I've not blogged in a while. I'll be honest: I was getting quite bored of it. Plus I wasn't really going out to eat that much, and if I was, I was showing up at places I've eaten hundreds of times before; nowhere new. A mention in the Independent reminded me that I do have a blog and that I should perhaps update it - a cheap cash in for any new readers, or something.
The Independent article in question was primarily focused on The Meatwagon and the fantastic burgers available from the mobile street food truck. I'm afraid I'll once again be writing about burgers in this post, at the risk of being typecast. Am I...the Michael Cera of the food blogging world??
Anyway...
ThaT Burger recently opened in Watford (I'll spare you the shock now - it's in zone 8...yes, there is a zone 8) to little fanfare. Despite some Twitter buzz and a promisingly active Facebook page - fans were asked on their opinions of fries, deals and so on - hardly anyone else had picked up on it. After seeing that they would be opening in August at some stage, and they were giving away thousands of free burgers, I fired off an inquisitive email. I was introduced to Justin Davies, who, along with his brother, was opening ThaT Burger on Watford High St. They're no strangers to the restaurant business, having operated The Rotisserie and deli chain Delisserie previously. A phone call later and it was clear that Justin had a meticulous blueprint - this was a man who'd eaten burgers in the United States and wanted to bring the same level of fast-food to London.
After missing out on a pre-opening test run, Sam and I finally made our way over to zone 8 (eight). I would claim that we had other business to attend to there, but no, we made the trip specially. It was worth it:
ThaT Burger (£3.55)
Taking inspiration from Five Guys, presumably, a ThaT Burger comes as a double as standard. With each patty weighing in at about 60g, it's not a lot of meat, which makes the fact you can request as many patties as you wish (75p per patty; £1.05 per patty with cheese) an appealing prospect. That's not the only thing you can modify, with the entire burger being customisable; each burger is cooked to order so requests are noted before they hit the griddle. The aforementioned patties, despite their diminutive size (the thinness allows quicker cooking) pack decent flavour. They're well seasoned with salt and pepper, but the meat's quality also shines through. Justin has expressed his desire to use prime quality beef in a fast-food setting - the same quality beef he'd use at one of his upscale deli or grill restaurants. It certainly makes a difference: a lip-licking greasiness (in a good way) that leaves you anticipating the next bite. If you choose to go for cheese, expect a classic American style slice, with a taste and feel reminiscent of Kraft. It obviously works incredibly well, as does the fresh salad (sliced pickles as standard) and the special sauce. A bespoke baked bun surrounds and does a good job of retaining the structure of the sandwich. A really enjoyable fast-food burger.
Part of ThaT Burger's consultations with fans on their Facebook page was to find out how customers wanted their fries: with skins on or off. Some suggested that peeling the spuds would mean it was more authentic, while others were of the belief that keeping the skin-on would provide more flavour and make it seem more home-made, more natural rather than the frozen and reformed spindly numbers you'll find in the high street fast-food chains. I'm firmly in the skin-on camp. The twice-fried potato chips here are once again reminiscent of the effort by Five Guys. These are just as good. Piping hot and spilling out of the cup they come in, they're crispy and pack a great potato flavour. Sauces and cheese are available at a price, but they were good enough on their own; cajun seasoning is available if you require it.
Chicken burger (£2.95)
I was kind of against this - I thought it would detract from the cheeseburgers. I thought it would be a cheap afterthought, cashing in on those who are dim enough to dine at a cheeseburger restaurant and not wish to eat a cheeseburger. How wrong I was. The chicken burger from ThaT Burger may well be the best chicken sandwich I've ever tasted. Good quality chicken breast is breaded and deep fried so that juicy flesh hides below a crispy coating (which tastes like it's well seasoned with paprika as well as salt and pepper, but I'm just guessing from memory). The sandwich is constructed in the same way as a hamburger, which works incredibly well, somehow. The special sauce complements the fantastic fried chicken. Worth the trip to zone 8 alone.
We also tried the cheesecake (baked at Delisserie - very good; dense) and the soft serve ice cream, which was great. If they can add a fried apple pie to the dessert menu and root beer to the catalogue of sodas, I'll be incredibly happy. As it stands, ThaT Burger is very promising. I understand there are plans to expand, and it seems like it's ready to roll out to a high street near you soon, but I just hope the same quality can be found at every potential store. The team clearly know what they're doing though, and their research shines through.
15/17 The Parade
Watford, Hertfordshire
WD17 1LQ,
United Kingdom
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14 comments:
Excellent stuff - top marks to dedication. BY GOD Watford is far.rehyp
I live in zone 8! wow - who knew there was a reason for Watford aside from Costco?
It does look great but the prices will have to go up.
Chx sand=£3. you lose 60p in vat, even if you can get these great looking ingrediants for £1 which I would doubt when you factor in wastage etc then you are looking at a food cost of around 60%+. It is unsustainable.
So are they still involved in Delisserie? It's an interesting mini-chain. Not really great quality, but good at turning out ok food fast to families. I have no doubt that Watford is (a rather clever) test-bed for a more central roll-out. I imagine these guys know North London quite well.
Looks really promising. A lot of similarities with my experience at Five Guys. Would be great to get that sort of quality of burger in the UK.
Ahhh so you got out there eventually? Nice one. Looks good, and the multiple patties has me sold. Why the hell in Watford though?! Its so bloody far away. My guess is they wouldn't be able to do it that cheap in London? Looks good nonetheles, Mr Cera.
Lizzie - Thanks! Watford isn't so bad for me (from Wembley) but yeah, pretty far from pretty much anywhere else, especially south London!
Foodycat - Good point about Costco! I forgot about that place. ThaT Burger may not sell 92-roll multipacks of toilet roll but it's pretty good!
Anonymous - Interesting comment, very interesting. I'm not sure of the economics, but I think you should also factor in things like sponsorship deals and advertising, perhaps? Like I say, I'm speculating (and I'm not a businessman) so I'm unsure as to how it'll work. I would agree with you that a raise in the price may be needed, but that's just an anecdotal remark from witnessing other businesses start at a low price and then slowly introduce a small rise in the price.
Anthony Silverbrow - They are still involved with Delisserie, which I've never tried but seems to be quite popular in Temple Fortune whenever I've passed it. I think you're right, they do know north London pretty well it seems - plus testing in Watford makes sense. Justin explained it to me quite simply: If it works in Watford, it'll probably work in a more central location.
Nordic Nibbler - Great review of Five Guys! I think you'd be very pleased with what ThaT Burger are turning out at the moment. I mean, they also gain influence from other chains (Sonic, In N Out) but the Five Guys comparison was pretty clear for me in the tasting and in other aspects. It's definitely a good quality burger, a lot better than anything else you can get on the high street.
roastedsundays - Haha. Well, I think the issue of them being able to do it that cheap in say, Soho, would be one factor; a small rise in the price could be on the cards to contend with the (presumably) higher rent. All speculation though! Watford is, like I explained up there, a test-run sort of location. If it works there, and people travel to it because they are interested in a good quality fast-food restaurant, then it'll work in Angel, Soho, Chelsea. Places with higher passing traffic. It seems a concept that's ready to roll out to a place near you soon, I just hope this first location is successful enough to convince them to open one near my house/work! :)
Nice article in the Indie... kudos!
I work in Watford 3 days a week, for my sins, so MUST check this out, thanks for the tip!
:)
Now days as inflation is rising on higher node, at that point I think there can be thinks on which they can costs lot of money.
Looks absolutely delicious, for fast food like that, would love to have some right now...really would.
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I read about this place but couldn't bring myself to go that far, even if the idea sounded good. After reading this I may have to figure a way though, maybe pop in on a trip to the folks in Milton Keynes.
this burger looks amazing! not sure I will make it into zone 8 though...
It's okayish. Burger is not particularly tasty and very pricey. Decor is beyond hideous. Fries are good though.
Another chance to try ThaT Burger ..check latest news on facebook.com/thatburger
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