Eat Drink KL: Big Hug Burger @ SS15 Subang Square

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Big Hug Burger @ SS15 Subang Square

A big bear hug for Big Hug Burger: The Klang Valley's burger frenzy has found a focal point in Subang, where multiple outlets are opening for SS15's college crowd. 

Big Hug Burger, which launched this week, is one of the nicest-looking burger joints so far, thanks partly to the fact that its owners include a graphic artist. The cafe's tailored for the young, with Justin Bieber & Jessie J playing on the speakers, a huge teddy bear for cuddling on a couch & a within-walking-distance location from INTI & Taylor's.

As far as recipe inventiveness goes, the law of diminishing returns is taking effect, but Big Hug's owners say their emphasis is on using comparatively healthier ingredients, from wholemeal buns to grass-fed Aussie beef & fresh corn oil.

Red meat to relish first: Big Hug's lamb burger (RM14, no taxes or service charge) features a house-made grilled patty, roasted cherry tomatoes, caramelized onions, mozzarella & cheddar cheeses, gherkins & lots of crisp lettuce.

The bamboo charcoal bun beef burger (RM15) comes with the same toppings & even more, including sauteed shiitake mushrooms & garlic aioli. Hearty & tasty, but no longer revolutionary, not at this point in 2013.

What's actually awesome here: the Big Hug Crispy Chicken Chop burger (RM19 with extra egg), boasting a jumbo chunk of ultra-juicy thigh meat, onion rings, pineapple slices & an uber-creamy "secret sauce" that's absolutely addictive. This is the one to order.

 Fun for fish fans: Salmon fillet & battered dory burgers (RM14 & RM12) respectively.

Herb-sprinkled fries, soft & fluffy-thick, though missing the crisp that some might prefer.

We've buried the lead here: one major teething trouble must be noted. On opening day, some among the stunningly patient lunch crowd of 50-plus patrons had to wait over two hours (!!!) for their burgers to be served (150 minutes to be exact, enough time to drive to Malacca or watch most of The Godfather: Part III).

In other words, some who ordered at 12:30pm only ate at 3pm. Many might advise not coming at peak hours to avoid swamping the three-member kitchen crew, but here's a caveat: Big Hug opens noon through 10:30pm, but on the first day, the burgers were sold out hours early. The terrific news is the owners have vowed to make improvements very soon.
Update: As of May, the waiting time has improved to below thirty minutes at peak hours.

Big Hug Burger,
CT-G-03, Subang Square Corporate Tower, Jalan SS15/4G, Subang Jaya.
Tel: 03-5613-4788
Closed Mondays.