Since I am always on the prowl for a new source for juicy and delicious burgers, it was only natural that I give the Gourmet Burger Kitchen a try. Although it is an English chain, the Gourmet Burger Kitchen was actually created by three New Zealanders in 2001. This factor helps explain the Kiwi Burger, which I will get into later. It also furthers the understanding of the theme the Gourmet Burger Kitchen is going for. When one thinks of burgers, as many pleasant thoughts the word conjures, one idea that does not usually come to mind is “gourmet.” Yes, we have all heard stories about restaurants that offer the “hundred dollar hamburger,” but we dismiss the idea as silly because, let’s face it, no burger is worth that much.
What the Gourmet Burger Kitchen offers is not an overpriced burger, but burgers created within a gourmet kitchen. The difference is subtle but there. A gourmet kitchen uses fresh ingredients and prepares your meal fully when you order it — even though you will still eat it with your hands.
The establishment itself has a character that I would not quite describe as your typical gourmet restaurant. Deep oranges and browns are the dominant colors, but done in a way that is pleasant and not tacky as it might sound. Pictures on the wall are reminiscent of the Apple ads and human figures are silhouetted in black in a bright colored, almost fluorescent background. The featureless figures sometimes have an accessory or two that is also highlighted through bright colors, and each silhouette follows a theme of one of their burgers. What I did not expect is that the Gourmet Burger Kitchen actually has significant undertones of an 1980s theme to it. The menu cover features colorful dots that easily reminds one of an 1980s disco, and silhouetted figures on the walls match the general color scheme while 80s music plays in the background. They manage to insert just the right amount of an 80s touch to keep the place fun and suave (of course, being suave is not really very 80s at all).
It is typical for a burger shop to place ketchup on the table. Gourmet Burger Kitchen has a nice touch where they place the ketchup inside a squeezable plastic tomato, further adding to the fun character of the establishment. It made me wonder, if they also had mustard on the table, what would they serve the mustard in?
For a burger shop, the menu is quite vast. Starters include various items such as zucchini fritters, satay chicken skewers, halloumi bruschetta, falafel, feta cheese sticks and jalapeno poppers. Naturally there is a large selection of beef, chicken and vegetarian burgers. One burger worth mentioning, for the souls brave enough to try it, is the Kiwi Burger, which is made with beetroot, egg, and pineapple. Other interesting burgers included the Italian themed Pesterella, the Jamaican and the Satay. The Kitchen is quite proud about their homemade dipping sauces, which include hot bbq, smoked chili mayonnaise, spicy Mexican and chili to name a few. For those not interested in using their hands, they even have a selection of entrée items such as the New York Strip steak, grilled salmon or BBQ Short Ribs. But, then again, why would somebody go to a burger shop and not have a burger?
For my meal, I decided to start with the triple sampler to get a bit of variety. I also had the jalapeno poppers because it had been too long since my tongue last met them. The triple sampler typically comes with chicken wings, onion rings and feta cheese sticks. Unfortunately for me, they did not have any chicken wings, and instead offered the Cajun chicken pieces. Being that they are still quite new, I did not hold this against them. The jalapeno poppers and the onion rings were my favorite. The jalapeno poppers were stuffed with a smooth cream cheese and the onion rings were thin and crispy. The feta cheese sticks were adequate, but I felt that I would have preferred their more typical siblings, the mozzarella sticks. The Cajun chicken pieces, while made with good pieces of chicken, were a bit overcooked and bland.
As my main course, I decided to go with the Smoked Ranch Burger, which is served with smoked chili mayonnaise, BBQ ranch sauce, cheddar cheese, beef bacon, Boston lettuce, tomatoes and onions. The burger itself is quite large, with both the meat and the homemade bun forcing your mouth open beyond its natural limit. All the ingredients truly did taste fresh and were quite delicious. The only issue I had was that the beef bacon was on the chewy side when I prefer it to be crispy. Not a big deal at all, and I am certainly tempted to go back and give their other selections a try. I may even be tempted, during one of my more adventurous moods, to give the Kiwi Burger a go.