Tongue 'n Cheek, Belly Connection Burger: 7.25/10

• So Nose-to-Tail style burgers are a thing. It's not necessarily going to be everybody's thing, but it is a thing. And Tongue 'n Cheek, an Italian inspired street food vendor, are well-known on the London scene for their 'heartbreaker' patties, made of 50% ox heart and 50% dry aged beef. Having been raised to eat whatever I was given, a part-offal burger sounded un-scary and intriguing - and now having tried it, I can confirm there's nothing to be afraid of, mainly because it tastes pretty much like a normal gourmet patty!!

• Catching Tongue 'n Cheek at the KERB street food market at Kings Cross, you can choose from a range of 'heartbreaker' burgers with some innovative non-standard ingredients, including chimichurri sauce, watercress, Njuda spicy salami, and Japanese Kewpie mayo. Loving this originality, plus not having a brioche bun in sight!!

 

• As a massive Food Perve, I could have watched this dude grilling patties all day long.....but I had a Belly Connection burger to review: a chunky mound consisting of a 'heartbreaker' patty, pork belly, melted gorgonzola, pimiento mayo, pickled red onions and gem lettuce.

• A solid eating experience, there was nothing not to like and I had no trouble polishing off this bad boy. However, despite the exotic offal-mixed patty, the Belly Connection didn't leave much of a memorable impression. Same with the Rosemary Fries, in fact:

• Completely inoffensive, enjoyably filling, but again, lacking the wow factor.
• If you run into Tongue 'n Cheek, it's not a bad option for fresh, quality burger & chips with a twist, plus you get to support a small independent food producers - and hopefully that'll leave a good taste in your mouth!

BIRD: The Original Waffle Burger, 8/10

• I am a *sucker* for fried chicken. I can also convince myself that it's a healthier alternative to beef (or would have been before it hit the deep-fat fryer...pfffft details). So naturally, I 'needed' to review the infamous Waffle Burger on the menu of BIRD, the self-proclaimed free-range fried chicken specialists, to ensure you meat bun lovers had some lower-fat options around London town. Selfless, I know ;)

• Of course, my proposition of a 'light' burger is challenged by the fact that this is basically a double-serving, but again let's not get bogged down by semantics. Made up of two boneless chicken thighs, bacon, American cheese, hot sauce, and Canadian maple syrup, it's the fresh griddled waffles sandwiching your white meat that tastes most unlike a burger:

• But then again, what truly IS a burger.....is what some pretentious philsophy student pondered. I on the other hand, happily chomped through my plateful, as well as a spicy side of Cheesy Korean fries which overjoyed me to see combined my favourite Asian condiments (kewpie mayo and gochujang) with my favourite Western ingredient (fromage). Rare successful fusion:

• The Waffle Burger isn't for everyone. In fact I can already see purists complaining about misrepresentation. However, forget about a burger benchmark: if you woke up one day with a craving for some US-styled poultry soul food, BIRD has got what you need.

Shake Shack: 'Shroom Burger (VEGGIE), 9.5/10

• By popular demand and in homage to certain non-meat-eating individuals (you know who you are!), here is Burgerite's very first Veggie Burger review! Cult US-brand Shake Shack seemed a good place to start, as word on the street tipped it's 'Shroom Burger as best in class. And to be honest, it's hard to see how to surpass a deep-fried crunchy breadcrumbed roasted portbello mushroom stuffed to the brim with golden melted muenster and cheddar cheeses.....the bar has definitely been set, bring on the challengers!!

• Cheese fries are heavily crinkle-cut, so if you like your potato jagged you're in for a treat. They do look and taste mass-produced, and the opaque, viscous yellow topping doesn't diminish that sensation. Definitely not memorable, but not a bad filler:

• Strong selection of milkshakes too, based on their range of tasty Frozen Custards (ice cream, basically).

• The 'Shroom is a satisfying, moreish burger in it's own right whether you eat meat or not - so more choice for everyone!

BOOM Burger: Signature Boom Burger, 9.75/10

• Gourmet British-made burgers with one seriously vibrant, sizzling Caribbean twist! If fruity, tangy, spiced flavour explosions are your thing, BOOM Burger is ready to give your tastebuds an addictive, meaty bite of Jamaica from it's cosy urban corner of Ladbroke Grove, tucked into the concrete of Westway flyover. It's a refreshing experience, no airs and graces, just good ol' soul food, tropical cocktails, bright colours, loud music and fun times!

• The Boom Burger is the house speciality, and it is stunning: a tender beef patty smothered in rich, velvety cheese, topped with thick, punchy BACON JAM, fresh, crunchy red onion, lettuce and tomato dressed in creamy, zingy jerk mayo, with the perfect brioche bun. Faultless combination of ingredients, beautiful execution:

• The plantain fries are a JOY - sweet, chewy, crispy, these are the ultimate companion for any mouth-watering main you choose:

• For great food and a great vibe it doesn't get better than BOOM - sunshine in a burger!

MEATliquor SINgapore, Red Chili Burger&Dead Hippie: 9.25/10

• Headline: after a soul-destroyingly bad trip to MEATmission in London last November, MEATliquor SIN has come to the rescue, restoring my faith in the franchise with a storming Red Chili burger, quality Dead Hippie, and hard-hitting Shambal fries!! Cannot believe how well Singapore is WINNING at the US-style burger market, although it does come at a price, SGD 24/22 in this case. Thankfully you can get buy 1 free 1 mains with the Entertainer App throughout 2016, hence my quadruple burger order!!

Burger Jenga! Yes, I like to play with my food, so sue me already