All That Glitters Might be Gold: Patty & Bun's Ari Gold Burger

I've been eating quality burgers in London since well before I started this blog so Patty & Bun (you have to use an ampersand, don't you know!) are no stranger to me. I first encountered them just after they first opened - I needed some fast food that wasn't McDonalds and spied them opposite Liverpool Street station, their windows misty with warmth, tables packed out and a queue up to the door. I didn't get a burger that time, preferring not to queue, but returned a few months later and found out just why it was so busy. In the loose jumble of my mind, Patty & Bun are the London Burger Kings. 

So on a rainy later December afternoon, I found myself outside their door once again. Mired in the post Christmas slump, everyone seemed to be elsewhere so getting a table was easy. Not being ravenously hungry I made do with just a cheeseburger - their headline burger, the Ari Gold - and sat down, eagerly anticipating the burgery goodness.

One thing I am always taken aback by when I order a burger is the size, I guess being brought up on Burger King Whoppers, with their fairly-thin-but-wide patty, will always leave its mark. The meat patty was nice and thick though and it had that wonderful, drippy melted cheese that I so love dribbling gently down the side. There was some salad to give it a bit of texture but not too much. It looked the part, but so have the last two burgers I have eaten and while they were nice enough, they both had faults which would make me think twice about ordering them again. Thankfully, though, it didn't disappoint. The patty was pretty much spot on, I like mine to be slightly rarer than it was served (and I ordered medium rare) but the burger was soft enough and well seasoned enough for me not to mind too much. The sauce was slightly sweet but not strong enough to overwhelm the lovely beef used in the burger. There was a background smoky aftertaste (I presume that was from the mayo) that lifted it nicely and left me salivating for another bite. Quite simply, this burger is excellent, I finished it in no time and part of me wondered why I hadn't stumped up extra for the extra patty as I wanted more. 

There's only three P&B outlets in London but I suggest you find one, and allow the Ari Gold to be your introduction to their world. You won't regret it.

Patty & Bun Ari Gold: 9

The Details:

Patty & Bun
22-23 Liverpool Street
London
EC2M 7PD

www.pattyandbun.co.uk

Burger reviewed: Ari Gold, £7.50