So here we go, the first review, and my word it was a corker to start with...
The Warwick Street Social burger, aka the WSS burger. Chargrilled Beef Burger, Cheese, Harissa Aioli, Burnt Onion Ketchup, Onion Rings, Brioche Bun and Skinny Fries all for a fairly reasonable £13.50 of your hard earned cash.
Let's start with the ordering, as per I requested medium rare (if you've never tried it you must, it's so much juicier and more succulent and requires minimal chewing). Requesting this is a good test for a few reasons:
It tests the chefs ability as a cook to properly cook a rare-medium burger, it requires exact temperatures and skilled cooking to ensure the meat is to the right temperature to serve but not overcooked
It showcases the freshness and quality of the meat, if the meat isn't fresh, it shouldn't be served medium rare
Now it's worth noting that WSS did refuse to cook my burger medium rare, flat out no. The reason came down to the illustrious 'health inspector'. I've heard whisperings of this creature before, rumours of their presence ruining the meals of all those who crave tasty succulent burgers. Whether this is an excuse for the two points I noted above or if this is a real thing I cannot be certain. However, as a result of asking, the waiter did recommend Captain Americas as they will serve rare to medium burgers (review of this to come shortly).
The Burger
I was assured the burger would not be overcooked at the least, and to my surprise, and maybe the staffs as well, my burger was perfectly pink in the middle. I would say a solid medium. This was confirmed by the classic method, the burger slice. Straight up cut down the middle, allows for a full assessment of the structure and build of the burger. In terms of taste, an explosion of chargrilled goodness. Juicy well seasoned meat that tasted similar to licking a true american BBQ, complimented perfectly with the super soft and slightly charred brioche bun, adding a hint of sweetness to the beefy affair. All of this soft pillowy goodness was counterbalanced perfectly with two crunchy, crisp onion rings. They looked to be breadcrumbed and irregular shapes so definitely homemade, not that standard bulk frozen multipack stuff the haters put out. I'll be completely honest the harissa aioli added nothing. Whether it was a case of not enough was in the burger or it was just bland aioli I can't tell as I couldn't taste it. There is also the option that it is just a gimmick to make it sound better on the menu, who knows? This burger gave the feeling of pure indulgence and only needed a touch of lettuce to add a new element and raise this burger to new heights and cut through the rich flavours. A leaf or two of baby gem or batavia, just to add that freshness and give a slight feeling of a healthy meal. The onion ketchup tasted great, like an insanely thick french onion soup. It tasted great with the fries but I lovingly smeared mine all over the upper bun to add an extra layer of sweetness to help cut through the meaty chargrilled overtones and balance the palate.
The Fries
Solid fries, caught a glimpse of potato skin every now and then so you know they are proper ones, perfectly seasoned too and so crispy you could use them to harpoon your date if it starts to go south. None of those McDonalds anaemic fries here. They come in a small (and I mean small) metal serving pot. Makes the plate look nice but they taste so good you just want more.
Overall
The burger was the most chargrilled tasting piece of meat I think I've ever had and really speaks for itself. Yes it does need to have a bit of additional salad inside to compliment but I can look past that. This is a slightly upmarket kind of bar, with pints looking around four whole sterling pounds and cocktails starting at seven fifty. As a result the burger is a touch 'dainty' and wasn't enough to fill me, dessert was required. The bill came a little higher than your average burger meal but it is a great bar with good honest service and most importantly, good food!
Rating 7/10
The Warick Street Social
2 Warwick St, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 3LD