Byron Burger & The Fuss Free Meat Bonanza

Burgers. They're like meat inside bread.

For those of you who are hot on the Bristol ground meat scene (who isn't right?) you will have already heard tales of a new burger venture that has settled in this fair city of ours, and a lucky few of you may have already had chance to walk it's hallowed floor and tasted the delights within.

I am of course talking of Byron Burger, the newest addition to the Triangle.
The philosophy behind Byron is to serve 'proper' (still unconfirmed as to whether this carries the same weight with Byron Burgers when pronounced with a West Country accent) hamburgers, simply done, with minimum fuss & fanfare.

So, what does that mean in reality, and what does a non-fussy burger look like?
Well, turns out you can somewhat adjust the amount of fuss on your burger if you so wish. I went for the 'Smoky' - smoked cheddar, streaky bacon, crispy fried onions, shredded iceberg, pickles & smoked chilli BBQ sauce, but if I'd wanted to fuss it up there were 14 other extra toppings I could have added for an extra cost.
But if you really are a purist you can go for the Classic - the fuss free simple option of burger, lettuce, tomato, red onion & mayo.

The Smoky was a dream! Now I'm not normally one to eat a lot of red meat, so when I do go for a hamburger it's got to be nice, and this really delivered - the flavours were great, the burger wasn't too greasy, the bun held together all the way through eating despite a good amount of sauce, and the mess was pretty minimal.

I would say though that make sure you order some sides, because unlike at many other burger places your patty won't automatically come with fries on the side.
We went for the macaroni cheese and the famous courgette fries which seems to be the side of choice from the word on the street. Both were super tasty and left me wanted to try the other sides - although I would have been far too stuffed to try them there and then (another visit is in order me thinks).

The drinks selection was pretty impressive too (although 'craft beer' does seem to be a term thrown around a lot these days), and featured an American leaning with a good choice of Bourbons, American beers & milkshakes, along with menu regulars of wine, bottled cider & soft drinks.

All in all I was very impressed with Byron, and am actually looking forward to going back and having some more red meat, nom.
Although if you're somewhat less of a carnivore than I there's no need to despair, you will find something there for you too (although there was definite room for expansion in veggie choices).

The Bristol burger scene seems to be growing almost as fast it's beer scene, and there are some excellent established choices out there already, but if you fancy somewhere new then go check out Byron!

Let me know if you've been, and what you thought - and if you also succumbed to the charms of the courgette fries!

The Chase Taste: Weber & Tring's

On Wednesday evening we were lucky enough to attend a tasting session given by Chase distillery at Weber & Tring's.
After the dissolution of the Milk Thistle's Gin Club we at Bristol Whipped have been missing our spirits education, so we jumped at the chance to attend!
This was our first trip to Weber & Tring's, and we were not disappointed, after a quick nose around the shop we headed down to the cosy & atmospheric 'vault', ready for our journey to take place.

So I have to admit I started out a little sceptical - only because drinking vodka just brings back hazy memories of cheap spirits that could probably be used to strip paint off wood, mixed with sickly heart-attack inducing energy drinks - not my ideal drink of choice... Plus generally, we Bristol Whipped fellows are fans of the mother's ruin when it comes to a cheeky tipple.
However my worries were soon laid to rest after the first sip of Chase (original) - who knew vodka could be so flavourful! We were told how the taste comes from basing the spirit on potatoes, rather than just grain - easy to believe with the subtly creamy taste.

Next up was the Naked Vodka - lighter & sweeter than the original, it gave off a tantalising aroma of apple sherbet - a good contender for a fresh, summery cocktail me thinks.

It was the taste of the Smoked Vodka however when things really started to get interesting! Made by blowing smoke through the water during the production process, this offering succeeded in making us all hungry for a bit of charcuterie - some cheese or smoked ham would go delightfully paired with a drop of this.
Personally I was also reminded a little of good smokey stouts, and can imagine it would help make a particularly delicious Bloody Mary.

Lucky for us gin fans we were also treated to tastes of the Williams Extra Dry Gin & Williams Elegant & Crisp Gin, the former with an amazingly spicy & Christmassy taste (recommended to be served with a little ginger, lemon peel & thyme), the latter with a lighter, crisp finish (an excellent Martini base).

Lastly, we were introduced to the flavoured vodkas. I know what you're thinking, but flavoured vodkas don't always have to be sickly, neon and served on a 6 shot stick... (birthday cake flavour - what's that all about?). These vodkas were made by mixing with real fresh fruit, producing an intense and tantalising flavour.
The Marmalade vodka, made with zesty Seville oranges for a rich, bittersweet taste, would make the perfect Breakfast Martini, we were told, whereas the serving suggestion for the Rhubarb Vodka was with ginger ale & tonic. However, the beautiful rhubarb taste - sweet, tart, creamy - could, as far as I'm concerned, easily be enjoyed neat!

The evening ended on a high with a sweet & syrupy Elderflower Liqueur, conjuring up visions of English gardens & long lazy summer afternoons (pair with the Elegant & Crisp gin for something special). 

All in all it was an excellent education into the world of Chase (did you know that Tyrrells crisps originally spring from the Chase family?), and a pleasant surprise for an (ex)vodka sceptic!
And of course a big thank you to the guys at Weber & Tring's! We'll definitely be back to visit soon for some tasty delights (we've got an eye on those beautiful bitters!).

Let me know your thoughts on Chase, or if you've got any inspired cocktail recipes & serving suggestions!

Cow And Chicken: Burger Escapades

So, a couple of years ago we wrote a piece on Food Couriers and our order from Warren's Gourmet Burger Company (great burger choices, shame they all tasted a little like spilt Fanta after a bumpy delivery journey). Well Food Couriers is no more, however, rising like a phoenix from the ashes is Meals.co.uk - so in the interest of serious journalism we felt the need to order some more burgers and give them another try.

This time we plumped for juicy, face-filling, meat parcels from The Burger Joint - burgers we have enjoyed in the flesh both at the new premises and the old - such choices, so tasty, much wow.

So, down to business - the choices you can get on Meals.co.uk are the same as in store, so you're not missing out on anything there (except getting to tick the boxes with miniature pencils on the cute order cards in the restaurant). If you've never been to The Burger Joint then the main draw is that you can completely build your own, from the ground up (kind of like Build-A-Bear except more acceptable to take a big bite out of the finished product).
We decided to go for (drum roll):  
- The grilled chicken burger with pulled BBQ pork, hash brown & Monterey Jack cheese, with BBQ sauce & garlic mayo.
- Another grilled chicken burger with chilli con carne, Swiss cheese & hash brown, with firey chilli sauce & mayo.

Don't judge us - it's custom to order lots of toppings ok? I thought this was a safe place where we could come to share!
Anyway, we also had French fries & some onion rings. Faaaat.

Ordering through Meals is pretty straightforward - you've done Just Eat or Hungry House - you get the gist.
Unfortunately we received a message saying the restaurant was particularly busy that evening so the order would take 15-45 mins longer than the original estimate. Well at least they let us know - Que Sera, Sera!

So when the food arrived - the quantity was good, the quality was good - great flavours and enough sauce to shake a gherkin at. 
The beef burger was very tasty. Yes the beef burger. Delicious, yet, not chicken - which is what both of our ordered burgers were...
I'm sure that if we'd gotten in touch with the customer service team at Meals that they would've sorted it all out for us, but our hunger was upon us - beef prevailed, and it turned out to be good.

Aside from the burgers we can thoroughly recommend the onion rings - excellent batter to onion ratio.

So lessons to take away - it's always nice to support the smaller, local service, so definitely worth giving Meals.co.uk a try, however pushing down that delivery charge a little might make it even more appealing.
Secondly - The Burger Joint is tasty, their burgers are top, especially when you can choose all your own toppings, so why not go and get them IRL, at the restaurant where you can double check your order? You'll get all the food frills along with the excitement of being out in public - bright lights, fresh air, society highlife - huzzah!

P.S - sorry guys, I know some people can take pictures of burgers and make them actually look appealing, but I fear that is currently not one of our talents...

Bristol's beer epidemic spreads to Copper Jacks

Is it a cocktail bar? Is it a strip club? Is it a derelict building? No! It's Copper Jacks Crafthouse.

Throwing off the shackles of it's previous incarnations this newest regeneration of the building sees Bristol's beer takeover spread to Clare Street.

Providing beer lovers with a wealth of choice over exotic & local beers, and everything in between, it makes a welcome change to it's setting. The staff seem knowledgeable about their brews and are happy to make recommendations (although if you're beer hating friend asks 'Can I get a beer that doesn't taste like beer?' then don't be surprised if the suggestions aren't as forthcoming...).

Currently, the beer of choice seems to be Hadouken by Tiny Rebel Brewing Co. Described as "An Amplified IPA" it sure does pack a punch - very tangy in taste and amber in colour - like a fruity sunrise you could say (...but you probably wouldn't...)!

Bristol Whipped Gets Whipped Into Shape

Bristol Whipped has recently taken up the challenge to get whipped, and get into shape.

After a few weeks at the Gym, we've finally taken it out onto the streets, in training for the Bristol 10K - a scary prospect now less than 2 weeks away, especially for someone who hasn't done any exercise since leaving school (which was 9 years ago!!).

After the initial back slapping and ego petting from the achievement of actually getting outside in cut off training trousers in weather like this, hopes and dreams were quickly quashed by the onset of several injuries.

Wild claims of "shin splits" and other such pains aside, there were also the stress dreams - turning up halfway in the race and being totally left behind, etc. In a bid to conquer these fears and bring aid for the injuries, Bristol Whipped went in search of some proper, proper, good, proper running shoes.

"Spot The Moustache" at The Adam & Eve

Super quick review on The Adam & Eve in Hotwells!

After taking a spur of the moment trip in on Friday night, the Bristol Whipped team liked The Adam & Eve so much that we thought it deserved a quick mention!

The staff were really friendly, there was live music, good atmosphere and it wasn't so jam packed that you couldn't get a seat. 

The decor was probably the highlight, especially if you like playing "Spot The Moustache" (yeah that's a a real game!). Cosy seats, a collection of well-read books, newspapers, and enough curiosities on the walls to keep you entertained for the evening.

Ex Machina Play It Loud In Bristol

Bristol Whipped were lucky enough to attend the exclusive EP Launch of Bristol-based hardcore/metal/punk band Ex Machina at The Exchange last weekend.

The band had organised the gig for the celebration of their EP 'No One Gets Remembered For The Things They Didn't Do'.
The music was loud enough to shake you to the core, the vocals growled with intensity, the atmosphere was great fun, and they had a special guest and everything!

So if you're into your music coming at you like an angry bear attack (in a good way!) then make sure you check them out, and check out their EP!

Warren's Gourmet Burger Company - Food Couriers Delivery

It was a cold wet evening, the Bristol Whipped team had arrived home after a long day to find that the cupboard was bare! In order to save this situation we reached for the computer and decide to seek help from the Food Couriers.

After already trying The Burger Joint when the Food Couriers was still in testing mode we decided to try the next burger choice along the list - Warren's Gourmet Burger Company.

Whilst there is less "picking your own" combos when compared to The Burger Joint, there is still a massive range to choose from (more choices here than if you choose Home Delivery from Warren's website direct!).
We went for the Mexican Chicken and the Chicken Rodeo (with added hash brown).

Feast your eyes upon a true stack of a burger!

The Elephant - Pie & A Pint Night

So Bristol Whipped has been to The Elephant before - it was Christmas, there was lovely food and seductive lighting, etc etc.

This time we went along to sample Pie & A Pint Night!!!

It was fairly early when we got there so still quite quiet. After some painful deliberation (it's hard to make decisions - especially about pie!) we went for the beef based pie and the mushroom & cream cheese based pie with puff pastry - meat eaters and vegetarians alike rejoice!

The Burger Joint - New Premises

So recently a couple of the Bristol Whipped team were lucky enough to win a free meal at the Burger Joint's new premises. 

Formerly of Cotham Hill, the restaurant has recently moved to a larger building on Whiteladies Road, where Planet Pizza used to be (who, coincidentally themselves are moving into the old building vacated by the Burger Joint).
The Burger Joint team were looking to test all their shiny new systems and staff so kindly offered a lucky few the chance to come and help them test them out - and we were more than happy to oblige.

We got there just after a big rush of people so had the choice of taking a table outside or waiting a few minutes. We decided to wait as it was a little chilly, but the staff were extremely friendly and came to seat us after only a short delay.

When it came to ordering, as always with the Burger Joint, you get a small pad for you to fill in all your menu choices. This is particularly useful here as there are so many options it can be hard to remember the combinations you want to go for!

The menu was extensive as always - from burgers (highlights including wild boar and venison) to toppings, sauces & sides, with a few new added extras.
The combinations you can try are endless!