Veni-Moo, Mac & Wild - London, UK

Nothing says award-winning burger more than a Scottish game and seafood restaurant. Say what? Mac & Wild's 'Veni-Moo' burger was awarded burger of the year at the 2016 'National Burger Awards'. This was more than enough justification for me to schedule a 'business meeting' down in London to investigate.

There are two branches of this restaurant across London and I opted to dine in the Liverpool Street location, which is situated a five minute walk from the station in Devonshire Square. This is a smart looking establishment with dark walls and wood just about everywhere (tremendously descriptive I know), making use of low-lighting to build an ambience.

I failed to be productive in my menu-browsing as I knew exactly what my order would entail, but I do recall there also being a house burger available if, for some reason, you do not fancy, y'know, the award winning one. Oh, and all that seafood and game, of course.

If appearance was anything to go by, I would have slapped the award straight on to the 'Veni-Moo'. It landed before me in a towering glory of wonder. This was a well-crafted and well-presented masterpiece. But does it live up to the hype?


Yes. The freshness of the ingredients was the first thing to shine through, particularly the light brioche bun that managed to maintain its shape throughout.

The cheese was distinct, but not overpowering, perfectly complimented by the béarnaise and caramelised onions. It is refreshing when a burger shies away from the typical burger or BBQ sauces to build flavour by other means, and it certainly paid off with this one.


The candied bacon was a suggested extra and I would highly recommended it to add a little sweetness to proceedings, upping the dynamic of this burger to the top tiers of taste. The main story, however, were the two patties: one beef and one venison. The flavour fusion between the two was unique and whilst I think the beef was still in the driving seat remaining more succulent throughout, the venison was a great touch giving the 'Veni-Moo' an edge that likely won it that award. One thing worth noting was that the meat cook times were both well done due to what was stated as 'council regulations'; a little saddening, perhaps wasteful, considering the quality of these patties.

All-in-all, this is a top burger and I would absolutely agree with its status in the London burger community. The 'Veni-Moo' is a posh burger with dirty undertones and delivers in all areas from meat to bun to toppings. If I was to pinpoint a drawback, it would only be with the cook-time of the meat. This burger was otherwise perfection.

Patty Master Musings:

  • Visually this was definitely one of my favourite burgers of all time.
  • Devonshire Square is a beautiful place. I recommend it, even if you don't eat at Mac & Wild.
  • I've not touched on value yet. This burger doesn't come cheap. With the added bacon extra, it was £12. That's without chips too! You do pay for quality, mind!
  • Did I Dip It? Absolutely not! The flavours eminating from all areas of this burger were top notch. This was especially pleasing given that it didn't actually have a sauce on it.

Category Score
Taste
Style
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