The Great Kosher Burger Off!
Angie Jacobs bites into six of the best kosher burgers in town, sampling the fast food classic from Balagan, Burger Bar, Soyo, Delicatessen, Reubens and Kasa Bar & Grill
1. Balagan, Borehamwood
I’m usually a shawarma gal and, as there’s only one way to tackle anything in pitta, I deployed the same strategy to my spicy burger.
Picking it up in both hands, I ended up wearing most of the relish. But did I care? Nope; it was delicious.
Too busy chewing for rational thought, my husband summed it up as “meaty and lean”. For once he was right.
Verdict: Delicious
2 Burger Bar, Hendon
Fifteen burgers to choose from here and I went for a New Yorker, which comes with all manner of pickles, fried onions and mayo.
The pièce de résistance, though, has to be the salami (or vushct, with a ‘v’ as we call it up north).
This bad boy came with a knife and my companion advised me to use it, along with the fork. I did, but greedy guts novice that I am, I cut off more than I could chew and ended up with a large piece of the bun stuck to the roof of my mouth.
I worked away at it steadily with my tongue, nodding and sighing as my friend told me funny stories about her kids.
Finally it budged.
Verdict:Tasty
3. Soyo Diner, Golders Green
It was hard to choose here as there were eight extremely interesting-sounding burgers on the menu.
Was I getting bored of burgers? Was I heck.
I went for a Soyo Bomber Burger that came with smoky barbecued pulled beef and mild-smoked paprika.
This was a lot of food and it arrived with the kitchen knife in it again. Polishing it off without a problem, I even got one of my five a day with the generous slice of tomato.
Verdict: Fab
4 Delicatessen, Hampstead
This was a lunchtime date with my son. The staff were delightful and brought us starters, too. Would I be able to eat my burger after the lovely hummus masabacha and golden cauliflower? Well I think you know the answer, although I could only pick at the hand-pulled chips. What with the little-known, but genius, topping of merguez and the 300g patty, I had to agree with my boy – this was truly a ‘beast’.
Verdict: Totally gorgeous. Only managed toast for supper, which is unheard of
5. Reubens, Baker Street
A burger at the restaurant famous for salt beef? Would I have FOMO? No, because they do a burger topped with salt beef.
No knife this time, but my experienced companion gave me a good tip – cut it in four. This was great advice and provided a much cleaner experience.
The relishes came on the side and she also told me what to put where (in the nicest possible way). Reubens was the only restaurant that asked how we wanted our burgers cooked and we both went for medium-to-well-done and were not disappointed.
No chips meant I could concentrate on the star of the show. They sure know what to do with meat at that place.
Verdict: Excellent
6. Kasa Bar and Grill, Hampstead Garden Suburb
I took my daughter along to this meat treat. She has a different and slower eating style to the rest of the family, but I knew she would get the job done. We both went for the House Burger – I ordered mine with fried onions and she, in true millennial fashion, chose onions and fried aubergines.
I’d nearly finished mine by the time she’d even organised hers. I asked for a description; “Hearty,” she replied, more interested in the food than my review.
Verdict: Juicy
Six of the best? Pah! Bring on the Dirty Dozen.
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