It’s no secret that I love a good burger. My love stretches far and wide, and hell I’m even obsessed about meatballs, and really, a patty is just a big flat meatball, no?
The answer is yes. End of.
Anyway, my number one burger joint in London thus far is Byron Burger, but everyone’s been going on about the “Hawksmoor burger” and the “Goodman burger” and which one’s better manana. Having always come from the school of I-want-to-find-out-for-myself, last week I hit up Goodman Restaurant and ho’d into the “Goodman burger”.
I’d been to Goodman in their pre-burger days, so I already know the meat’s good. But how will their burgers fare?
Well, you know what, Goodman puts up a damn good fight against Byron, and I’m scared to call the odds but that brioche bun, a classic towering fluffy brioche bun, almost pushes it over the edge, straight into the winner’s circle. Almost.
Goodman’s patty is also bigger, fatter and juicier and cooked a deliciously perfect medium-rare, better than Byron’s 6 oz patty. But Byron has that pickle, which I adore and Goodman, well… teeny tiny pickles and sometimes, boys and girls, size does matter.
Aside from the pickle, Byron’s burgers are also circa £7 which even with chips is a few pounds less than Goodman’s £12 (with chips).
*sigh*
Maybe I ought to love them all equally. Like my little burger babies. Yep.
Anyway, my whole deal at Goodman that night was to give my undivided attention to the burger. But you know what, undivided schmundivided. I had to have a starter!
We had a good spreads of starters across the table from foie gras (rich and smooth and never enough toast) to risotto (bland and apparently being taken off the menu) to sweet herring (in a jar! so awesome!).
I had the tiger prawn tempura with avocado, mango and cajun mayo, a delightfully fresh and crisp (not oily in the slightest) seafood starter to line my tummy ready for the burger onslaught.
Starter and burger safely deposited in my stomach, I happily browsed the dessert menu and picked what I wanted: frozen caramel parfait with Maldon sea salt and milk chocolate.
I don’t even know how to say this but yum. The whole salted caramel thing is growing on me like a pesky weed except it’s not pesky. Nor a weed. I blame Pierre Hermé and his salted caramel macaroon sensation. *love*
The rest of the guys also ordered a New York baked cheesecake, which I think was ok, but I was a little distracted with the salted caramel so I think I had a taste and then totally forgot what it actually tasted like.
Well, burgers burgers burgers. How about this: If you’re just after a simple burger, nothing fancy and possibly not even chips, then definitely go to Byron.
But should you be after a schmancier meal, like you kinda wanna impress someone with a swish dinner but y’know showing you’re all down to earth and stuff and you eat burgers, Goodman is probably the way to go.
But I do hate to choose I mean, they are my burger babies now and I love them equally! Honest!
ps. Awesome dining companions that night in the form of Aaron, Luiz, Sung, Uyen and Kavey.
Goodman Restaurant
26 Maddox Street
London, W1S 1QH
0207 499 3776
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