#FtLionAwards 2020 Burger of the Year shortlist
After the #FtLionAwards 2020 Best Grill of the Year (proudly sponsored by the UK’s original Karak Chai brand and award-winning restaurant Chaiiwala®), we continue with Best Burger of the Year.
Of course, 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 a prize draw, with three people chosen at random on 1st January 2021 to win x4 BREAKFAST VOUCHERS (sent via post) redeemable at any Chaiiwala® branch across the UK (T&C’s apply).
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.
BALANS
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As one Lion summed up: ‘One of the most memorable burgers I’ve ever had!’
Balans, who have a drink, mains, a duo of desserts, and a grill up for an award, presented the Togarashi Buttermilk Chicken Doughnut. Even with the removal of the smoked, non-Halal bacon, the subtle complexity that defined this sandwich was astounding. The first thing to come through, and around which the rest of the tastes and flavours revolved, was the mellow heat of the gochujang chilli paste. Then came through the sourness of the pink pickles, the light tanginess of Japanese kewpie slaw, the sweetness of the airy doughnut buns, and the crunchy goodness of the lightly spiced battered chicken. As one Lion summed up: “One of the most memorable burgers I’ve ever had!”
BEEF & BIRDS
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A triumph in every respect and one of the best burgers we’ve had in yonky years.
A postumous homage to the now defunct Beef & Birds who, sadly, and much to our surprise, turned out to be very underrated despite consistently good reviews and praise. This is no better demonstrated than with their Dirty Diana. It may not be the most attractive burger, but it made up for that in terms of taste and some. What made this so memorable, was the peppercorn and mustard sauce, which, in combination with the soft segments of mushrooms therein, had been adequately reduced to help intensify its earthy depth and spicy richness. Generously poured over the top of a beautifully minced and seasoned patty, which was nicely charred on the outside while being sufficiently chewy on the in, this dirty little burger grabbed our attention and held it to the very last creamy bite.
BIRD
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Bird’s The Original Waffle Burger was a humongous burger, with a large slab of chicken surrounded in a crunchy batter, covered in plenty of sweet maple syrup, mayo, and some house BBQ. This was an extremely tasty burger, with moist succulent poultry, and plenty of that classic sweet ‘n’ savoury umami-ness that comes with the chicken and waffle combo.
THE BURGER CLUB
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You get one of the best bacon burgers we’ve had.
The Burger Club turned out to be a very surprising new restaurant and the place to be for all burger-lovers if you’re in Banstead. Their Club Bacon led one Lion to remark: “You get one of the best bacon burgers we’ve had.” The burger was absolutely filled with all that piquant cheese along with the smokey goodness of the deliciously crisp strips of Turkey bacon. Add to that a soft runny egg, which added some iron richness to whole thing, and this turned out to be a perfectly layered assembly that came together into a harmonious whole.
TWO BUNS
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Two Buns’ The Buffalo Chicken was a memorable one. What made this such an addictive little thing was the generous amount of the watery buffalo sauce used in saturating the crispy-textured chicken fillet. The herby ranch sauce did well in helping to temper the strength of the tangy tabasco-esque flavour just enough to enjoy the tenderness of the thick, juicy breast.
