Forgive the capitalised shouting, but I'm going to spell it correctly this time. Clearly it's key to the BRAND.
Following on from the ever extant success of MEATliquor, this is something quite different. A total pain to find, it’s inside Jubilee Market, which isn’t near the Apple Store (thank you Google maps) but next to the Roadhouse, if you’re unfortunate enough to know where that is.
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The location is a bit like the skanky old market in Manchester’s Arndale Centre, and as my Mancunian friends might say, a bit snide. It’s not somewhere to hang around, but is an edited offering of the burgers and drinks you’d find at Meat Liquor or the predecessors.
The three burgers on offer are all pretty similar – Twitter seems to be gushing over the 'Black Palace’ burger, but it’s not too different from the ‘Dead Hippy’ (both £7) except with some onion and without the Dead Hippy sauce. The third burger is also a Big Mac subversion so the choice isn’t something to worry about.
For that reason, I went for the Philly Cheesesteak at £8. A legendary piece of grease, I’ve had this dish in the US but never successfully over here and I thought it would be executed faithfully. And it was, pretty much.
The chopped rib-eye steak was well cooked, but frankly dominated by copious onions and green peppers. Seasoning could have been stronger. When a mouthful was more steak, it didn’t have huge amounts of flavour. The greasy, sweat sub was spot on though, as was the ridiculous stuffing of it, but this didn’t wow me. Chips were dull too.
I’d love a recommendation for a good Philly Cheesesteak in London.
My friend had a burger, which he found good but unremarkable, saying he preferred Byron. I am a big fan of the MEATliquor burgers, but I think the environment definitely has a big impact on the enjoyment. If great steaks were served in motorway service stations, would they be as enjoyable?
I get that it’s providing a quick hit of a popular yet not always accessible burger, but it’s no fun at all. Talk about removing the thrill. They should have waited for the follow-up to be as special, or more so. The site is just too bizarre and even some cool signage doesn’t pep up where you are. I'm a big fan, but I’m not really sure why they’ve bothered, or why anybody else should for that matter.
Food – 6/10 (good but devaluing itself)
Drink – 6/10
Service - 7/10
Value – 8/10
Tap water tales – 8/10 (DIY from the ice and water machine)
Staff Hotness – 8/10 (pretty girls, helpful)
Location and Site - 1/10
Location and Site - 1/10
Nice post! I thought the location was kind of weird too but I reckon it must have been pretty cheap for a Cov Garden site and I like that its where it is. This is the way to have a really good burger without the current trend for no booking/ lots of queueing in London. They don't want you to stay long as that's when queues develop. Put it in a strange industrial building with anti-pigeon spikes and people dont hang around, problem solved! I did love the burgers though and, despite adoring the Byron blue cheese burger, I came to a different conclusion to that of your friend, for me the Black Palace won hands down. Also Byron don't serve alcoholic freeze-your-forehead milkshakes :o)
ReplyDeleteYes I guess if it's to be a free-flowing conveyor belt of hipsters paying £7.50 for a burger in a shanty town, then it's very successful! And they love the queues!
ReplyDeleteBut agreed on the hard shakes! I still love MEATliquor though, this is merely a blip on an otherwise stellar trajectory.
Best Philly cheesteak, as well as the best burger in London IMHO: Tongue n Cheeks stall, Berwick Street market. The guy who makes them is a genius.
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