Chuck Burgers

Fifty minutes. That’s how long we had to wait for our food at this new Commercial Street burger joint. True, they were (eventually) very apologetic, took 10 percent off the bill and scrapped a service charge they had no chance of getting anyway, but watching them take orders for takeaways while we still waited would have broken weaker men than me. If I hadn’t been reviewing it, I’d have flounced out long before.

I’m glad I stayed. The food, when it came, was very, very good. The guys behind this place have a stall at Hawker House and another restaurant up in Hatch End, so they know what they’re doing. My cheeseburger was just about as good as it gets, with a perfectly pink, impeccably seasoned, ever-so-slightly charred patty made from chopped chuck steak (obviously) with plenty of fat. It was great. The nicely peppery buffalo sauce on the wings was exceptional and the fries were good, too. In fact, the only thing that didn’t twist my knickers were some bland mac-and-cheese balls. 

Still, 50 minutes? They need to fix that asap. I’ve had shorter commutes on Southern rail.