Tag Archives: burger

Little Prince, New York

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Little Prince is a great all day restaurant with delicious offerings for brunch, lunch and dinner. Located on the edge of SoHo, close to busy Bleeker Street where there are shops, cafés and bars galore.

The menu features classic French fare including Skate Grenobloise, Bistro Chicken and Steak au Poivre, in addition to lighter dishes such as Steak Tartare, Ratatouille and Mussels.

Already a favourite with the burger clubs of New York, Little Prince does things a bit differently. We tried the signature special “off-menu” French Onion Soup Burger with caramelised onions and gruyere, and the French Toast with red berry compote. Taking inspiration from the popular French Onion soup, this burger has a strong mustard and caramelised onion content. The meat was deliciously grilled, and all encased in a rustic homemade English muffin-style bun. We loved the concept but just felt there was a little too much mustard. The French toast was thick and gooey in the middle, just as you’d expect in a New York eatery. The fruit tasted fresh and tart, which contrasted with the sugary bread. Along with our lunch the bartender kindly presented us with seasonal cocktails, a light fizzy Mimosa and a more festive spicy concoction.

Despite being new on the Manhattan restaurant scene, Little Prince has undeniable character and charm, and is sure to do well with tourists and locals alike.

More information here: littleprincesoho.com

Many thanks to NYC GO for their help with this trip, and Virgin Atlantic for flights.

Dip and Flip, Clapham

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As burgers begin to slip off the top spot for fast food trends in London, American-style joints branch out to offer something a little different. And if you can’t find a burger calorific enough, I have just the place for you. Dip and Flip is inspired by the gravy addicts of the north, the patty is flipped and flame-grilled, soaked in gravy then sandwiched in-between a delicious brioche bun. The burger is then served alongside a bowl of rich, aromatic gravy for burger dipping.

There are several burgers on offer but it is the Dip and Flip speciality that is attracting insatiable foodies to this restaurant. Two of us shared a ‘Dip and Flip’ (topped with roast beef) and a more conventional cheeseburger. I managed about three bites before giving up on the gravy-drenched patty, I cannot deny the depth of flavour and irresistible sloppiness but it was just a little too much for my poor arteries to cope with.

The accompaniments are simple: chips come coated in paprika seasoning, delicious but a little too salty. There is the option to have them coated in cheese; I bowed out of this challenge. In retrospect I wish I’d ordered a side salad to counteract the meaty indulgence though I imagine anything fresh would wilt in such a fatty environment.

It is quite dizzying to recollect my memories of this gluttonous feast – it is definitely more of a boy’s burger den… after all, a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips. Waking up with an agonising food hangover the next morning, I thought to myself ‘no burger is worth this’.

More information here: dipandflip.co.uk

Five Guys, Covent Garden

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I had high hopes for Five Guys, the second of the American burger newcomers to Covent Garden. I tried the other US establishment, Shake Shack months earlier, keen to review the famous burger and crinkle fries.

Eagerly spotting a lack of queue on a quiet Wednesday evening, we raced to the counter and ordered our Little Bacon burgers (normal size for us English!) and a portion of fries to share. I liked that toppings are all optional and free, additions such as grilled mushrooms, pickles, jalapeno peppers and BBQ sauce allow you to create your ideal burger. We paid up and sat at one of the booths; it felt like a glorified version of McDonald’s.

Ten minutes later our order was called and our food was ready to be demolished. It looked and smelt like your typical American burger. While the taste was satisfactory, I felt there was nothing special about the Five Guys burger and I definitely felt let down after the overwhelming hype. My main issue was the food temperature, both burger and chips were lukewarm, which definitely mitigated the seductive juiciness that I was expecting. The flavour is just rather ruined when the meat isn’t sizzling hot.

Served in a retro brown paper bag (for diners in and out), the Five Guys meal is only slightly better than the McDonald’s just round the corner. We had substantial leftovers so donated them to a hungry homeless man on a nearby street – he didn’t seem interested either!

More information here: www.fiveguys.co.uk