Initially The Player seems like an unlikely venue for Lucky Chip burgers, the residency has certainly brought a new clientele to the bar. Then there is the issue of yet another burger joint in Soho; in its original venue, east London’s Sebright Arms, there is little competition nearby. I would know because after an exhausting trek to Dalston and the sad realisation that burgers weren’t served on Sunday evenings, my friend and I had to find an alternative to satisfy our meat craving. There was none.
The concept at this Soho slider bar is simple: two sliders, french fries and a homemade sauce for £10. The tricky bit is choosing from the appetising menu of mini burger varieties. Starving hungry and wanting meat, I was salivating just looking at the menu… beef, pork, fish and veggie burgers are all available, and there are no limitations, you can choose any two for a tenner.
The Player is a hidden underground haunt famous for reinventing forgotten cocktail culture. On entering this atmospheric lounge, I was instantly reminded of a jazz bar from a bygone era or a vintage prohibition club. We snuck to a small corner table, at 6.30pm the place was already crowded.
Drinks are available on both the Lucky Chip and Player menus, and we opted for the latter, inspired by the tropical sounding recipes. Priced between £8 and £10, I was impressed with the fruity concoctions, each arriving with pretty flourishes decorating the glasses. The rum-based Mexican Breakfast and Hurricane were definite favourites amongst our group.
The cute little burgers were delish though a tad salty. Sloppy but almost bite-size, they are much more manageable than a normal sized burger. I was pleased with my choices: ‘double cheeseburger’ and ‘Royale wit cheese’, similar classic combinations with aged beef patty, applewood smoked bacon, tomato, onion, mustard & pickles. They are well constructed and easy to gobble up quickly. The meat is juicy and tender in the middle with gooey cheese and crunchy fresh salad accompaniments. A modest portion of chips arrived with a pot of amazing garlic aioli.
I was terribly disappointed to discover the ‘build your own’ sundae was temporarily off the menu due to a broken freezer. Instead we shared the warm brownie, which was surprisingly good. If you are hungry I would advise ordering a starter… American style appetisers are available: Mac-N-Cheese, Chicken Bucket and Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich. Two little sliders are unlikely to fill you up.
The Player is popular thanks to the arrival of Lucky Chip and I can see why, this burger bar offers something different to the neighbouring burger joints. Fingers crossed these exquisite burgers will be a permanent fixture so we can all enjoy them for years to come.
More information on the Slider Bar here.