Grilled: Fish Burger from Billy's Fish & Chips
As part of the Beijinger's month-long Burger Cup (which kicked off May 16 with burger specials around town), we take a closer look at some of this year's participants. Today we're grilling Billy Guo, the owner of Billy's Fish & Chips, who will not only be slinging burgers at our May 28 Burger Festival, but is also vying for the title of Burger Cup champion (voting for which begins on May 30).
Billy’s Fish & Chips has only been open for a few months, but it's already a mainstay for foodies craving deep-fried eats in the wee hours of the morning. Owner Billy Guo is not only proud of his tasty battered fish burger and fish and chips, but also his mojito, all of which he will be selling at the festival this Saturday, May 28.
And Guo has every reason to tout his seafood sandwich. It's hefty enough to fill even the hungriest customers' tummies, and its toppings are so juicy and abundant that every patron is given a pair of plastic gloves, so that they can enjoy the messy deliciousness with abandon. And yet the burger somehow stops short of being overly greasy or heavy, mostly due to its feathery, flaky, right-eyed flounder meat. Below, Guo tells us more about this fish fillet masterwork.
How long have you been a burger flipper?
I've worked in F&B for about seven years.
Tell us about your signature burger.
Our signature burger is the Fish Burger (RMB 48), which is the only burger at our shop. It consists of a deep-fried battered fish patty, pickles, raw onions, and a fried dough sheet similar to what you'd find in jianbing, along with some special sauce.
Why give it a jianbing twist?
Because the fish patty is soft, I put the fried dough sheet in there to make it more crispy and complex.
What sides go best with this burger?
It comes with tender, thickly-cut chips that are dusted with black pepper.
How should we wash it down?
Beers, of course, especially IPA.
What sauces are on this burger?
The special sauce we use on this burger goes great with fish. We experimented a lot of times, and finally I blended something that satisfied me.
Aside from your own restaurant's burger, what was the best burger you've ever had?
Sichuan Hot Chic Burger at Let’s Burger.
Do you have any discounts for the Burger Cup that you'd like to mention?
We will have an RMB 8 discount on our fish burger at the Burger Festival, which makes it RMB 40.
Stay tuned for further info on Burger Days discounts at Dongli and other restaurants around town from May 16 onward. Also, be sure to check the Beijinger blog for regular updates on the Burger Cup competition (voting for which begins May 30), and how you can cast your ballot for 2016's beef patty champion (which will be crowned on June 13).
The Beijinger's 2016 Burger Cup is brought to you in cooperation with the following sponsors: Oasis Hospital, McCain Fries, Santa Fe Movers, Etonkids, Lonely Planet, Xian Cheng, and Asian Tigers.
Photos: Tracy Wang
