Thursday 21 June 2012

Meat Liquor...so juicy right now....

Everyone has an opinion on who makes the best burger...in my time of eating burgers they really have come full circle.  Burgers started getting too posh for my liking..with aged wagu, patties with three types of mince, brioche buns and the list goes on.... But now we are seeing burger joints going back to basics..thank goodness...although I was quite partial to the gourmet mini wagu burger often found on a canapĆ© tray.

When I was recently in London I went to Meat Liquor a trendy burger joint that is all about meat and liquor... old fashioned diner style burgers....they claim to be definitely not gourmet!
We joined the queue which was about 30 deep when we got there. Surprisingly it was 27 deg in London town and we had a thirst up for a beer. We paper scissor rocked who was going for lager and settled in alongside other excited dinners queuing to get in. The kitchen came out with the house speciality the deep fried gherkins and onion rings...wow the tart, juicy gherkin oozed flavour through an extra crispy batter..a secret recipe no doubt.....it was become clear that it was going to be well worth the wait.
 
We were in....Matt Packed-ham could not get through the meat curtains fast enough to be seated at our table....

We get inside and it it is almost like a funked up abattoir with street art like pictures on the wall and a hum of excited diners eating burger under a red lit hue.

Meat Art......

Even the roof was cool....so much thought and personality had been put into the fit to make you really feel like a greasy burger... of the meat variety.
Meat Family on the roof over looking diners.... one times smug looking pig.
  
There was a selection of craft beers, four different burgers...the classic, the cheese, the jalapeƱo, chips and cheese (which I couldn't fathom..although my British counterparts were salivating at the thought), onion rings, deep fried gherkins, sides of house slaw.....ketchup and mayo. Oh and a lonely vegetarian haloumi burger (pretty sure if I was a vego I wouldn't be eating at a place called meat liquor).
The menu was basic but in a good way...the more and more I eat out the more I like limited choice!

We ordered an Old Sckat Amber Ale from Portland Oregon....which was perfect accompaniment to our burger to follow. There was also house cocktails which looked amazing...given the hot night we all just glossed over these on the menu.
This picture does not do the burger justice... lets just say its juicy, messy and super tasty....
Our dinner arrived and we were all pretty silent, greedily eating our burgers...

Here goes.. Matt and Toby in the ultimate tasting....

The burger patties were so juicy they made you salivate for more! 

I think this picture requires no caption....
I agree with Toby that it was quite possibly the best burger I have ever eaten and let's face it I have eaten a lot of burgers in my time.  The buns were not too sweet and the salad to meat ratio just right. I had the jalepeno relish which had just enough kick to it without overpowering the burger.

Rumour on the street had it that they have mastered a special technique in the kitchen where on the grill they have pot like lid that they put over the patty to lock the flavour and juices in (yes I have already tried this at home...). We couldn't get enough of the deep fried gherkins.... and as for the shoe string fries, they were perfectly crunchy and the tart mayo worked so well with the fries and the burger cutting through the grease of the meal, almosts refreshed the pallet.
These guys also could not get these burgers down their gobs quick enough....
This place is a lot of fun and well worth the queueing....I loved the whole get up....the meat curtains...strips, the red hue and the ambiance was bang on.
I can see why they chose the name Meat Liquor as the burgers were so damn juicy....just like meat liquor...best you not picture that in your head until you have tried it for yourselves...

Love the graffiti....you just keep on pushin' my lover over the burger line......

And for those of you still reading this far... call me immature but I got the giggles when I saw the sign to the boys toilets!
The girls ones... said CHICKS in case you were wondering.