A new city, new turf to find the best burger. Just like everywhere else in the Western World, the Americana food fad is alive and well in the Mother Country. Above the insanity of Covent Graden, littered with its backpack-clad tour groups and street buskers, is the Jubilee Market Hall, and here lies MEATmarket. Although a Saturday, there is no large queue which is good, as I feel like I’ve run a marathon (I’m learning that commuting a mere few miles down the road in London leaves you feeling like you’ve run a marathon in high heels and a mini skirt, especially if you decide to exit Covent Garden tube station via all 193 stairs).
MEATmarket is fun looking: bold and American. The menu has some more exotic burger choices (think halloumi and chilli) however, you know the drill if you are a regular reader of my blog, I must get the cheeseburger possibly with bacon, as it’s my control.
As I pick up the burger to unwrap it, I notice how heavy it is. It’s a double pattie burger, and they are fat. Don’t think you can order the bacon cheeseburger because you only want something small. You can’t. It will fill you up and make you order a side serving of broccolini come dinner time when you’re out at the next haunt. Sigh.
The cheeseburger has the regualr parade of ingredients: beef, cheese, bacon, mustard, pickles, lettuce, mustard, hold the onions… And it is good. There are nice amounts of juice and grease and it’s ugly. Ugly is always a contributing factor to a good burger. If it’s ugly, you know it’s all about the taste. It’s not one of those vacuous, showy burgers with only looks and no flavour. For me, there isn’t enough char or smoke. But aside from that, it is a solid cheeseburger with a pretty pink middle that I’d return for. Next time, I might try one of the other MEAT ventures, either MEATliquor (the original) or MEATmission (the latest).
Accompanying the burger are delicious salty fries, I enjoy how the menu makes it clear they are not chips, and a Bleached White shake (plain vanilla). Somehow a burger just feels wrong to me without these little friends to play with it. Note if you order the onion rings, they are mammoth, made from some giant Gondwanaland onions that roamed the earth millions of years ago.
Service at MEATmission is friendly, considering it’s a fast-paced environment. It’s nice to know there are still people who genuinely enjoy customer service. Make it your mission to get here.
