Marriott Hotel, Budapest, Hungary

This is a guest review by my work colleague, Andrey.  He sent me a photo of his burger while I was travelling in the Netherlands, I can't tell you how jealous I was!!

Andrey's Dining Out Philosophy:
I am a great believer in importance of aesthetics and therefore invariably I am  more concerned with the ambiance and the mood of the place as well as the presentation of the food, and, probably, less about the taste itself. Why would you go out if you are not expecting to have an experience that ideally should begin with anticipation of something to happen, then, perhaps, it should continue with you either making an informed choice on where to go in case you have a pre-existing expectations or with you making a daring decision to try something new? Then you would go, try, and reflect with all these little elements that form your experience. Well, occasionally you just have to stop at a place and then make the best out of it. And sure enough, then you get very critical of what you are served.

About the Burger:

A standard burger, I would say. Well, at least the only one that was there on the menu with little other options. You probably could get a chicken one as well.

Rating:

Review:

Of course, it was reasonable to believe that Marriott will offer a good quality even in the lounge, but, I would say in this case, the quality from my perspective was very respectable. First, all these little burgers individually prepared. Secondly, a choice of variety of sauces as opposed to the cellophane packets with ketchup - these formed a very convincing view. The quantity was enough to settle your hunger for a good while and I opted to order it yet again the next day.

About the venue:
The Marriott Hotel in Budpest is located on the bank of the Danube River in Hungary.

"El Restaurante" at Los Naranjos - Puerto Banus, Spain

About the Burger:

A great burger at a great venue with fantastic views across the golf course and hillside above Puerto Banus in Spain.



Menu description:

The waiter took the menu before I'd noted the description and price so this is my second review in a row were I've missed this piece of information.  I'll try and recall the description:
Hamburger with cheese, pineapple, fried egg, salad and fries - €11.95

Rating:

Review:

A good burger and my first with a fried egg and pineapple although the egg was too overdone on the underside - I'm fussy about my fried eggs.  It was also my first to have Marie Rose sauce as a salad dressing.  I enjoyed this burger and the taste was above average but not enough to elevate it above a 3 burger rating.  I gave my egg to a friend who also took some fries so she could have egg and chips - I guess living in Spain you must miss some British classics.

About the venue:

I'd eaten at "El Restaurante" at Los Naranjos in the hills above Puerto Banus before when visiting a friend who now lives in Spain and I was looking forward to going back.  It's the restaurant for one of the many golf clubs in this area with a dining terrace that offers views of the golf course and the surrounding hills.

Est Caffe - Luton Airport, England

About the Burger:

An above average burger for an airport, better than expected and I would have it again.

Menu description:

I didn't get a menu description and price and I cannot find it on the internet - I'll update this posting the next time I visit again.  From memory it was something like:
100% beef burger with cheese, lettuce, bacon and skin-on fries - £11.50

Rating:

Review:

I was pleasantly surprised with this burger. I was expecting a mass produced burger with fatty bacon and a dry or over toasted bun.  The burger shape made it look more home made and the bacon was nice (although I prefer mine more crispy with my burger) and the bun was soft and fresh.  The fries were a bit tasteless and I'm not sure what leaving the skin on does for taste - probably nothing.  The burger itself was nice and although it lacked the taste of my recent 5 burger rated review specimen it wasn't bad.  If you're travelling from an airport with an Est Caffe venue I suggest you give it a try.

About the venue:

Est Caffe (yes, there are 2 F's) is a chain of venues that I've seen at various airports around the UK.  They provide a quick and convenient place to eat and kill some time while waiting for your flight.

The Windmill - Somersham, Cambridgeshire, England

About the Burger:

The first five burger rated review.  A perfect combination of a fresh bread roll with a very tasty burger and accompaniments.

Menu description:

The Windmill Beef Burger with Extra Mature Cheddar, Smoked Bacon, Topped with Onion Rings Mayonnaise & Hand Cut Chips £9.95

Rating:

 

 

 

Review:

Burger reviews are a very personal thing and mine take into account lots of factors outside of the actual burger, the feel of the venue, the other stuff on the plate, the service and the general feel of the meal.  With this burger all these things came together along the tastiest burger I've eaten since I started this blog.  The smoked bacon, the onion ring, the soft and fresh bread roll all added to the experience.

The flavour of the burger was exactly what I've been seeking for the last four months.  In addition to this The Windmill serves the best fries I've ever had, the chef triple cooks them resulting in a crispy outside and a light and fluffy inside.  One striking aspect, the observant amongst you will have spotted in the photo, is the steak knife spearing the burger - a great way of providing the correct cutlery.

I'm looking forward to finding an excuse to go back to The Windmill to see whether this was a fluke or whether they can deliver this quality consistently.

About the venue:
The Windmill is a nice pub on the outskirts of the pretty village of Somersham in the Cambridgeshire countryside.  The restaurant has a very good menu that should appeal to anybody.  The staff are friendly and service is good.

The Garden Street Grill - Cromer, Norfolk, England

About the Burger:

A surprisingly good burger at a family restaurant in Cromer and the first one to get a four burger rating.

Menu description:

8oz Homemade Cheeseburger £8.50
served in a warmed bun with steak chips or spicy wedges and side salad.

Rating:

Review:

We were looking for somewhere to have lunch close to the centre of Cromer, a seaside town in Norfolk.  We saw The Garden Street Grill which had free tables and a good range of meals on the menu to suit everybody, including a burger for me.  My expectations were low but I'm pleased to say they were exceeded.  The burger was handmade and was served with a lot of fries plus a small side salad, I also added a side order of onion rings.  As usual I ate the salad first, the fries next and left the burger to last.  This burger had many of the qualities I've been looking for since I started this blog in April.  The bread roll was soft and fresh and the burger had the flavour I was looking for.  It could have had a five burger rating if the rest of the dining experience had been up to the same standard, the fries lacked flavour and were a little disappointing.  Overall I can highly recommend this burger and restaurant, don't be put off by the appearance venue.

About the venue:

The Garden Street Grill is on a street that leads down to the sea front and pier at Cromer in Norfolk.  It's a traditional family seaside restaurant with broad range of items on the menu.

Stravinsky's - Newmarket Racecourse, Suffolk, England

About the Burger:

A tasty burger served as a light bite sized meal on soft, fresh ciabatta.

Menu description:

Organic 100% Beef Burger £9.95
Served with Ciabatta Roll, with Tomato Red Onion Relish, Beef Tomato, Roquette Salad and hand chopped Coleslaw.

Rating:

Review:

When I first saw this burger as it was delivered to my table I was disappointed.  The lack of cheese and fries and the plain appearance made me think this was a meal designed to get the customers in and out quickly.  I'm pleased to say that I was wrong.  The onion relish and the soft, fresh ciabatta roll lifted the whole burger beyond its looks and my poor first impressions.  The burger itself was nicely cooked and had a good taste.

About the venue:

Stravinsky's is one of many restaurants at Newmarket Racecourse in Suffolk.  It is a modern venue situated on a raised walkway in the Premier Enclosure and is a good place to people watch while waiting for your food to arrive.

Prezzo - Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England

About the Burger:

A great burger served on a wooden platter with the salad components available for self assembly if required.

Menu description:

Classic Burger £9.95
100% prime beef burger with emmental cheese and garlic mayonnaise in a sesame seed sour dough bun served with house fries.

Rating:

Review:

It's been a while since I've reviewed a burger, it's not that I haven't been eating them more that they've mostly been take aways from McDonalds and Burger King when travelling.

I was surprised that Prezzo served burgers but the grill section of their menu includes one so I had to give it try.  I would normally order pizza at Prezzo, which are very good by the way (and my second choice if burgers aren't listed).

The burger is served on a wooden platter which is quite rustic, I also liked that they provide the lettuce, tomato and onion on the side so you can add these if you like.  I'm not that keen on tomato and I prefer not to have lettuce on my burger, it makes it slide around when trying to eat it, so I left these off - I did put the onion on there though.

I enjoyed the burger, the bread roll was soft and fresh and the burger itself was cooked nicely.  As usual it lacked the flavour I'm looking for, hence the 3 burger rating.

About the venue:

Prezzo in the market town of Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk is part of a chain of Italian restaurants in the United Kingdom with venues in many towns and cities.  A good range of pasta, pizza, salad and grill items are available.

Guest Reviewers Wanted

Do you have a good or bad burger experience that you'd like to share with others then please send me an email with your review, rating and photo.  The sections are:

• About the Reviewer - a brief profile about you that you are happy to be shown on the blog.
• About the Burger - a short description of the burger.
• Menu Description - how the menu was described in the restaurant including the price and any extras.
• Rating - a score between 0 and 5, this is your personal assessment of the burger overall.
• Review - your anecdotal observations of the burger helping to describe how you gave your rating.
• About the Venue - a short summary about the restaurant including the name and some location details.

Every burger and venue will be considered from fast food burger vans through to fine dining and everything in between.

The Three Jolly Butchers - Wyton, Cambridgeshire, England

About the Burger:

A classic burger served on ciabatta bread in a country pub setting.
 

Menu description:

Home Made 8oz Jolly Butchers Beef Burger Topped With Cheese £9.25
Served On A Toasted Ciabatta Cob With Homechips & Dresses Mixed Leaf Salad

Rating:

Review:

This was very nearly a 1 burger rating review but it clawed its way back to up to a 3 based on taste alone.  I ordered a side order of onion rings as these make a great companion to a burger meal.  My burger arrived with a side salad which I normally consider as something that is contaminating my plate but this one had a nice dressing so I'll forgive it this time.  I'm not sure that ciabatta makes a good bread roll for a burger as I'm not keen on crusty bread, especially with a burger.  The ciabatta was my worst fear realised, it seemed like it either wasn't fresh or had been hastily defrosted as it was very hard, especially the top half.

As regular readers will know, I typically eat everything other than the burger first and leave that until last and this was no exception.  The chips were amongst the best I've ever had with a crisp outside and a nice fluffy inside - perfect.  The ciabatta roll top was so hard I couldn't even cut through it with my knife and ended up not eating that bit.  To add insult to injury, the onion rings were over cooked with very little batter on them and had a bitter taste.  At this stage I was thinking this was going to be my first 1 burger rating review until I tasted the burger itself.  The taste was what I've been looking for since starting this blog.  If the onion rings and bread roll had been better this could have been a 4 or a 5 burger rating - it was that good.

I'm willing to give this venue the benefit of the doubt and think the person who prepared the bread roll and onion rings was having an off day.  I probably won't go back there but I will continue to seek the perfect burger with the great taste and flavour of this one.

About the venue:

The Three Jolly Butchers is a country pub in the beautiful village of Wyton in Cambridgeshire.  The pub has a large beer garden and large grounds that back on the the Great Ouse river.

Guest Review: Brasserie Banús - Puerto Banus, Spain

About the Reviewer:

This review has been compiled by Chris, Burger Critic's friend and neighbour.  We share many common interests including the occasional burger.

About the Burger:

An amazing burger in a French inspired bar in Puerto Banús, Spain with a view of expensive boats and cars along the harbour.

Rating:

Review:

The beef was amazingly tender and it came with bacon lardons, not too salty and Gruyere cheese, the bun was lightly toasted and sesame covered, and was very soft.  Considering the area the burger was good value for money costing €10.95.  My only criticism would be that the bun was almost too soft and broke up as I tried to eat it.

About the venue:
Brasserie Banús is located in the affluent town of Puerto Banús, Spain with views of the harbour area and is surrounded by exclusive shops and restaurants.

The Plough - Coton, Cambridgeshire, England

About the Burger:

A traditional burger at a gastro pub in Cambridgeshire served with lettuce and tomato.

Menu description:
The Plough Homemade Beef Burger £9.95
hand cut chips – coleslaw - pickle
Additional toppings 75p each - cheddar - bacon - onion marmalade

Rating:

Review:

I had a burger at this pub before and was looking forward to this one.  We were dining with another couple and they both ordered burgers as well.  I selected cheddar and onion marmalade as my extras.  The food arrived quickly which surprised me and when we all cut into our burgers we understood why - all three were raw in the middle even though we'd order medium-well.  We brought this to the attention of our waitress who apologised and quickly whisked them away.  Around 15 minutes later freshly cooked burgers were brought to the table followed by apologies from three different members of staff.  Although the food should not have been served like that they staff did quickly rectify the situation without issue.  My rating is based on the burger I ate and not the one I initially received.  In addition to the apologies deserts were offered on the house as a goodwill gesture.  The burger was good although it still lacked the elusive flavour that I am seeking.

Once again I've given a burger a rating of 3, what I'm looking for is perfection - when I find it I'll give it a 5 burger rating.

About the venue:

The Plough is a modern and comfortable Gastro-Pub located in the small Cambridgeshire village of Coton.

Guest Review: Babe's Bar-B-Que & Brewhouse - Palm Desert, California, USA

About the Reviewer:

This review has been compiled by Roxanne Wells, Burger Critic's wife and occasional burger eater.

About the Burger:

A classic style burger served with lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese and a choice of extras.

Menu description:

1/2 Pound-Twice Ground Cheddar Burger - $10
With a choice of French Fries, Sweet Potato Fries, Cole Slaw, Baked Beans, Turkey Chili

Rating:

Review:

This is my first burger review and I'm also the first guest reviewer at Burger Critic and I'm not used to analysing my food for review but here goes...

First impressions of the burger were good, I'd chosen French Fries and Cole Slaw to accompany my burger.  The restaurant was inspired by the film Babe about the pig and many things at the venue are pig related including the plate which was pig shaped.  I'm not much of a bread person and tend to leave that to the side, the bread roll on this burger was fresh and soft and I don't have any complaints even though I didn't eat it all.  The burger itself was nice although there could have been more flavour which would have improved the rating.  In summary, there's nothing to fault here and I would recommend giving the burger a try - if you do go here then I suggest you try and sit in the outside seating area where they use water misters on hot days which keeps you nice and cool.

About the venue:

Babe's is an independent restaurant located at the The River shopping area in Rancho Mirage, California.  Occupying a corner plot Babe's offers both indoor and outdoor seating.  Inspired by the movie Babe there is a strong pig theme with large bronze statues that are popular with passing children.  The outdoor has water misters which spray a fine mist around the edge of the seating area helping the diners to remain cool on hot days.

Wish I'd Eaten Here

This isn't a review, rather somewhere I wish I'd been hungry enough to eat at.  While on holiday in the Palm Springs area of California we visited a street market at the College of the Desert.  At the market where hundreds of stalls selling a variety of clothing, shoes, hats and other goods.  Clustered around the centre were a number of food stalls selling a wide variety of food including a BBQ vendor called Rocky Mountain BBQ.  This stall was very popular and once I saw one of the burgers I understood why, they where freshly cooked on a large Barbecue and you could add a number of additions from a selection including lettuce, onions, tomato, cheese and different sauces.

If you've tried a burger here please let me know what is was like.

Cheesecake Factory - Palm Desert, California, USA

About the Burger:

A dish that includes four mini burgers served as a starter for sharing or eating by yourself, take the deluxe option to add fries to make it a meal in its own right.

Menu description:

ROADSIDE SLIDERS - $8.50 + $1.00 for fries
Bite-Sized Burgers on Mini-Buns Served with Grilled Onions, Pickles and Ketchup.

Rating:

Review:

A fun and tasty burger option and if you are hungry enough you could have burgers to start and another as your main course.  I doubt you could actually do that at the Cheesecake Factory as the portion sizes are on the large size.  The Roadside Sliders are four small burgers served on four small bread rolls and are very tasty.  I had mine with fries to make it a main course meal and enjoyed it a lot.  I've had quite a few burgers on this holiday and this is one of the tastiest that I've had.  Finishing a burger is never a happy moment as it could be several hours (or typically days) before you have your next one, the Roadside Sliders overcome this issue because when you've finished one, there's another one wait for you right there.  I normally eat my fries and vegetable first then savour the enjoyment of the burger last, with the Roadside Sliders I was able to eat some fries, then a burger followed by more fries but still saving one burger for the end.

I highly recommend you try the Roadside Sliders if you are visiting a Cheesecake Factory in the future.  If you know of other restaurants that offer a similar dish please leave a comment and let me know.

About the venue:

Another typical Cheesecake Factory set in a pleasant location in Palm Desert near Palm Springs in California.  The service at this venue was okay, nothing special but nothing to complain about either.

Tommy Bahama - Scottsdale, Arizona, USA

About the Burger:
A slightly above average classic burger served with bacon, caramelised onions, cheese and fries in a tropical restaurant setting.

Menu description:
PARADISE NATION BACON CHEESEBURGER - $13.50
Char-grilled USDA Prime, sharp cheddar, hickory bacon, caramelized onions & french fries.

Rating:



Review:
A good burger with a slightly spiced flavour to the caramelised onions. Great smokey tasting bacon and a soft bread roll. Nothing to fault this burger, although the burger itself lacked flavour the bacon and the onions more than made up for this.

About the venue:

Tommy Bahama is a tropical restaurant that is located at a small number of their clothing stores. This restaurant in Scottsdale, Arizona has seating on two levels, we chose the upper level with views across the surrounding area. Service during the meal could have been better although the staff were friendly enough.

Fat Burger - Phoenix, Arizona, USA

About the Burger:

A burger that is truly cooked to order - you choose the size and the extras to your liking.

Menu description:

FATBURGER - $5.95
Fresh, 100% pure lean beef grilled to perfection, on a toasted bun.

Rating:

Review:

The only thing you can't specify with this burger is how it is cooked, they only cook well done, but don't let this put you off.  Fatburger let you customise your burger just how you want it with a list of options that include the size of the burger ranging from small weighing in at 2.5oz (0.15lb) through to the XXXL weighing 24oz (1.36lb) and a range of toppings consisting of cheese, bacon, chili and egg.  I had a medium with cheese (5.3oz - 0.3lb) and it was tasty.  I've eaten a number of burgers over the last few days and this was the tastiest.  The burger was freshly cooked and stayed hot all the time I was eating it.  I cannot fault this burger and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

About the venue:

Fatburger is a chain that operates across the USA, it's more of a fast food outlet than a restaurant and I've come across them in food courts before.  The one in Phoenix has a slight 50's style to the seating and is quite basic but don't let this put you off trying a burger here.

Cheesecake Factory - Phoenix, Arizona, USA

About the Burger:
A classic style burger served with fries with crispy bacon and onion rings.

Menu description:
SMOKEHOUSE B.B.Q. BURGER - $10.95
Smoked Bacon and Melted Cheddar with Crispy Onion Rings and B.B.Q. Ranch Sauce.

Rating:



Review:
Having eaten a burger at another Cheesecake Factory the previous day I was tempted to try a non-burger dish. My desire to try as many different burgers as I can won out and I ended up ordering another burger. This time I wanted one served on a regular bread roll and as I also like onion rings this one sounded ideal. I wasn't disappointed either, the bacon had a delicious smokey taste and was nice and crispy. The onion rings were thin and very good. I ordered the burger medium and it was nicely cooked. The sesame bread roll was lightly toasted and very fresh. Overall it was difficult to fault the meal, the burger itself could have had more flavour but that's just being picky.

About the venue:

A typical Cheesecake Factory restaurant, nicely decorated with friendly and helpful staff. The burger menu is extensive and caters for all tastes with a burger starter also available - no Cheeseburger Cheesecake though.  This restaurant was located in a nice shopping area at Biltmore Fashion Park in Phoenix, Arizona.

Cheesecake Factory - Scottsdale, Arizona, USA

About the Burger:

A high quality burger served on a baguette selected from a wide choice.

Menu description:

FACTORY BURGER - $9.95

Charbroiled with Cheddar Cheese, Tomato and Grilled Onions on Sourdough French or Wheat Loaf.

Rating:

Review:

I've eaten at a number of Cheesecake Factory restaurants around the USA and have never yet had a bad burger so I was looking forward to this one and I wasn't disappointed.  The burger was cooked to order, I selected Medium on Sourdough French, and was served with fries.  I hadn't read the menu properly and was expecting a roll rather than a French stick and was a little worried that the bread would be too crusty and would crush the burger each time I took a bite.  I was pleasantly surprised that this didn't happen and I enjoyed the burger a lot.  The onions were nicely caramelised and not too sweet.  The burger was tasty and seemed home made as it was shaped the bread.  The fries were okay, nothing special.  The service was excellent from a very attentive waitress as is to be expected when dining in the US.

About the venue:

Cheesecake Factory is a restaurant chain in the USA with venues in many cities across the country.  They are usually very busy at peak times and the portion sizes are very large.  If you plan to eat more than  once course make sure you are very hungry or are happy to take some of it home with you.  The Cheesecake Factory in Scottsdale, Arizona is typical of a restaurant in the chain, nicely decorated and comfortable with a wide range of menu options - especially cheesecakes.

Giraffe - Heathrow Terminal 5

About the Burger:

A pretty good burger for an airport.  Doesn't seem mass produced like others I've had and although it arrived quickly it was very enjoyable.

Menu description:

100% English Beef Burger - lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickle, mayo and relish.  Additional toppings available.

Rating:

Review:

I've eaten at the Giraffe venue at Terminal 5 before but it was over a year ago and I couldn't remember what it was like.  I ordered mine with aged cheddar cheese however I wasn't asked how I wanted it cooked.  I was pleasantly surprised with the burger I was served.  It was tasty and had a home made style to it rather than the pressed and shaped most airport places serve.  The bread roll was soft and fresh, just how I like it, and added to the enjoyment of the burger.  Although it came with fries they were quite bland and not very tasty.  If you are travelling out of Heathrow Terminal 5 and are short on time I can recommend this burger and Giraffe.  Service was okay, nothing to fault just a little hurried.

About the venue:

Giraffe is a busy restaurant located on the upper floor of Heathrow Terminal 5 near the North security area.  Giraffe also have high street outlets in many towns and cities around the UK.

Jamie's Italian - Cambridge, England

About the Burger:

A very tasty and high quality burger that is stacked very high and served on a wooden board in a rustic manner.

Menu description:

BURGER ITALIANO - £11.25

British beef pattie with melty fontina cheese, crispy salami, soft lettuce, tomato salsa, dill pickles, chilli and crispy fried onions.

Rating:

Review:

The presentation of the burger was excellent and it stood about 5-6 inches tall with a wooden spike holding it up.  The spike must have been embedded into the wooden board because it took some effort to extract it.  There were several green and red cherry sized tomatoes at the bottom layer with lettuce, pickles, chilli's and fried onions helping to build the height.  The burger doesn't come with fries which are extra, I had them and they were very nice.

The bread roll was very brioche like but mine was a little on the dry size (hence the 3 burger rating).  I had bits of bread and crumbs scattered around my side of the table.  Other than this it is difficult to fault the burger.  I have had tastier but overall it was a very enjoyable burger.

The service in the restaurant was very good with the staff very attentive and friendly.

About the venue:
Jamie's Italian in Cambridge is located in the heart of city centre very close to the theatres and shops.