Located just off Camden High Street behind Inverness market, Haché Burger is an eccentric French-themed restaurant with a bold message: “Burger Connoisseurs”. Notably, Haché Burger has previously won Timeout's “Best Burger In London” award, so there was substantiation in that core message, and I was more than keen to test it.
The restaurant interior was simplistic, with the unique tone driven through the slightly out of place chandeliers. The atmosphere inside felt a little stale, perhaps due to the fact I had visited at lunch. On the plus side, the staff were efficient and friendly throughout the meal, luckily earning that frustrating mandatory service fee.
Perusing the menu was both bizarre and joyous. The variety in burgers was commendable, though some items on the menu felt a little out of place or unnecessary, given the restaurant theme. At a first glance, I was very much lured in by the “Steak Louisiana”; a burger that combined my second food love in life: peanut butter. However, I shied away from this to instead try something more aligned with the French theme and what could be considered the 'signature' burger: "Steak Le Triomphe Des Truffes".
This burger boasted truffled Gruyère cheese, a sweet balsamic truffle glaze and pickled onion, served with a side of rocket, tomato and red onion. Interestingly, a choice is given on the bun between ciabatta or brioche. I went for brioche, almost out of panic, with the idea of a ciabatta burger overwhelming my thought process. Perhaps something worth returning for...
The burger arrived with the 'lid off' so to speak. At this point it clicked with me that this restaurant had an undertone of arrogance. Whilst not necessarily a bad thing as it certainly has earned this right, this is still a burger joint, however you want to spin it. Regardless, it looked appetising and was presented well. I popped the salad on to the bun and 'closed the lid', ready to tuck in (none of that was a euphemism).
Biting into this burger was a wonder for many reasons. With a dynamic layer of diverse flavours evenly distributed throughout, it was satisfying that the patty was the most distinguished taste. This was further accentuated in the fact that I had requested medium rare and had actually received medium rare; unfortunately a rarity in many burger joints. Haché Burger brags the finest and freshest ingredients, using 100% prime Scotch beef steak for its patties. The quality of the meat was evident with a solid fat to meat ratio and a great resounding taste.
Reverting back to the 'dynamic layers'; these were delivered through the Gruyère cheese, sweet balsamic truffle glaze and pickled onions. All of these ingredients were distinctive but delicious, especially the balsamic truffle glaze which was truly original for me. Importantly, none of it was overpowering either, which is easily done with a vinegar-based glaze.
Haché Burger delivers a truly unique burger. From the high quality meat through to the balsamic truffle glaze, you can expect a range of flavours executed impeccably. Whilst the restaurant and menu is a little hazy in its delivery, you can rely on the fact you will be served up a fantastic meal.
Patty Master Musings:
- What is with the mandatory service charge? If we get awful service, we still have to pay a minimum of 10%? There is a leap of logic here in that the waiters could effectively do anything and still get their tip.
- My reasoning for 'Brioche' over 'Ciabatta', aside from panicking, was the concern over how firm and crisp ciabatta would be. I cannot imagine favouring a crispy bun. On my second visit to Haché , I will certainly be sampling it.
- Did I Dip It? I demolished this burger so fast, I had not even realised ketchup was on the table.
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