Small but perfectly formed
Burger source
The Breakfast Club – proud purveyors of comfort food – is round the corner from my previous workplace, and I’d always looked into its crowded space when I went past hoping to be the kind of person who is organised enough to book a table at the popular breakfast/burger spot, but never had the wherewithal to do so. Meeting up with an old friend nearby, we strolled past and found it nearly empty and so seized the opportunity.
The restaurant itself – has café/diner vibes (it’s a caf, full stop, says its website) combined with a touch of speakeasy (there’s a password protected – literally – bar underneath the main restaurant). Menus are simple and options are limited, service is homely and brisk, and there’s a small – but decent – cocktail suggestion hinting at more to come downstairs. It was… cosy, in the low lighting, a nice respite from the summer rains spitting around irrepressibly outside.
The order
I had the bacon and applewood burger, which came with fresh lettuce, tomato, pickles, crisp bacon, smoked red cheddar, spicey roasted jalapenos, smashed ‘brown’ (hash brown?) pickled red onions bacon on the standard patty, all enclosed in a brioche bun and basted with ‘virgin mary’ mayo. We shared sides – £7 for two – corn ribs and fries. A club mai tai was my drink of choice.
The meat of it
First look – it’s a well made, fairly conventional looking diner-style burger. Controversially (for things that pass as controversial in the worlds of burger tasting and emoji design) the salad is atop the bacon, not protecting the lower bun from the meat juices. There’s a good melt on the cheese, a robust hash brown sits in the middle of it all, the salad looks bright and fresh, the crisp bacon is peeking out the side, and the bun has good height and a reassuring glisten.
In cross section… the melt is even more evident, as is the modest scale of the patty itself relative to the toppings. The generosity in the cheese serving is also clear, and the softness of the bun.
First bite, and I’m instantly hit with the salty umami of the cheese, the savoury crisp of the bacon, and sweet brine from the pickle. A gentle burn emerges, presumably from the tabasco in the virgin mary sauce, possibly from the jalapeno. It’s actually a delightful contrast, and far from seeming stingy, the ratios are perfectly balanced. The patty – not quite crisp enough to be a smashburger, perhaps, again seems fairly diner-standard, but is perfectly seasoned, and in combination with the fresh, sweet salad, gives a delightful mouthful in every bite. The cheese is sharp and unguent, not quite as melty as American slices, but adding mouthfeel and saltness with every bite. The hash brown adds a small amount of crunch and a good amount to the mass and ratios in the burger.
To the last bite, this was a delight. Really a brilliant balance of standard burger construction. The bun – despite the lack of shielding from the burger – held up to the end. Highly recommend.
On the sides… the corn ribs (3 to a basket, a bit pricey) were fine but not surprising – just a standard corn in the cob cut into pieces for lols and fashion. They hadn’t take the opportunity to crisp it on the grill and add texture, or season and add flavour, so it really was just a pretty decent, but very standard corn (off the) cob. The fries – perfectly cooked, brilliantly seasons, crisp and fresh with starchy potato flavour in every bite – were also nigh on perfect.
The mai tai – was faultless. Sweet and sharp, perfectly balanced, a sweet dream in a glass. I’m not a mai tai pro but suspect that all their cocktails are solid.
Monkey finger rating
Bun – 5/5
Build – 5/5 – in spite of the positioning of the salad, it looked and worked perfectly.
Burger – 4.5/5 – really with the toppings it was a perfect mouthful every time
Taste – 4.5/5 – hard to fault
Sides – 4/5 – bigger portion and more creative corn ribs would have earned this a 5
Value – 3/5 – £19.50 for burger and two sides, ish, feels a lot given the size of everything, but I might just be in denial about the cost of living. Add on £10 for the cocktail and service… not a cheap night out
Burger rating – 4.5/5 – Very close to an ideal burger, of the type. Would recommend.
The deets
Minutes from London Bridge and slightly more minutes to Southwark, this is on a bustling corner opposite one of the exits from Borough Market. Well worth a stop in; the pancakes looked lush too.
Burger Source 