#FtLionAwards 2019 – Best Burger of the Year?
After the #FtLionAwards 2019 Best Steak of the Year (proudly sponsored by non alcoholic distribution company Azanti, which promotes a #soberlifestyle), we continue with Best Burger of the Year.
And we want you to participate because not only do you have the chance of voting for your favourite on our Instagram and Facebook pages, but you’ll also be entered into our prize draw with the chance of winning a special box of six premium beverages by Azanti.
So we want you to either: 1) vote for the following nominees, or 2) let us know both your favourite dish and the place you had it, all on our Facebook and/or Instagram pages.
BUN & SLICE
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This year, we’ve shortlisted a number of nominees for this category that are based outside London (a sign that things are changing or that Londoners are becoming less imaginative?), starting with Bun & Slice in Manchester.
If you’re looking for a bit of everything, then this THICC burger, with its mixture of chicken, beef and steak, is the real deal. A harmony of flavours coupled with the tastes of the meats coming through so distinctly meant that this beat our expectations. The grilled steak stood out for us, being beautifully soft and tender, and enhanced by the sweetness of the grilled onions and peppers.
But what really lifted this burger to epic proportions was the addition of three cheeses, one to each layer, which, when paired with the BS sauce, helped bring this juicy sandwich together into a coherent whole. Yes, this is a proper hands-on burger, so be prepared to approach this on an empty stomach.
COMPTOIR V
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Vegan restaurant Comptoir V has been nominated for a Veggie and Starter award; and with their It’s No Jerk burger, this is their fourth nomination.
Any time you elicit the following reaction from any Lion: “The best veg burger I’ve had!” you know you’ve done a good job, especially when it comes to burgers (let’s face it, we’ve tried far too many for our constitutional good). Essentially, this had three things going for it: flavours, layers and more flavours.
With a 3-bean patty as wholesomely chunky as this, it needed to be relatively moist whilst requiring something complementary. In this case, while it held its shape really well, the patty itself was far from dense being instead loosely textured. But it was the large layer of cheese, coupled with plenty of in-your-face rich smoky jerk sauce, sweet caramelised onions, and a thick slice of tomato, that was sufficient in bringing this gorgeous creation together into a coherent whole. More impressively, they also accounted for the inevitable mushiness that comes with any softly-textured bean patty by cleverly pairing everything in between with a robust and quite crispy pretzel bun.
BRGR.BRO
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BRGR.BRO in Leicester says it’s the UK’s first slider restaurant. And what sliders they presented too with this Grilled Flamin Hot Chicken wowing us the most. What made this Grilled Flaming Hot Chicken in a Charcoal Bun so impressive wasn’t just its execution, but also its unique flavour profile, with a beautifully succulent piece of poultry marinated in a semi-wet batter that was liberally coated in what one Lion described as crushed spicy Dorito crisps.
With a touch of heat lingering in the background, another Lion was also reminded of crisps, in this case the namesake: Monster Munch Flamin’ Hot, in his attempt at describing this slider’s sweet-cum-tangy flavour.
PHAT BUNS
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And Leicester did it again, this time with Phat Buns who served us not one but two burgers that have made the cut this year, starting with this Phat Angus, which one Lion described as “American greasiness at its finest”.
Their smashed burgers are made as fresh as you can get with the meat being brought in on a regular basis but ground on site to ensure maximal freshness; and it really makes a difference.
This came with two 30z patties, with everything appearing to be perfectly judged, from the succulence of the patties to the amount of sauce and cheese curd used to help masterfully bring this entire burger together into a coherent whole. In short, Phat Buns is a lesson in creating smashed beef burgers for places in London who are offering the same, including Fatburger and, to a lesser extent, Two Buns.
PHAT BUNS
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The second one from Phat Buns was this Phat Chicken which came in a firmer Pretzel Bun, along with condiments like caramelised onions, mac n cheese (yup; you read that right!) and haloumi.
The inevitable question: Does mac n cheese work in a burger, let alone a chicken one? Surprisingly, very well actually! Of course, it helps that the battered chicken was cooked bang on and served as juicy and as tender as it was. With a beautiful crispy exterior, the chicken contrasted well against the creamy-gooey combo of the soft mac n cheese and the caramelised onions. We also admired the way in which the sweetness of the caramelised onions married against the piquancy of the two cheeses therein, with the haloumi coming through in the background.
