We were immediately attended to by Genevieve, one of the GBK staff, who gave us the menu the moment we were seated. She was very eager to suggest that we order drinks and appetizers first. She was also very enthusiastic in suggesting their best-sellers.

Fresh & Fizzy - Watermelon and Strawberry - 19.00 AED each with free refills

Mark and I both got the Fresh & Fizzy for our drinks. Both are made with sparkling water with fresh mint, lemon, and lime, plus a syrup of the flavor of your choice. Mark got watermelon while I opted for strawberry. Both drinks are light and refreshing, but I must say that I loved Mark's choice more. The watermelon wasn't that citrus-y as the strawberry. It was so good that I was very tempted to switch our glasses or even have mine refilled with watermelon instead. Haha!

Fresh & Fizzy - Watermelon and Strawberry - 19.00 AED each with free refills

Mark, being a sucker for sweets, made sure to order a dessert and chose the Chocolate Fondant. I really didn't know what the dessert would be like as there's no description in the menu and I only know of fondant as the one I use for decorating my cakes. Apparently, GBK's Chocolate Fondant is just molten chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. :p

We didn't specify when it should be served so we were surprised when it came next after our drinks were served. This was of course a plus point for Genevieve as Mark usually have his desserts served with the rest of the orders. :p

Chocolate Fondant - 19.00 AED

Mark instantly dug into this eye candy. Sad thing it stopped at just being an eye candy. The vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup were undeniably good, the chocolate cake, which supposedly is the star of the dessert, was the downer. The cake was crumbly and dry. :(

For our starters, we chose the GBK Platter from the "While You Wait" list. The platter came in a huge plate with generous servings of hot wings, homemade onion rings, feta sticks, celery, and dips.

GBK Platter - 49.00 AED

The hot wings were good and flavorful inside and out. I loved how the meat stayed tender and juicy. I also loved how the skin maintained its crunch even when it's swimming with the sweet, sour, and spicy sauce. The spicy mayo dip may also be omitted as the chicken was good as is. I just hate how my palates can still not handle hotness so I had to beg off after a few pieces.

The onion rings tasted fresh. I also loved how crispy the breading was. It was just light so it didn't absorb too much oil and didn't overpower the crunchy onion inside. The sweetness from the onions was perfect with the hint of saltiness from the breading. They both went well with the tangy garlic-mayo dip.

But Mark and I agreed that the star of the platter were the feta sticks! Feta is already good as is but GBK's version was coated with an even lighter breading and was fried to perfection. The combination of crunchy and chunky goodness from the breading and the feta was evident in every bite. The semi-sweet salsa was a perfect match. It was slightly spicy and was very tolerable for my palates.

Genevieve suggested that we also get their Skinny Fries so we obliged. True to its name, the fries were cut so thin it was so crunchy to the bite. It was more like shoestring potatoes but with a soft core. The fries were seasoned just right and wasn't oily at all. Another perfect choice! :D

The starters and fries were surely a good way to whet our palates. The burgers were served next.

There were a lot of burger choices from the menu which kind of made it hard for Mark and I to choose. Good thing there's the ever enthusiastic Genevieve who suggested that we pick from the ones listed under "Specialty". Mark played safe and got the Wagyu while I somehow was a little adventurous that time so I had the Lamb.

I haven't had a juicy fat burger since I had Shake Shack's SmokeShack (or at least nothing even came at par with it), and since GBK promises gourmet burgers, my hopes were set a little high.

I don't know if it was just me, but the burgers, although evidently huge, didn't get me drooling. Both were served on a plate each with a skewer to hold the sandwich together.

Wagyu Burger - 65.00 AED

Sandwiched in buns, the patty lays on their house mayo and is topped with lettuce, onions, and tomato, plus a choice of aged cheddar, smoked cheddar, or American cheddar. Mark and I both chose American for our cheese.

The buns were not as soft as I wanted but I love how the sesame seeds added texture to every bite. The melted American cheddar had that slight saltiness which goes well with the fresh veggies. The veggies had that crunch so I knew they were fresh.

Now on to the patties. Mark's wagyu was juicy and flavorful and he seemed to have enjoyed his choice. I had a bite but I didn't like it as much as he did. I loved how the patty was made from pure beef though.

My choice on the other hand was the bomb! It was my first time to try lamb burger and it didn't disappoint, well in terms of taste at least. There's that distinct taste that I haven't tasted from beef burgers before. Both patties were thick and seasoned well. I didn't like how they got a bit dry though.

Lamb Burger - 45.00 AED

Oh and aside from the already cool and classic British diner vibe from the restaurant, you may also choose to enjoy the breeze and the city view along Dubai Marina in GBK's al fresco dining. Too bad we knew of it just when we were done with our dinner. :p

So did I get "Burger Obsessed"? I must say, yes, but not that quite. But nevertheless, it was still indeed a great dining experience. Mark and I still left the restaurant with happy hearts and tummies. I must also say how great of a customer service staff Genevieve was. I hope they're like that to every customers. :) Thank you so much, GBK, for having us! :)

For updates about Gourmet Burger Kitchen, you can visit and like them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/GBK.MENA, or follow them on Twitter: @GBK_MENA, and on Instagram: @gbk_mena.

GOURMET BURGER KITCHEN, Dubai Marina Mall

Promenade Level, in front of Waitrose
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
04-399-7705
For Dubai delivery, call: 800-BURGER (800-287437)
Nearest Metro Station: Dubai Marina (Red Line)

We were guests at Gourmet Burger Kitchen and our meal was complimentary, but as always, this post is sincerely written and all views and opinions are my own.