Battle of the burgers

If you know me, you'll know I love a burger. It only takes a quick look through my blog to realise I am forever trying different burgers.

The elements of a perfect burger for me are pretty simple: First of all, a soft bun, absolutely NEVER toasted. Personally, the kind of bun you can squish down and squash into your mouth is perfect. Although I am partial to a brioche bun, you will see, some of my favourite burgers are briochless. Secondly, a juicy beef patty that is preferably cooked medium. If your patty isn't oozing delicious burger juice, then it's not right. Thirdly, extras: cheese is always a yes, bacon is preferable and tomatoes, for me, are a no go zone when it comes to burgers.

Burgers have come on leaps and bounds from their primal fast food reputation. Street food vendors are selling variations of burgers featuring upmarket additions like stilton, pancetta and harissa. Some of the UK's poshest restaurants have also hopped on the burger bandwagon and now serve some of the highest quality burgers going (some even have black buns dyed with squid ink!)

What better way to celebrate the beauty of a hamburger than run through my top 5 best burgers*


1. The Prince Charles is overrated burger - 7 Bone, Bournemouth

Claiming the number one spot on my list is this little gem in Bournemouth town centre. This burger ticks all the boxes for me; squishy bun, tick, juicy patty, tick, bacon and cheese, tick tick, the dirtiest of burger sauces, tick and an entirely tomato free zone! This place holds it's own amongst some of London's most renowned burger joints.

The sides are also incredible. Chips topped with chilli con carne and jalapeños is my personal fave, washed down with one of their many craft beers.

The price of this burger is also extremely reasonable as any burgers and side is just £9!

2. Dead hippie burger - MeatLiquor, London

Not that dissimilar in build to the Prince Charles from 7 Bone, minus the bacon. But fear not, this burger has TWO beef patties and is drenched in their famous dead hippy sauce (a tangy mayonnaise like condiment to you and me).

The sides and drinks are also incredible at MeatLiquor. Giant fluffy onion rings and chips covered with all sorts of delicious toppings. And to drink, a wide range of some really incredible cocktails as well as some craft beers.

3. Bring home the bacon burger - Stax Diner, London

This burger was my number one for a while (you can read all about how much I love it in my previous blog post). Sadly, Stax has fallen to number three, but still remains a solid favourite for me and everyone I take there.

Their menu is small but has everything you could want from a typically american style burger joint. Stax is heavily influenced by deep south eating, so as well as burgers, you will find buttermilk chicken and waffles alongside some iconic American canned drinks.

A still regard Stax as a must visit for anyone in Central London. The atmosphere is wholesome, the food is great and the location is also gorgeous.

4. Hot Daddy burger - Cheeky Burger, Street Food Vendor

A very recent addition to the list, this burger is not for the faint hearted. A deliciously juicy burger patty made right in front of you in minutes, covered in melted cheese, slathered in chipotle sauce and finished off with jalapeños all inside a glossy brioche bun. This one is a winner for anyone who likes their burger with a kick.

I visited Cheeky Burger on my lunch break in Hammersmith and immediately knew the burger had to make it into my top 5. Next I have to try their burger called Elvis which features a generous helping of peanut butter *drool*

(I scoffed this down before I even had a chance to take a photo - sorry not sorry)

5. Bacon cheeseburger - Five Guys

I first tried Five Guys in Reading and instantly fell in love (read all about it here) These are burgers done right. Five Guys are popping up everywhere and offer stand out burgers in my eyes: soft seeded buns, juicy patties and toppings of your choice, you can build your very own burger of dreams.

As well as beautiful burgers, Five Guys has unlimited soft drinks available from a machine which offers around 100 different drink combinations (including peach flavoured Sprite - a personal favourite).

*(subject to change - I will always be trying more burgers)

Burger & Lobster

When I first moved here, I started keeping a list of all of the places I wanted to eat in London. Thanks to the influence of Time Out, the food envy of fellow bloggers and mouth-watering meals posted on Instagram, this list has got pretty extensive. I can tell you that it now stands at a grand total of 35. Sadly I have only made it to around a third of my foodie conquests (although probably a good thing for my waistline and bank balance...)

Now that my time in London is nearing the end, my boyfriend and I headed to the home of some of the most Instagrammed lobster rolls in existence - Burger & Lobster. Tucked away behind the hustle and bustle of Oxford Street is the raved about restaurant with a drinks menu almost 10 times as big as it's food menu. You may know that Burger & Lobster has only 3 items on it's food menu, and quelle surprise, 1 is a burger and the other 2 are lobster.

We started with a beer each; mine a light Japanese beer and Louis a stronger Brooklyn lager. For mains, I had the lobster roll and Louis had the burger (which are both served with chips and salad). The lobster roll was my first ever experience of lobster and boy was it a good one. Served in a toasted brioche roll, the lobster meat was mixed with a deliciously zingy Japanese mayo, topped with chives and served alongside the most indulgent of garlic sauces. Louis also thoroughly enjoyed his burger - thumbs up all round.

The restaurant has a no nonsense good grub vibe with semi-industrial interior and dark wood furniture. When you walk in there is a wall of lobsters in tanks, apparently some worth up to £200!

Although the food was lovely, £20 per main seems slightly steep. It was a really enjoyable experience and I will be sure to have lobster again. But for now; to start making my way through the remaining 11 on my list before June...

Passionfruit, lime, mint and rum cocktails

I love a cocktail and I every now and then can't resist indulging in my favourite Moscow mule or raspberry mojito. But I have to admit, I rarely make cocktails at home. With most cocktail recipes, the ingredients lists are extensive and a lot of things are often difficult to get hold of. The closest I get to a homemade cocktail is rum and ginger beer, but I'm sure that doesn't count! When my mum and I (both huge fans of rum) saw this cocktail recipe in the March issue of Sainsbury's Magazine, we had to give it a try.

We didn't have a lot of the ingredients to hand - I don't think many people have fresh lemongrass and pure cane sugar lying around in their kitchens! We had to buy most of the ingredients and this got pretty pricey. I confess that the student in me was thinking that I can get a pint for £2 when we picked up 4 passionfruits for the same price!

We followed the method, and the result was a fresh and deliciously tangy cocktail that definitely packed a punch! This cocktail is perfect for any special occasion and would be an absolute winner in the Spring months.

(Unfortunately the recipe is not available on their website, but pick up an issue in store to find out how to make this cocktail, along with loads of other fab dishes)

Recipe: Kale, pork and sesame stir fry - Sainsbury's Magazine

What better way to celebrate Chinese new year than with a quick and easy delicious Asian dish that is both nutritious and full of flavour. The March issue of Sainsbury's Magazine hosts whole feature on kale recipes, including this fabulously tasty noodle dish.

Kale is a trend that's sweeping the globe one curly green leaf at a time. Whether its kale smoothies, kale crisps or even kale ice cream, this member of the cabbage family is now a staple in the diets of the health-concious. Even Beyonce seems to be a fan, regularly sporting a 'KALE' slogan sweatshirt - if Queen Bey likes it then so do I.

The method of this dish is really straightforward and the result is a really delicious, fresh and fragrant dish perfect for a quick midweek dinner, and just in time for Chinese new year! Find the recipe on the Sainsbury's Magazine website here.

(Ps. Check out this Anthropoligie style tableware, also available in Sainsbury's for a fraction of the price)

Bread & Butter - Gourmet eatery and coffee shop

If there is one thing Leamington Spa has an abundance of - it's coffee shops (along with expensive vintage shops of course). Every time I visit it seems as if there is always somewhere new to get your caffeine fix. When my mum enthusiastically suggested heading to Bread & Butter for Brunch last week I was keen to find out what it was like. My mum knows her coffee, and by knows I mean that even Starbucks doesn't quite make the cut for her. I knew she meant business when she dubbed the coffee from Bread & Butter as 'the best coffee in Leamington' - and she was right!

Besides from fantastic coffee, Bread & Butter also offer a really lovely food menu offering a quite short (but impressive all the same) list of dishes. They offer gourmet toasties, posh brekkies and mouth-watering cakes amongst a range of other tasty goodies. To eat, I chose their parma ham, brie, pear and rocket wholemeal toastie, an unusual choice for someone who doesn't like ham! But the risk paid off - gooey melted brie, sweet pear, salty ham and sharp peppery rocket made a delicious combination making me salivate even at the thought! My mum chose the haggis and a (perfectly oozy - action shot below!) poached egg on ciabatta. I had to have a bite and can safely say that my first taste of haggis was actually really tasty.

Being a sucker for beautiful interiors (my Pinterest board says it all...) it was the rustic look and feel of Bread & Butter that really struck a chord with me. Mason jar filament lamps, natural wood and even autumn leaves on the floor, this place feels really wholesome but also very tasteful.

So if you're ever in Leamington and fancy a proper coffee and some fabulous food, pop down to Bread & Butter - I think you'll love it.

Saturday at Borough Market

I love a market. Whether it be a clothes market, street food market or even an antique market, there is nothing I like more. So what better way to spend a Saturday than at Borough Market, drooling over stalls and stalls of delicious produce from all over the world. Located in Southwark (where it has been for a thousand years!), Borough Market is the most renowned food market across the capital, and for good reason. The market offers a range of glorious fruit and veg grown by our very own British farmers as well as everything else from brownies to burgers, chorizo to cheesecake. 

My friend and I spent the best part of today oogling all the delicious food the vendors have to offer whilst taking photos of all of the gorgeous, vibrant produce that was for sale. After traipsing through rows and rows of stalls showcasing the creme de la creme of mouth-watering food -inevitably - hunger hit. The wonderful thing about Borough Market is that there are also a fair few hot food stalls, offering lunch on the go as well alongside their own produce. Initially we both picked up a giant white chocolate cookie (by giant I mean it was the size of a large plate) which we both agreed were amazingly gooey. Following that, we gravitated towards the hog roast stall, even though it had the longest queue of them all, we just couldn't resist. The most succulent of meat from the spit in a ciabatta bun with apple sauce and rocket, it was delish.

For anyone who loves to cook and eat delicious quality food (or just like a good market like me!) Borough Market is a must visit.

Top 10 foodie bits of 2014

Goodbye 2014 and hello 2015 - I know everyone says it, but the past year has gone so quickly! 2014 has probably been the most eventful year of my life so far; an internship, finishing my second year of University, starting my placement, moving to London and not to mention starting this blog at the beginning of the year, it's been a hectic one. And what better way to end the year than giving a run down on what I've loved over the past 12 months! Where I've been eating, what I've been making and what I've been using to make it- here are my top 10 foodie highlights of 2014.

1. Lakeland ceramic knives:
The best knives I've ever used. I got a set of 3 for Christmas and they make slicing and dicing a walk in the park.

2. Avocados:
Always been a personal fave, but since moving to London I eat an average of 4 a week. In salads, on toast or mashed into a quick homemade gaucamole - I'm obsessed (they're even in my eye cream!)

3. Leon:
I won't say too much about Leon (you can read more about why I love it here), but their cookbooks and restaurants are a game-changer for healthy fast food.

4. Juilenne peeler:
Although I am a self-confessed pasta lover, in 2014 I discovered courgetti (courgettes sliced into spaghetti like strips using a julienne peeler) and used it to substitute pasta in some dishes. I cook it for around 5 minutes on a medium heat with olive oil, black pepper, salt and crushed garlic.

5. Chorizo:
A fridge staple in my eyes, chorizo keeps forever and can work wonders with a pasta dish (like this one) or can be added to risottos and salads for a smokey meaty kick.

6. Stax Diner:
A must visit for anyone in central London. The best burgers in town, read my review here.

7. Seeds:
All year I have been adding seeds to my salads and soups, as well as mixing them in with breadcrumb batters for fishcakes, These food doctor ones are my favourite and add a good source of protein to any meal.

8. Starbucks egg nogg latte:
It's probably a good thing that these are a Christmas exclusive because they have the same amount of calories as a full meal. This doesn't stop me having at least one a week around Christmas time - creamy, sweet, caffeine goodness, who could resist!

9. Granola:
What I start every work day with. My favourite is by Sensible Dave who kindly sent me some packs in the post. So delicious and keep you full until lunchtime!

10. Street food:
From Leather Lane to The Urban food fest in Shoreditch, I have become a street food convert. Who'd have thought food that comes out the back of a van could taste so good?!