Jacker de Viande - Burger review

by Bex

Yep, another burger place in Glasgow!  You already know my thoughts on Cocktail & Burger (which I've enjoyed many times since as well!), Burger Meats Bun (not a fan) and Bread Meats Bread (love the brisket!).  I also had a nice take-away from Buddy's recently too (I had The Bubba with a single burger).

Anyway, Jacker de Viande was the place we headed to for an escape last Friday night.  We just needed some time out together and a good burger was what we fancied.  This place is a bit further out of town than BMB (x 2) and (possibly as a result) was quieter.  The decor certainly makes a statement!  We entered into a huge room with blood red walls and ceiling, all with various animals dressed in suits or butcher style with lots of dripping red and black paint.  Their tagline is cocktails, meat and love and we loved both the cocktails and the meat.  :)

It would be a perfect Halloween party venue!

We were sat in a fairly quiet corner (I was surprised it wasn't busier on a Friday night but then, we hadn't heard of it and it's been open for a few months now) and were brought over simple menus with a choice of 8 burgers and plenty of sides.  After a quick flick through the drinks menu, I opted for the elderflower fizz and Nik had the Jacker D cocktail.  Both were very nice.  As for the food, Nik chose the classic burger (£7), southern fried wings (£5) to share and cajun fries (£3).  I had the Korean pulled pork burger (£8) with the macaroni cheese side (£4).  I do love mac n cheese as a side!

Simple menu (with added apostrophes) and lush cocktails!

The food arrived pretty quickly on a huge silver tray placed in the centre of the table which served as our plate.  It was ideal for sharing as the pot of fries, wings and mac cheese were in the middle and our burgers at either end.  I had expected my burger to be spicy having been to Korea, I know how hot the food tends to be!  It was still delicious though with a very authentic flavour and not so much heat that you can't taste everything else, I was very impressed.

Not the prettiest burger but oh so tasty!

What we hadn't anticipated was the spiciness of everything else!  The southern fried wings came with a very hot dip but had also been coated in a similarly hot sauce.  We can both take a bit of a chilli hit (Nik more so than I) but these were super spicy and in combination with other spicy things it was too much!  We didn't even manage to finish them.  I only had one.  The cajun fries too were quite hot but to be honest, we think that was mostly down to having eaten the wings first.  The heat lingers!  We ended up ordering plain fries (£2.50) as well as the water and macaroni were the only options to cool things down.  Next time we'd definitely select fewer spicy options and we'd both give the wings a miss.  There really isn't any need to pre-coat them in hot sauce if they're served with a hot sauce - much better to be able to add your own, bearable, amount of spice by dipping in my opinion.  If you like things super hot though, I'm sure you'd love them!  Of what I could taste of the crispy southern fried coating underneath, they were nice.  The macaroni cheese was very tasty, perfectly cheesy with a nice crispy topping and the perfect sized portion.

I also had a taste of Nik's burger and it was lovely, he asked for it medium and it was cooked well and nicely flavoured.  We both said we would definitely go back, I'd love to try the sticky ribs.  I really liked the full on decor as well, except the scary pig mask in one window, although I wouldn't recommend the place to a couple of vegetarians I know.  But then, I wouldn't tend to suggest a burger place to them anyway!  ;)

McPhabbs review

by Bex

Last week I was invited along to McPhabbs in Charing Cross to sample their new menu which they've just launched.  And for the month of February they are offering 50% off all food!  I'd never been to McPhabbs before so I was excited to see it and try out their food.

We were in the function suite downstairs and after being introduced to the new owner we were treated to various samples of the new menu starting with warm bread rolls, olives, pate with oatcakes and mushroom & mozzarella bruschetta.

Then we sampled some southern fried chicken and fish goujons with chips...

The chicken was my favourite, really crispy and nice with the mild salsa.  Although I have to admit, I'm not a fan of parsley being sprinkled on everything - it doesn't really add anything and I think the food would look better without it.

We also tasted mini burgers and lasagne and full samples were brought out for us to see how they are usually served.  It would be an ideal place for lunch if you work in the area, serving proper pub grub at reasonable prices, especially if you go during the 50% off deal during February!

Fish & chips or a cheese burger with chips are both just £4 during the offer!

The last thing we tried was the lamb hot pot which although not what I expected, was very tasty.  It was more like a nice chunky lamb soup with potatoes and carrots and with the bread rolls it was very hearty and filling.  The lamb was very tender and when served in the pots with a lid, you get a blast of lovely hot aromas in the face as you open it :)

We had a lovely evening enjoying all the food and wine on offer.  I think my overall favourites would be the pate, southern fried chicken and lamb hotpot/soup.

And you may remember I mentioned the gorgeous green dragonfly soaps Michelle's Mum made for me which Michelle brought along to give me that night...

@OliveDragonfly are you gonna be at #mcphabbs50 on Thursday? I have a little surprise for you that will put a smile on your face :)
— Michelle Muirhead (@ananyah) February 5, 2014

They're so cute and smell GORGEOUS!  :)  Thanks so much Michelle (and her Mum!)

Bread Meats Bread - a review

by Bex

I wasn't planning on writing a review about this meal as Roz had already written about Bread Meats Bread when she tried their food on the launch night (I was working late so sadly couldn't make it), however, having just returned home after eating there for the first time, I had to as we all enjoyed it so much!  You know I've had a good meal when I can't wait to write about it.  Luckily I also had my big camera with me so I'm pretty pleased with the photos too.

Roz mentioned in her previous review that she had loved all the food she tried at the launch but the following day she was somewhat disappointed but put it down to opening day hiccups.  When she recently tried them again for lunch, her burger was raw in the middle along with others ordered by her workmates.  She returned them and despite them explaining they often cook their burgers pink in the middle, they did agree that they were too undercooked, which is especially not good for someone who's pregnant.  They apologised and gave her a voucher for the 4 of them to come back and try the food again.  They have also changed the way they take orders for the burgers, asking how you want it cooked when you order, like steak so no-one is ever disappointed with an over or under cooked burger.  Roz's colleagues were unable to return so she asked Nik and I instead so we went along with her and B this evening and we were offered anything we wanted off the menu.  After our own recent burger disappointment, we were so glad to find this experience a much more pleasant one.

I have to admit, I wasn't sure about the place when we first arrived.  We were seated at a big communal table in the centre of the room (I always feel a bit self conscious on tables like these) and Roz was very uncomfortable perched on a stool at 20 weeks pregnant but we were soon moved to a booth when one became available, before our food came.  The place doesn't have a license yet but you can take your own alcohol in although we weren't too bothered, Roz being pregnant and me on a diet (ha, in a burger joint!).

Anyway, despite my current health plan and watching my calorie intake, I decided just to order what I wanted and enjoy it.  Enjoy it I did!  We received some wee tasters of the pulled pork and brisket (both smoked in house) while waiting for our food and they were both lovely but the brisket in particular was AMAZING!  We all agreed it tasted the best, it was so juicy and tender with the most wonderful flavour.

The guys and I all ordered the Black & Blue burger, aged beef with smoked bacon and blue cheese in a brioche bun.  Roz had the Classic Black.  We also tried the Poutine (£4), basically chips with cheese & gravy - I had the original one with curds but with the extra topping of porchetta crackling (£5) (I told you the diet was off this evening!), Roz and B had the one with Scottish cheddar (Glaspoutine) and Nik had plain chips (£2).  I am a HUGE fan of Poutine.  They actually didn't have any crackling left so just added porchetta instead, it was divine!  Nik loved the plain chips too and B commented on how meaty and thick the gravy was.

My burger was cooked to my liking, not pink but not cremated - still nice and juicy and the beef was full of flavour.  The blue cheese was a great addition, nice and strong but not overpowering.  The burgers are very good value for money, they range from £5 for a classic basic beef burger to £13 for a fancy lobster surf & turf.  The Black & Blue is £9 and so big I could only manage half!  (They wrapped the other half up for me so that's lunch tomorrow sorted!)  The Poutine is also a massive portion - a meal in itself, especially with the pork added!  I loved the gravy so much, I was even dunking my burger in it and B did the same when he finished off Roz's burger!!  :)

The burgers are served in baskets with paper which I'm not a fan of but I managed fine without making a mess.  We also ordered the coleslaw (£1.50 for a generous portion) to try after I spotted someone else enjoying it when we came in.  It was extremely nice coleslaw with a lot of red cabbage and not too much sauce - lovely.

We were all utterly stuffed by the end of our main courses although I was tempted to try a cronut which I'd heard a lot about as the new baking craze but they no longer do them as they weren't happy with how they were turning out.  I'd much rather something wasn't on offer than receive a poor version so I'm glad they've taken it off the menu.  They now offer a daily dessert instead and today's was chocolate brownie (£3).  We initially weren't going to bother as we were so full but I really wanted a wee taste so convinced Nik we could just get one to share.  In the end, we all had a bit as it was SO good, served chopped up and really hot in a cup with ice cream - it was the perfect consistency, deliciously chewy & stodgy with the odd crispy bit and big chunks of chocolate.  I might have exploded but I could have eaten the whole thing myself, it was delish!

The place itself is nicely designed, although I'm not a fan of communal tables, the rest around the edge of the restaurant are booths or bar style next to large windows.  I was worried that might be off putting with everyone walking past in a busy area of town looking in but we actually enjoyed looking out - there seemed to be an abundance of male groups all wearing Christmas jumpers!  I never felt like anyone was watching me eat.  The tables appear to be made out of old crates and look great with little cubbies in the end of the benches with cute cows, pigs and chickens inside, obviously I loved the green pepper mill as well!  We all loved the massive cow on the wall and the neon sign and we found the benches very comfortable.  You can see pictures showing the overall layout and decor in Roz's post.

The staff were all very friendly and we felt very well looked after, they obviously cared that we had a nice time after Roz's recent disappointment.  We were told we didn't even have to pay for our drinks and we expressed how impressed we were our meal and how they handled Roz's complaint.  They explained how they want their customers to feel like guests and be happy with their meal, it's reassuring to know they really care that their food is enjoyed every time.  Nik and I both agreed we will definitely be going back again and next time I will be having the brisket sandwich!

Burger Meats Bun - A review

by Bex

Roz's review of Bread Meats Bread reminded me that I haven't written about my trip to Burger Meats Bun yet!  It's a shame they have such similar names, both opening this year and both in the city centre and both serving gourmet burgers - there are bound to be comparisons.  I haven't tried Bread Meats Bread yet as I was working late on the Tuesday we were invited along to their launch party.  I really want to check it out though so we plan to try it soon - Nik and I actually tried going there for a good burger to celebrate his becoming a Mr again after passing his surgeon exams (thanks for all the congratulations for him on Twitter!) but they closed at 10pm and he'd been working the late shift so we didn't get into town until then!  We ended up in my favourite burger joint - Cocktail & Burger instead, so good and open late!  :)

Anyway, so our trip to Burger Meats Bun was back in October when Mum & Dad were visiting.  I'd seen a lot of hype about this place on Twitter so I was very excited to try it out.  We only had one evening where we could all go out together after their plans changed so I suggested Burger Meats Bun.  I kind of wish we went somewhere else now.  We had a good night and I actually thought it was OK - my dessert was amazing - but Dad and Nik were unimpressed and if I'm honest, I don't understand why so many people seem to be raving about it.  I'm also a little apprehensive writing about it as I recently discovered they do not react well to even the slightest negativity about them and in my opinion they deal with bad reviews in a terrible and personal way which makes me never want to return.  I understand how awful it must be when you work hard for something you love to hear that not everyone loves it too but I really don't think there was any need to call Nik "narrow minded, ignorant and rude" for his review simply because he stated he didn't think it would last.   Not the best way to win back customers and it gives a really bad impression of the owners, it's completely put me off going back.  You can read Nik's Tripadvisor review here (which I think is fair and, as is the entire point of sites like Tripadvisor, the honest opinion of one customer among many).

I don't like writing negative reviews and often just don't write about a place if I don't want to rave about it.  However, you know I always write exactly what I think and following their reaction to Nik, I felt the need to write my own full review so, whether I might receive a personal attack in response or not, here are my thoughts...

As you may know, BMB do not take bookings but we thought we'd be ok on a Wednesday night and we were.  We were received with a friendly greeting and were asked to take a seat at the bar to wait for a table, it was quite busy but we barely had time to sit down before they fetched us to take us over to our corner table.  I like the decor with little cows and grass which I noticed through the window on the way down the steps to the door and the fun art on the walls.  The place is very simple with metal tables and chairs and a bit of an industrial feel.



I initially quite liked the gimmicky-ness with the kitchen roll they brought to our table instead of napkins and paper table mats.

We ordered our drinks and perused the list of burgers on offer.  I opted for the Smokin' Bacon (£8) as did Nik.  The drinks were nice, although the beers were a bit on the pricey side.  I had a dark & stormy (£6) which I enjoyed.  We all shared a bottle of wine (£18.50) and Nik and Dad also had a beer each (£4.20 and £4.50 for 330ml bottles).

I was really disappointed with the cheesy chips (£2.50), they were rather tasteless and most of the cheese was stuck to the paper underneath.

My bun was burnt on one side (Nik's was burnt worse than mine), I actually ripped that bit off and tried to take a nice photo from the other side, this was before I tried the food and before they annoyed me so much with their response to Nik on Tripadvisor.  Even so, you can see the bun looks pretty unappetising and not what I expected for a brioche bun after sampling something similar elsewhere.  Mum opted for the special which was pork belly and she really enjoyed it (but then she does live in a country with no pork).

The dark brown sauce you can see oozing out of mine was spread all over the base and was an extremely strong tasting sauce which reminded me of concentrated beef stock.  I didn't notice much flavour from the beef patty itself, perhaps due to the quite overpowering flavour of this sauce.  The patty was also a little dry but a lot of wet juices from the salad and onions dripped onto the paper and I would have much preferred having a plate as I often felt the paper might let the mess drip all over me.

When it came to dessert - Nik and Mum had the doughnut bites with chocolate sauce - £4.50 for 4 little bites.

I opted for the burger & shake (£5) - a large macaron designed to look like a burger with chocolate ganache as the burger, mango jelly as the cheese and raspberry coulis for the ketchup - a great kitsch idea and really very tasty!  The shake was a lovely blueberry shake served in a little milk bottle with a paper straw.  I wanted to keep my straw after and they were kind enough to give me a fresh one to take home.

The staff were lovely, very friendly and helpful.  We were served quickly and had no problems getting a table.  My dessert was very good and the burgers were OK.  Unfortunately I have to agree with Nik that it just wasn't worth almost £90 for 4 of us, even with alcoholic drinks included.  I've had nicer burgers in Glasgow and elsewhere and I didn't think the place was particularly special.  I know a LOT of people who love this place and go back time and again so unlike Nik, I think it probably will continue to do well (which I assume it is as it was pretty busy for a week night).  I just know we won't be going back, even for that dessert!