Burgers are currently at the forefront of the recent penetration of ‘dirty’ American-style cuisine to hit the UK restaurant market. They are usually a safe bet; you know what you’re getting (usually) aside from the ‘accessories’ or side dishes that accompany the burger. There are usual one or two minor questions to answer along the way with ordering a burger, for example; how does the establishment handle the bun? Is it a brioche style bun or a soft but toasted sesame seed bun, or is it a bog-standard floury effort? Then there’s the issue of the aforementioned ‘accessories’; is there a cornichon (whole gherkin) present, is salad present nestling above the burger, how about onion rings and relish or sauces? I have sung the simplistic virtues of a burger in a previous article (right here: [http://electrokemistcuisine.weebly.com/1/post/2011/12/the-art-of-making-a-burger.html], funny that you should ask…), where there were very few places that provided decent burger satisfaction, one decent one (NOT Gourmet Burger Kitchen) and many provided frozen ready-made burgers, there are now a number of options. There has now been a proliferation of patties across the city in recent months, with the arrival of many American bistro/diner establishments in the shape of Free State Kitchen, Nolita Cantina and other establishments such as Attic providing solid candidates for ‘best burger’. We should expect another arrival in the coming months if rumours are to be believed, with ‘Almost Famous’ making a tentative march down the M62 from Manchester’s Northern Quarter (maybe). Now Byron Hamburgers [http://www.byronhamburgers.com/] have taken over a unit in Liverpool One just on Paradise Street Near to Jamie’s Italian and John Lewis. Choosing a Saturday evening to test out a new place is not my usual thing, but on this occasion compulsion, hunger and coincidence got the better of me. Byron’s was very busy when we arrived, so the atmosphere was lightly buzzing, albeit with a slightly canteen-style atmosphere. The choice to sit outside was an easy one to make considering the inside was rather clammy and warm and the start to proceedings was not really the best in terms of creating a positive impression. Twenty minutes passed by until we finally attracted the attention of someone to take an order, the speed of service following the initial hiccup was however, quite remarkable if concerningly impressive. You wouldn’t really expect to receive your food within 10 minutes of ordering it, except for the grimiest of fast-food places, but there the burgers were, in front of us…. In ten minutes. To be fair, selling burgers in a burger restaurant must be something easy to conveyor-belt-prepare. The burgers themselves were competent and tasted as would be expected from somewhere specialising in them; deep rich and meaty and with plenty of meat – not too dense from over handling and not too heavy grained to fall apart in the bun. I ordered the Byron Burger and my accomplice ordered the Cheese Burger. The former was very satisfying with cheddar, sauce and maple cured bacon adding layers of salty flavour and sweet piquancy, the latter I was assured equally so with a thick tranche of emmenthal cheese to compliment my friend’s burger cooked to a medium level. The side dishes were unfussy and presented in pristine enamel bowls; the fries, crunchy and fluffy centred with no superfluous grease and the onion rings, deliciously fragile and crisp with a slightly chewy centre. There were 7 burgers in all to choose from along with 7 types of main salad and a number of side salads and other side dishes plus add-ons to the burgers, so the menu is not totally exhaustive. Pricewise it is much of a muchness as one would say in comparison to other establishments. All burgers cost a similar amount to the previously discussed eateries and therefore Byron’s maintains a reasonable status quo in this regard. Special mention should go to the drinks menu here though, with 9 white and 9 red wines on offer and 2 options for pink/fizz, there is enough for those wanting to make more of an occasion whilst visiting. However, the Craft Beer selection is something to get a little excited about, a good selection which is sadly slightly pricey. Thornbridge Jaipur, Brooklyn Lager and Dead Pony Club are all great with a substantial meat patty, whilst Camden Brewery provide Gentlemen’s Wit and a Lager Helles beer to bolster proceedings. Our burgers were washed down gratefully with Jaipur and Wit. The gradual improvement of the service through the evening was a blessing, our waitress was exceptionally polite and friendly, not to mention thorough and helpful. If the joint irons out the initial kinks of keeping front of house in order, the rest is pretty much taken care of – this shouldn’t take too long. Byron’s apparently do take away for those who want to eat on the move or at home…. handy. All said and done, it is another tasty and viable option in the city for a delicious burger. You can’t go too far wrong! Pedro.
1 Comment
Pedro
7/9/2013 06:47:24 pm
Further to this, Marina O'Loughlin has published a nice run down of several burger joints around at the moment - http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2013/jul/09/perfect-burger-review-nationwide
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