Tag Archives: burger

Patty and Bun, James Street

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Somewhere between Meat Liquor and Honest comes Patty and Bun. The burgers are messy and the queues are long… it’s another hit joint following the now familiar steps to success: sloppy tasty burger, grubby-chic venue, no reservations, cheap… and hey presto there are hordes outside begging for burgers. Will our cravings for dirty burgers ever end? Mine certainly don’t show signs of slowing down as new tempting eateries pop up all over town.

I have queued for enough burgers, I’ve done my time, and after hearing rumours of Patty and Bun’s fans’ patience, I didn’t take any chances with my visit. 3pm on a Thursday afternoon seemed like the ideal time for an  available table… I wasn’t very hungry, but never mind, it seemed like my only opportunity. My planning paid off, two tables available and one was mine. There is only enough space for about 30 in a makeshift type room with hanging red wire lights, wooden tables and stools and very plain walls. A blackboard outside is marked with witty burger puns.

Joe, the founder of Patty and Bun, developed his juicy burgers through various pop-up projects, all of which were staggeringly popular… so many were delighted to see the arrival of this permanent fixture in central London, moments away from Selfridges.

The burger was great, though difficult to eat with any decorum, I must have got through at least eight paper napkins as I mopped up the cheesy mess running down my hands and chin. There are six varieties on offer, I chose the simple ‘Ari Gold’ Cheeseburger – beef patty, cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickled onions, smokey P&B mayo, brioche and optional bacon. A lovely combination of sweet onions and meat with the salty bacon and creamy American style cheese, it was a delicious creation. The meat is soft and juicy with a rich flavour complemented by the bacon and slapped together in a super soft brioche bun.

The chips (tossed in rosemary), though the perfect consistency and texture, were blindingly over-salted. I couldn’t even finish them, which is extremely rare for me. I later found out that food can be eaten in or taken out, so even if seats aren’t available you can try these magnificent burgers.

Choc Ices, for those who can manage one after a rich burger, are made bespoke by Ice Cream Union in the sophisticated flavours: Peanut Butter, White Chocolate and Coffee or Hazelnut.

£12 bought me a burger, fries and diet coke, next time I’m trying pudding too. A little less salt and this place would be perfection.

More information here.

http://www.pattyandbun.co.uk/

Dach & Sons, Hampstead

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I had high hopes for Dach & Sons. My best friends and I had it firmly on our ‘to visit’ list but when I did eventually make a trip I found it to be a bit of a disappointment.

Seconds from Hampstead tube station and surrounded by chain shops and restaurants, it is refreshing to notice this independent eatery. I have always felt that this smart area of North London is quite conventional, but Dach & Sons adds some spice to the streets.

They describe themselves as “Hampstead’s premium hotdog, slider and burger joint, with a 60 seater restaurant, big roof terrace and ‘Flat P’, the upstairs speakeasy bar.” I’ve heard praise for the place on both burger and cocktail recommendation lists.

The cocktail selection is sprawled across the blackboard wall in chalk. The bar is from the clever people at Fluid Movement who are also responsible for the wonderful Purl and Worship Whistling Shop. Simpler (but arguably more drinkable) than the concoctions at the other Fluid bars we thoroughly enjoyed our cocktails. Innovative flavour combinations mixed to create very tasty and interesting drinks. The fascinating lemon meringue drink was delicious and old fashioned with a touch of (if I remember correctly) homemade popcorn liquor, it had an incredible taste.

In retrospect I wish I’d tried the sliders instead of the full blown burger. £10 gets you a trio of miniature handmade bitesize sliders with varied and eccentric toppings. Instead we both chose the classic Dach & Sons burger, £10 for a single or £18 for a double whammy. Made from short rib meat the patty was dry and bland, the gruyere cheese and smoked lettuce helped a little but on the whole it was very unsatisfactory. Fries (I’d call them chips as they are pretty chunky) are triple cooked, vacuum dried and made utterly indulgent with beef dripping.

Although we didn’t try them, I’ve heard the hot-dogs are great here. Using a variety of meats, spices and sausage casings to create some of the tastiest (and biggest) sausages that you are ever likey to see. The meat is supplied locally by the Hampstead Butcher, then de-boned, minced, mixed and stuffed into sausages in the kitchen every day. All sausages are cooked ‘sous-vide’ (under water) at precise temperatures, then flash fried. This ensures that they are as juicy as possible.The bread rolls are supplied by the award winning Flour Station, and baked daily.

If you do want to try Dach & Sons for yourself, I highly recommend visiting the brilliant Hampstead Theatre while you are in the area… and making an evening of it. And although I wasn’t as impressed as I thought I might be, compared to the competition Dach & Sons is still a reason to visit an often overlooked area of London.

More information here.

http://www.dachandsons.com/

BRGR.CO, Soho

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BRGR combines two of my favourite things: Beirut and burgers. This Lebanese brand is the newest addition to London’s thriving burger scene, competing with Honest and Lucky Chip on the busy streets of foodie heaven, Soho.  Lebanon’s popular burger joint, BRGR has two branches now operating in Beirut, one in Achrafieh and another in Beirut Souks. Perhaps this brave leap to England suggests that soon we’ll see outlets in other key cities around the world.

The restaurant, on Wardour Street, seats 55. Inside the atmosphere is chilled and carefree with floor to ceiling windows, dark oak tables and chairs and a lively open kitchen.

BRGR use 28-day-aged beef from the Duke of Buccleuch Estate in south-west Scotland. Focusing on simplicity, the restaurant serves a menu of three classic burgers: the 4oz, 6oz or 8oz with optional toppings of cheese or chilli-con-carne. A selection of traditional American-inspired sides, milkshakes and desserts complete the American vibe.

The burgers are presented in a DIY layout… meat and cheese in bun and salad condiments on the side for optional use, perfect for fussy boys who wish to avoid greenery. The meat is finely ground and grilled; it is a rustic thin burger, good quality meat but very little seasoning. The bun is soft and sweet and I loved the thick vinegary gherkins. Chips are best left plain, the truffle oil and cheese variety were far too rich and greasy for me.

We just had time to polish off a sundae to conclude: very simple vanilla ice-cream, with disappointing chocolate sauce and crumbled Oreo cookies. It satisfied my sweet tooth but wasn’t anything special. Milkshakes however, are worth a try, the vanilla was thick and creamy flavoured with real black vanilla.

I can imagine BRGR produce one of the best butties in Beirut but here in London we have way more competition, and though BRGR has potential, other burger joints in Soho are far from being budged from the top spot.

More information here.

http://www.brgrco.co.uk/