Burger Wars Episode LXXIX: Another Salt Yard Tapas Place [BurgeReview]

It didn't do me any good either! That benefit was the worst show I ever did. Some of those heckles were really uncalled for, Avast ye matey! What the hell does that mean? 20 degrees off the starboard side the Spanish Galleon! There's no comeback for that!

Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld episode “The Puffy Shirt”)

Ember Yard is the new restaurant from Salt Yard Group. Another tapas place based on charcoal cooking, two levels, and open kitchen on the ground floor, tapas, charcuterie, a set menu, and cocktails. We got a couple tapas and their slider, I will have to recommend the smoked chorizo skewers with saffron aioli, it was spectacular, and also the courgette flower stuffed with goat’s cheese was amazing.

The place

The slider a smoked Basque beef patty with Idiazabal and chorizo ketchup.

Slider Time

The verdict, nice slider, good flavour, the chorizo sauce is excellent

The damage, 6.25 quid for the slider

The conclusion, good flavours, nice location, and good menu. The slider is nice, the chorizo sauce is key, it was great they didn’t copy the Opera Tavern one, however the later is a bit better. I will give a 7 to the Ember Yard slider. Don't leave without trying the Bloody Gazpacho.

Ember Yard

T: 020 7439 8057

Spanish Cuisine

Approx Damage: £38pp

Area: Soho

Borough: City of Westminster

Twitter: EmberYard

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Burger Wars Episode LXIII: Duck Gasconwalker

These days my burger list is not as big as in the old days. However, there are still some options to try around and also new comers in the next months opening in London. This time I decided to visit Comptoir Gascon. A nice French bistro and delicatessen in Farringdon, with food and wine sourced from Southwest France, and a Bib Gourmand award from Michelin since 2006. 

Comptoir Gascon

The view

Delicatessen

The burger I went for was a duck burger deluxe, but couple things caught my attention including the signature foie gras and truffle burger, and the scallops, artichoke, and oyster tartare. 

Scallops

Slider

The scallop was fresh and nice, great balance with the oyster tartare. The foie gras and truffle is a slider but it was magnificent it was rich, nice, full of flavour, outstanding, the mayo work perfectly with the fresh and puffy bun, great execution. 

Slider time

Cross section

Finally the deluxe burger, Duck patty, foie gras, and caramelised onions in wine and vinegar reduction. 

Duck burger

The verdict, it was great, as good as the slider. The duck flavour is excellent, the combination with the foie gras and the caramelised onions was spot on. 

The damage, 14.75 quid for the deluxe burger and chips. 

The conclusion, amazing burger and the slider was even better. Fries were ok, home made style, they were voted as best chips by time out, well as usual I completely disagree with them, the fries were the weakest link. The duck burger had almost a perfect score 9 of 10 in my scale, sort out the chips and you should be in the top three. 

Duck time

Duck reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Label Maker” 

Newman: Are you sure you know where the impound yard is?

Kramer: Oh, stop stalling. Come on

Newman: I can't think, there's all this noise

Kramer: Or is it because I've built a stronghold around Greenland? I've driven
you out of Western Europe and I've left you teetering on the brink of complete
annihilation

Newman: I'm not beaten yet. I still have armies in the Ukraine

Kramer: Ha ha, the Ukraine. Do you know what the Ukraine is? It's a sitting
duck. A road apple, Newman. The Ukraine is weak. It's feeble. I think it's
time to put the hurt on the Ukraine

Ukrainian: I come from Ukraine. You not say Ukraine weak

Kramer: Yeah, well we're playing a game here, pal

Ukrainian: Ukraine is game to you?! How about I take your little board and smash
it!

Comptoir Gascon

T: 020 7608 0851

French Bistro

Approx Damage: £26pp

Area: Farringdon

Borough: City of London

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Burger Wars Epidose LVI: A Short Film called Burger [BurgeReview]

The Player

A long time ago in Borough not so far away I visited a burger stall in Netil Market. The place no other than Lucky Chip. I immediately felt in love with their burgers. Executed properly, great flavours, and a decent waiting time to get your treat. The cinephile place, as they named most of their special burgers after Hollywood actors. Their new venture Slider Bar. Pop-up style, in a Soho bar named The Player. 

Lucky Chip is in da'house

Dark neons

Dim lights, packed night, and booze wandering around. It took us 5 minutes to get our table on a Saturday night, not bad at all. The menu includes a couple starters, Mac-N-Cheese, chicken bucket, and pork tacos. For sliders, the Lucky classics with even the special guest appearance. 

Menu

We went for the Mac-N-Cheese, five cheeses and truffles. It was ok, good flavour but nothing beyond this world. Then 4 sliders, the lucky ones, El Chappo, Double Cheeseburger, Royale wit Cheese, and the weekly special Danny Trejo. 

Mac-N-Cheese

Slider time

The verdict, the sliders were superb, great flavours. El Chappo amazing as usual, almost as good as the NYC Spotted Pig blue cheese burger. Danny Trejo with a performance worthy of an Oscar, flavours all there, the combination of spinach with sour cream, chipotle mayo, touch of jalapeno, and bacon just amazing. 

The damage, 10 quid for two sliders and fries 

The conclusion, great sliders, no disappointments, the full flavours that the Lucky gang are used to deliver. The fries not their finest, there is room for improvement, but the mini burgers were amazing, all of them. I will give a 9 in my scale, just fix the fries and you will get the Oscar for Best Burger. 

More sliders

Close up

All these burgers with actor names remind me the Seinfeld episode “The Mom & Pop Store” 

Jerry: Hey! Did you get the Volvo? 

George: No, I decided to go with an '89 LeBaron 

Elaine: A LeBaron?
 

Jerry: I thought Consumer said Volvo was the car 

George: What Consumer? I'm the consumer

Jerry: All right. Seems like a strange choice

George: Well, maybe so, but it was good enough for Mr. Jon Voight

Elaine: Jon Voight? The actor? 

George: That's right. He just happened to be the previous owner of the vehicle

Jerry: You bought a car because it belonged to Jon Voight?

George: No, no

Jerry: I think yes, yes. You like the idea of telling people you're driving Jon Voight's car

George: All right, maybe I do. So what

Elaine: I've never even seen him in a car. I mean, look at his movies. No cars. Deliverance, canoe. Midnight Cowboy, boots. Runaway Train, runaway train

Slider Bar

T: 020 7065 6841

Burgers

Approx Damage: £18pp

Area: Soho

Borough: City of Westminster

Twitter: sliderbar

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Burger Wars Episode XLVI: Russell Norman Steamed One

While in Melbourne I read a couple posts about the steamed burger in Mishkin's so as usual I couldn't resist to do a stop as soon as I was back. Second visit to the Jewish deli, if you’re curious you can read the first review here. This time I got there at the end of the lunch time, still there was some tables and a couple in the bar. 

The place

Inside

Love the lamps

Ordered a Diamond Fizz and the 3oz steamed beef patty with caramelised onions and Swiss cheese, as side chips. 

Fizzy drink

Burger time

The verdict, slider size, well let’s face it is 3oz patty, the steamed burger was a revelation, not sure how but it was medium rare, perfectly cooked, nice flavour, the bun quite odd, particularly gummy texture but it works with the patty absorbing the juices. The onions a good touch, wouldn't mind a bit more of the cheese or a stronger one actually. Fries were nice and crisp. 

The damage, 9 quid for the quasi burger and the chips. 

The conclusion, nice quasi burger, the patty was a surprise, I would do something with the cheese to be honest, onions a nice touch. I would give Mishkin's a 7 in my scale lots of flavour but there is room for improvement. 

Close up

The steamed patty reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Chicken Roaster” 

Seth: Number sixty seven, family feast 

Newman: Number 67, right here, right here! 

Jerry: Hello Newman 

Newman: Hello Jerry

Seth: And don't forget your steamed broccoli 

Jerry: Hold it, Newman, you wouldn't eat broccoli if it was deep fried in chocolate sauce 

Newman: I love broccoli, it’s good for you 

Jerry: Really? Then maybe you'd like to have a piece? 

Newman: Gladly… Vile weed! 

Jerry: It's Kramer isn't it? The greasy door knob the constant licking of the fingers, he's hooked to the chicken isn't he?

Newman: Yes, now please. Someone, honey mustard

Mishkin's

T: 020 7240 2078

Jewish Deli

Approx Damage: £20pp

Area: Covent Garden

Borough: City of Westminster

Twitter: MishkinsWC2

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Hedwig? The Little Owl [On The Road/BurgeReview: NYC]

NYC burger scene is one of the best without a doubt, excellent options spread across the different boroughs, one place always on the top is The Little Owl, a small café style diner in West Village. They even made the Food and Wine magazine list for best burgers in the US so it was a no brainer to give them a visit. 

The little place on the corner

The owl

The place is small and intimate just a handful of tables and four seats in a tiny but nice bar, apparently the favourite spot of chef and owner Joey Campanaro, just to be on the safe side book in advance. Mediterranean menu, American influences, simple but warm décor, huge windows gives an excellent light to the place, Annie Lennox on the background completed the atmosphere. 

Windows

Inside

We ordered the sliders and the burger. The starter a gravy meatball slider, a blend of beef, pork, veal, and pecorino. Full of flavour, nice combination, the gravy tomato based was lovely, excellent size not too big or small, one of the top sliders I have had for sure. 

Slider time

Aerial view

The burger, an old time American favourite, old school cheeseburger with bacon, nice flavour, perfectly cooked medium rare, juices all over, the meaty bacon British style, the heavenly melted Kraft style cheese definitely American, nice bun absorbed all the juices and held like a British stronghold. 

Burger time

Cross section

Great burger, awesome sliders, excellent place. 

The little owl remind me the Seinfeld episode “The Little Jerry” 

Jerry: Is that your chicken making all that noise? 

Kramer: Oh, Jerry loves the morning 

Jerry: Who? 

Kramer: Little Jerry Seinfeld. I named my chicken after you 

Jerry: Thanks, that's very sweet, but that is not a chicken 

Kramer: Of course it is. I picked it out myself 

Jerry: Well, you picked out a rooster Kramer: Well, that would explain Little Jerry's poor egg production

Little Owl

T: +1 212 741 4695

Mediterranean

Approx Damage: $30pp

Area: West Village

Borough: Manhattan

NYC

Twitter: littleowlnyc

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Pitt Cue Reloaded

A place I really enjoyed last year was Pitt Cue Co. With all the pop up madness, food trucks, night markets, etc, Pitt Cue was one of my favourite and probably one of the only places I ate more than once as I love to try different things so always going to different place to eat. 4 weeks in their new location around Soho. The place is small and cozy, 30 seats in total, less than a dozen stools to sit upstairs, and some tables downstairs, simple decor, liked the lamps upstairs, and what is most important they make you feel like home, is like arriving to a friend’s house, Jamie will make everything to be sure you’re ok, even if that means you need pickle back shots. 

The place

Got to the place for lunch, saw the menu for a couple minutes, discuss with Jamie about my reading of Michael Lewis’ Boomerang, then finally decided a to have a Pitt Cue whatever draught some scratching, the beef ribs with braised sprout tops, and a pulled pork bun.
 

The bar inside

The beer was nice and they go excellent with the scratching, probably not as strong as the pickle back but it was lunch so I prefer to keep it light. The ribs were amazing, the smoky flavour was spot on, they were tender, pretty good, the sprouts where nice, a salty and little bit sour taste that played well with the ribs. The pulled pork bun came with slaw, pickles, and a special sauce it was delicious, good balance with the right touch of sweetness, a hint of spicy, and great juices from the pork, a delight. 

Beer and scratchings

Beef ribs

Pulled pork bun

Food truck still running and now with a permanent home nearby Carnaby Street , great barbecue, nice cocktails, excellent service, chef Tom Adams and business partner front of the house Jamie Berger will keep high the London barbeque bar for sure. 

Lamp attack

The first thing that comes to my mind with Pitt Cue apart from the barbecue is the pickle back shot that reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Red Dot” 

Kramer: That is damn good scotch. I could do a commercial for this stuff. Mmmmm! Boy that Hennigans goes down smooth. And afterwards you don't even smell. That's right folks. I just had three shots of Hennigans and I don't smell. Imagine, you can walk around drunk all day. That's Hennigans, the no-smell, no tell scotch.

Pitt Cue Co

T: 020 7287 5578

Barbecue / American cuisine

Aprox Damage: £20pp

Area: Soho

Borough: City of Westminster

Twitter: PittCueCo

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