If you’re fed up of a quick bite to eat in the likes of Burger King and McDonalds and would rather enjoy a restaurant experience while still being able to order a burger, then this might just be the place for you.
Dippy Hippy
I have to confess, I have never eaten in a Gourmet Burger Kitchen before so I was looking forward to trying out their food on Saturday night at the Trafford Centre.
If you’ve never been before, it operates just like Nando’s- it’s a restaurant but you choose what you want at your table and order it at the till rather than waiters coming over to you.
The restaurant was heaving, which I took as a good sign- clearly there is a market for the upmarket burger experience.
It’s ideally situated near the cinema in the upper part of the food court so a great place for a quick bite to eat before your movie or somewhere to go afterwards when the popcorn is a distant memory.
To start, my husband ordered the Tempura Wasabi King Prawns. He can handle spice but he did warn me they had a bit of a kick so if you’re the same- this will tickle your taste buds before your burger.
I had the Sweet Potato Croquettes which arrived with a minty dip. They were coated in crispy breadcrumbs and their soft, warm insides complimented the coolness and freshness of the dip.
For our mains, I was eager to try the vegan burger- the Dippy Hippy- albeit the only vegan burger on the menu but it ticked all the boxes. It is a homemade pan-fried bean patty, beetroot and mint hummus, avocado, piquillo pepper, salad, relish on a sourdough bun. Yes, all that sandwiched between a bun! But there were a few of my five a day in there so I’m not complaining!
It was so big I had to cut it in half and give it a squish. Unlike other bean burgers I’ve had- the patty protruded out the sides when I took a bite so you know its homemade and not just come out of the oven.
I also ordered the sweet potato fries as I much prefer them to normal fries and they were a perfect balance of crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
The menu offers an impressive range of veggie burger options if you lean towards the plant based way of living like me. Consequently, it makes it ideal for couples where one is a meat eater and the other is a veggie like me and my partner. It suited us both- which is a rare find.
My husband had the Taxidriver- American cheese, house onion ring, Cajun relish, smoked chilli mayo, dill, pickle and salad. He is a huge fan of burgers but this one defeated him and he had to leave some- but I could see the sadness in his face when he couldn’t manage the rest! I think he was a little too embarassed to ask for a doggy bag!
He ordered the skinny fries with his and they look just like the skinny crisps we used to eat as a kid. If you’re not a dipper these are for you because they are so tiny you can barely scoop up any of the dip!
He washed it all down with one of the GBK milkshakes which he let me have a little taste of and it is without a doubt the best milkshake I’ve ever had. And it came in a classic metal mixing cup so it really looked the part.
After we waited for our mains to settle- we ordered Banoffee Cheesecake and Chocolate Toffee Brownie both of which were the gooey sweet treat you crave for at the end of a meal after all that savoury goodness.
The Gourmet Burger Kitchen has a bit of an American diner feel about it given that it serves a lot of the same things that one would expect from such an eatery. The décor is very modern and the earthy colours, high ceilings and rose gold coloured fixtures give it a light an airy feel so it’s a pleasant place to eat.
I was really impressed with the quality of the food in GBK- especially the burgers- just be warned that they make burgers in other joints look miniscule by comparison! The meals are a little pricier than you might be used to paying but if a burger is your go to meal when you eat out- you might want to compare as a treat.
Thanks to Stu and all the other staff who helped to make our visit so enjoyable.