Honest Burgers Bristol

Last week I headed down to Clare Street for a masterclass with Honest Burgers, the latest offering Bristol has in its forever expanding and competitive burger field. With owner Tom Barton,  proudly boasting that his burgers are the best in terms of quality in the UK, I knew I needed to try these for myself! 

After an intro from Tom about his journey from tiny stall holding, catering for friends and then in to the world of running a business, Honest Burgers is now a chain of 23 branches spanning the country. With some of the bigger burger chains failing to win over the ever loving independent market in Bristol, Honest Burgers has a lot to prove. 

During the earlier talk, we got to sample a solo patty. So tender that you could of cut it with a spoon-we didn’t! Seasoned at the point of cooking so no moisture was drawn out, you could taste the quality of the beef and the fat really sung out.

The restaurant itself was much like any other new restaurant here, using reclaimed wood, the mixture between long benches and comfy booths, instudial style lighting and light walls, it lets the food do the talking. 

The menu isn’t huge. With only 1 chicken and vegetarian option, the menu really focuses on the use of its (very good) beef patty. Using chopped chuck and rib cap and 20% fat in their patties ensure not only a juicy, flavoursome burger but they can also serve these medium rare due to being approved to do so due to high quality cuts of meat used.

All sauces and their rosemary chips are house made and all other produce are sourced locally. 

With a table full of hungry bloggers, we were given plates of chicken wings, onion rings and house sauces to try. 

When it came to choosing my burger, I went with The Bristol (£12.95) beef, Westcombe Dairy smoked cheddar and cheese curds, bacon, shoestring fries, white onion, cider gravy and pickles. What a beast!! 




As expected, the burger was superb! I loved the addition of the housemade pickles that cut through the meat and gave it a sharp crunch. The smoked cheese worked well with the saltiness of the bacon but sadly this meant I couldn’t really taste the cheese curds. Of course with this particular burger giving a nod to the classic poutine, I had high hopes for that expected cheesy squeak. 

All burgers came with a side of rosemary salted chips. They were the thick cut, skin on kind but possibly a little too salty for my taste. I couldn’t get enough of the side of cider and bacon gravy which was rich and deliciously sweet and I happily dunked anything I could in to it! 

It’s fair to say that Honest Burgers really did live up to the hype. Good, honest food without pretentious ingredients that left me feeling full up and satisfied. With the owners attitude, passion and knowledge, I really do hope they do well in Bristol. 

**Disclaimer**

Although I received my meal in return of a review, all opinions are my own. 

Wings Diner, Bristol

Last month I celebrated my birthday and what better way to celebrate than to go and eat some beautiful, yet dirty chicken!

Ladies, gents, those in between....I found chicken heaven...

Wings Diner, was and still are a pop up, now residing at Small Bar on Kings Street. Serving up delicious fried chicken with an Asian inspired twist. Not forgetting the veggies and vegans of course! But for me, it’s all about the chicken life. Think fried chickenburgers, wings and pieces, but not like those weak offerings from your local fast food takeaways. I’m talking thick, juicy pieces of bird that leave you so greasy and full that you’re calling for help. 

I went for the Thai style burger first. With a fat juicy chicken thigh on a bed of lettuce, topped with cheese and Srirachanaise (it’s a thing!) and I couldn’t of been more delighted that they used the softest, squishiest buns. I happen to be rather fussy when it comes to the right type of burger bun.

And because it was my birthday, I didn’t plan on mucking around. I came for food and lots of it! So next came the dirty fries. 

Twice the photo because this had double the flavour of anything I’ve ever eaten before. Crispy little fries, covered in fried chicken, cheese and Korean sauce. These were incredible. The Korean sauce was like an umami bomb, that salty, heavy taste that was suitable for eating as a solo dish but no, here I was scoffing them as a side to my already deep fried meal. I couldn’t even finish my food as not only did I have the burger and fries but I was desperate to try the blue rice and had that too. I was so not sorry, the garlic sang like a

Morning bird and of course being blue in colour just added to the spectacle. There was wings involved at some point but after a while I was seeing stars and close to removing my trousers. My husband opted for the 2 piece meal, which he promised me was some of the most juiciest of legs he’d come across and loved the crunch of the coating. 

Gasping for breath, we left full, happy and faces covered in food. We’ll certainly be back.

I seriously can’t recommend Wings enough. And if you do get the chance to go, order the spicy peanut sauce with everything. I could of bathed in the stuff!

Dirty by Name, Dirty by Nature at Bristol Squeezed

Today was the opening of Squeezed, Bristols latest offering in the world of burgers. Is there such a thing as too many burgers? Not in my book!

Squeezed is the baby of Alex Hayes, of former Rebel Roll, and brings back the much loved classics that he was synonymous for. Having been living under a rock, although I was aware of previous offerings, I didn't get the chance to sample the goods. But now Squeezed has arrived in Whapping Wharfs Cargo 2 development, I can revisit til my little fat hearts content. 

As the name suggests, Squeezed focuses on lemonade, burgers and fries. Everything from the brioche buns down to the sauces is made fresh in the compact shipping container.

Tonight I went for the Reverse Cowgirl (nothing new there *wink wink*), fries and lemonade, all for a very reasonable £9.99 The fact you can get meal deals here are fab. If like me, you have a limited budget, it's perfect to know you can get the works for a set price.

Let's talk burgers. I like mine pink and juicy and was relieved to find that's exactly what I got. Not too thick, not too thin. This was then loaded with smoky, rich peanut chipotle bbq sauce, charred scallion sour cream, smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato and Monterey Jack cheese- although there was so much flavour, the cheese did get a little lost. There was certainly no holding back on any of the ingredients, this burger was definitely a two handed job! The skin on, handcut fries were lightly seasoned with ancho chilli salt and were beautifully hot and crisp. 

The lemonade had to be the winner for me. Pinky Punky lemonade with watermelon and rosemary, it was strong and punchy with a delicate aftertaste from the rosemary and even though it was just a juice, it almost tasted alcoholic like a guilt free cocktail. Winner! 

No doubt I'll be back to sample more of the menu soon. http://bristolsqueezed.weebly.com/

The Burger Joint

So not only did I go out for a burger once last week but twice!! 

So when it comes to dining out, I'll be honest and say that burgers aren't top of my list when deciding what to eat. But The Burger Joint change that. With over 60 different ingredients, there are literally thousands of different combinations you could possibly choose from, the concept of building your burger the exact way you want it, is a bit of a game changer! All ingredients are locally produced and sourced and the menu caters for gluten free, vegetarians and vegans too. You could also have the option of a salad instead. 

The restaurant itself was small, with subtle lighting and simple decor but even though there were no empty tables, I didn't feel too packed in and for a Thursday night, I was surprised at how busy it was. A testament to good burgers, I say! 

 

Once we were greeted and seated, we were given a menu and an order form to create our burgers just the way we wanted them. 

Now I'm a bit of a coward and tend to stick to what I know and like so I opted for a traditional beef patty but there were 15 varieties to choose from - And that was just the patties!!

After much deliberating, I finally settled on my choices and couldn't wait for the server to take my order so I couldn't change my mind. It's no surprise that they supply your table with pencils so you can alter your order forms! Who knew creating your own food could be so fun yet so tough? *Phew*

 

So this is what I went for. Beef patty with chorizo, Brie and guacamole in a brioche bun, served with Parmesan and truffle fries, I also went for the garlic mayo and thousand island sauces for dipping. Heaven! 

The burger was superbly juicy and full of flavour and it was generously filled with my chosen toppings, although I will point out that the chorizo was wafer thin and the flavour was lost. Maybe it wasn't the best choice for my combo. Still, I wasn't too sad, overall the Burger was delicious. The fries were so good but after finishing my burger, I had very little room left. 

I'll definitely be returning and bringing my husband. I might even be a little more adventurous and try the kangaroo! Special thank you to Dan for the invite, I had a lovely visit. 

The Burger Joint can be found in Fishponds, Bedminster and Clifton. Offering monthly menu specials and student/lunch deals. 

More info can be found on their website 

here.

The Cornish Burger Co at Steam Bristol

Last night I popped down to Steam in Clifton to sample their new burger pop up. Who doesn't love a big juicy burger on a boring Wednesday night?!

Although having heard of Steam, I hadn't yet visited so I was really delighted to get the invite. Walking in to the former Clifton Down railway ticket hall, I was instantly smitten with the gothic revival architecture. With big beautiful windows, pointed doors and 2 huge fireplaces at each end of the room, it had an industrial feel but with candles, leather armchairs and warm glowing lights, it still kept the coziness and charm. 

The Cornish Burger Co are Steams current residents and they did not disappoint. Having been making burgers and paella for 20 years in Cornwall, only the finest Cornish ingredients are used. 

 

I opted for The Janner. A 6oz Cornish beef burger with cheese, streaky bacon and onion marmalade, served with the usual salad/pickle garnish and a side of fries. Now, as a self confessed bacon addict, this had to be up there with the best I'd ever had. Thick, smoky and super crispy, it was like a bacon, pork scratching mash up. 

 

As you can see, portion wise, I was not left hungry. The burger itself was super juicy and well seasoned. The bun was soft and the combo of the salty bacon and the sweetness of the marmalade was pure wedded bliss.

After finishing the food, I got to have a little tour of next door, Shebeen. A quiet little bar, almost bordering on mancave, with armchairs and a little nook, is set to become the perfect Irish whiskey bar. I'll be covering more on Shebeen in the future. 

Food is available Mon-Thurs 5pm - 9pm 

Fri - Sat 12 noon - 9pm and Sun 12 noon - 8pm