Wenlock & Essex, Islington

Highly regarded by some yet has left others underwhelmed, is the Wenlock & Essex burger is a goodun or not? Read on burger fan, read on... 

Directly opposite the Islington branch of The Diner sits this grand old pub. Nicely decorated, well lit and with a huge bar, its a decent spot, and definitely a place i'd happily while away an evening with pals and beers. 

Giant Robot, Clerkenwell

Lookout! its @yesiamben again!

The attention to detail and actual science that's going into this review is, ahem, fairly awful I'm afraid. You see eating here was a total unexpected surprise, and I was somewhat, well, for lack of a better word - drunk. I'd been drinking in Clerkenwell at Craft Beer. If you're in the area (or planning a burger), I definitely recommend that bar. There is a *lot* of good beer on tap. 

Patty & Bun, Soho

@pattyandbunjoe started selling his tasty burgers at the Doodle Bar in Battersea. I never made it over there but people raved about them. Next he moved to the Endurance in Soho, an old fashioned boozer just off Berwick street. This is where I first tried Joe's Ari Gold and Smokey Robinson burgers, in amongst a rowdy crowd of locals and a handful of excited diners sitting in the corner. The burger was great, and the fan base kept growing. Less than 6 months later, the inevitable Patty&Bun restaurant has opened in Soho and I went there last week to check it out. There were at least 50 people waiting outside in the 4 degree January evening air when I got there but fortunately my burger pals had been waiting for 40 mins already and asked for a table for 7, so I didn't have to wait long. A head nod to the friendly staff who gave the queue regular updates and well, hope. 

The Henry Root, Chelsea

 

The Henry Root Letters is a book of amusing letters written by fictional wet fish merchant 'Henry Root' who lived in Chelsea in the 70's. Its a silly book but its beautifully written. I was excited to hear that there was a restaurant named in his honour, and that they sold a burger. I wanted to go immediately. 

Sitting just off the Fulham Road, this cosy little place looks very inviting. Spacious, quirkily decorated yet grown up. We lucked out and got the great circular table in the far left corner. 

Electric Diner, Notting Hill

bacon double cheeseburger

The Electric Diner is a brand new American style diner that's just opened in Notting Hill. The decor is absolutely spot on, thanks to the SohoHouse owners. The burger is ace too, thanks to an award winning chef from the windy city (Chicago, not Portsmouth). There's a bar on the right hand side complete with high stools and a decent beer, wine & cocktail selection. There's a long open kitchen, there's red leather booths to sit in. The walls are rough brick, the ceiling curved. This is how to do a 'diner'. A DJ in the far corner is playing classic hiphop tunes at a gentle volume. The place is buzzing, there's a great atmosphere, I'm in love with the place before I've even sat down. 

The 'Stack', Malmaison, Clerkenwell

"Would you like to try our Stack burger?" they said, "Hells yes!" was my reply, especially as i've had Malmaison on my burgers-to-try list for some time. 

Located on Charterhouse Square in Clerkenwell, Malmaison is a grand looking hotel with a fancy lobby and an inviting looking brasserie downstairs. Spacious and peaceful, the dining room is a nice place to be. We get settled in leather chairs near an open fire. 

London Burger Bash 2012

Here's my photographic-burger-memory of the 6 magnificent burgers from this week's fantastic London Burger Bash organised by YoungandFoodish (@burgermonday), all fighting for the coveted 'Golden Patty Award' (above, obviously).