Despite the name – and Statue of Liberty painted on the wall – what Laya serves up is not a classic American burger. It’s a take on the dish that includes plenty of pitfalls for purists, yet may check all the boxes for casual diners.
In a city of overhyped Western options, Laya’s decor and ambiance are refreshingly down-to-earth, with black and white tiles and red vinyl booths giving the restaurant a retro-homey feel. Similarly, the menu presents an array of comfort foods, from wings to quesadillas to milkshakes.
Though there are a few oddities, like fried chicken drumsticks with blueberry sauce (RMB39) and a spicy burger topped with crab roe (RMB79), for the most part Laya aims at standard, solid fare.
Execution of individual dishes, however, is uneven. For example, the joint’s flagship burger (RMB89) is a double beef patty monstrosity apparently designed to please the eye more than the stomach. A human mouth cannot fit around the burger, which arrives with a bottom bun crushed under the heft of patties, vegetables and partially caramelized onions.
An even bigger turnoff is the alarmingly tender beef patties. Though the menu promises customers they’re eating beef, we could easily believe it had been swapped with pork. Similarly, the bacon crowning the burger tastes like fatty ham.
Flagship burger aside, Laya does offer at least one pleasant surprise. The peanut butter bacon burger (RMB69) is a delicious combination of creamy melted peanut butter and savory ‘bacon’ and beef. It also doesn’t require you to unhinge your jaw.
Drink-wise, the homemade fruit beer (RMB30) falls flat, coming chilled and apparently carbonated, but the thick Oreo milkshake (RMB36) is a saving grace at the end of the meal.
As we sip the rich drink, we ponder the value of American diner food as a whole. The tradition was designed for convenience rather than pleasure, and in that sense Laya stays true to its roots. Like an Oreo milkshake itself, Laya delivers basic satisfaction, hundreds of calories and not much else.
Price: RMB100
Who’s going: trend chasers, nostalgic Americans
Good for: filling your mouth hole, budget-friendly Western food
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