Good Food Blog

Burger bliss

Posted at , 18 February 2009 by Andrea McGinniss - Editor, bbcgoodfood.com

The Good Food team are marking a momentous occasion today with a lunch down the road at Westfield. A few of us have already spent several minutes hunched around my screen salivating over the menu and planning what we're going to have. Gone are the days when you could just order 'a burger and fries please'. These days there's more than 30 to choose from - featuring toppings ranging from camembert to cucumber raita. Our destination? GBK - aka the Gourmet Burger Kitchen.

It may not be the trendiest venue, and we already know a PBS (post burger slump) and a big dose of the guilts this afternoon is inevitable, but that's not going to curb our enthusiasm. Not when there's a big plate of burger and chips in the offing.

So what is it that's so satisfying about biting into a burger? Is it because you can hold your whole meal - your meat and however many 'veg' packed between two fluffy buns in two hands? Is it the pleasure of piling all your favourite ingredients on top of each other to create your very own fantasy food tower? Is it the chance to roll up your sleeves and get messy with a group of mates? Or is it just because we've got 2 for 1 vouchers we're trying to use up?

I'll let you know after lunch. What's your favourite burger topping? And do you love or loathe these most pleasurable of guilts?

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Comments

  • 18 February 2009, 3:09PM

    Caroline

    Open QuoteI love a burger but usually find there's just too much of it (today's was a case in point). That's why I was thrilled on a recent trip to New York to discover 'the mini burger' in trendy Williamsburg(er) joint Dumont Burger (http://www.dumontrestaurant.com/index.htm )- a smaller bun, a smaller burger but no shortage of salad and the biggest plate of chips I've ever seen. Perfection!

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  • 18 February 2009, 3:45PM

    Andrea

    Open QuoteSad to say I was a bit disappointed with my burger today. Took ages to order, ages for our order to arrive and the burger was a little paltry (not in quantity but in quality) for the £7 it cost. Wouldn't hurt to throw in a few free chips either. Am I asking too much?!

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  • Binder photo Pat
    18 February 2009, 7:22PM

    Pat

    Open QuoteChicken, avocado and bacon at GBK is the best - chips have to come along too though!

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  • 18 February 2009, 7:57PM

    Tom secrets!

    Open QuoteI dont tend to eat burgers as Im Veggy, but with take-aways the salad toppings and dressings from Maoz falafel are wonderful! They destroy all notions of salad being 'Rabbit food', simple but flavoursome. I have only experienced the Amsterdam shops but I hear there is one in Covent Garden now. Now thats my lunch stop sorted next time I'm in the area

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  • 18 February 2009, 9:43PM

    Emily

    Open QuotePat - that's the burger I chose on our lunch outing today! It was delicious but there was so much mashed avocado it was falling out all over the place. I must apologise to those who had to sit and watch me get green slime all over my hands, face, clothes...

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  • 19 February 2009, 9:26AM

    skippyman

    Open QuoteI love a burger, especially making my own because you can add lots of seasoning, onion, chilli and coriander into the meat. My guilty burger pleasure? Topping it with a fried egg. Decadence!

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  • 19 February 2009, 10:04AM

    sioden

    Open QuoteI love avocado in anything - and more than anything I love to cram as much different flavours into my burgers as possible. I think I'd have to go for bacon, avodao, mozzarella topped burger with chips and sour cream and salse on the side - messy heaven!!!

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  • 19 February 2009, 12:48PM

    drusilla

    Open QuotePat, you must have read my mind - I made that the other day! Had chicken breast instead of burger tho, and coated it in a few spices - big dollop of mayo, and presto, yumminess!

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  • 19 February 2009, 2:13PM

    Leamac83

    Open QuoteThe ultimate burger is a big fat juicy beef burger with melted cheese, crispy bacon, onion rings, tomato and tomato relish then topped with a few chips and some mayo!!! MMMmmmmmmmmm!! :)

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  • 19 February 2009, 10:25PM

    Paul

    Open QuoteI quite agree! Theres nothing quite like a tasty burger sometimes. For a slightly different (read, British) take on a burger then I can highly recommend Nigel Howarths Highwayman Pub near Kirkby Lonsdale. Served on a Lancashire Oven Bottom muffin with Lancashire Cheese. Lovely!

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  • 20 February 2009, 5:42PM

    MissEricaCourt

    Open Quoteah...the best burgers are made by the handmade burger company (i go to the one in birmingham) - so many different ones to choose from! chicken, beef, big size, small size, avocado, spicy sauce, traditional ketchup, pretty much anything you could ever want on a burger all stacked up with a skewer in it to keep it from toppling all over the most fantastic pile of chips..... ah the memories.

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  • 23 February 2009, 4:25AM

    Holly

    Open QuoteOoh, I do love a good trip to GBK - and also FBC too, (Fine burger company). I'm now living in Melbourne and they have the biggest burger offering I have ever seen. As some people will have witnessed, The Bogan Burger is HUGE! And I applaud anyone who can get through even half. It's a steak, a chicken schnitzel, a potato cake, bacon, egg, cheese, onion, pineapple and beetroot. And a huge pile of chips or wedges. An amazing site,and a bargain too at around 9 quid. Could feed a family off it! A legend in it's own right.

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  • 23 February 2009, 4:26AM

    Holly

    Open QuoteIf anyone is in Melbourne and wants to try one, they are at The Napier Hotel (pub) on Napier St in Fitzroy.

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