Blacklock’s Burger

Now that the world is getting back to normal, I am getting more opportunities for lunch and dinner meetings again, and sometimes I can work a burger I want to try into those meetings.  Last week, however, I was meeting a former colleague for dinner in the burger haven of Shoreditch near a conference he was attending and we were actually heading for Peruvian food when he decided he wanted a steak instead.  So that gave me a chance to pop into the steakhouse chain Blacklock and try their no-longer-secret burger for the first time.  Read on to see how it was…

The Bun: 17/20

From the outside, it looks like a lovely brioche-style bun covered with sesame seeds.  But when I cut it open, the inside was quite a bit lighter in colour than I expected.  Either way, the size, and texture were very good and it was toasted perfectly.   

The Toppings: 8/10

The burger comes with two toppings: a pile of caramelized onions and a lot of sliced gherkins.  The onions were fantastic, just the right amount, and they were cooked beautifully to the point of true caramelization.  Apparently, they are cooked in vermouth but I cannot say I picked up any of that flavour in the burger specifically.  The gherkins were more in the “just ok” camp for me…not the crisp dill type you get in America.  Frankly, I thought it was better with less of them.  

The Condiments: 8/10

It comes with LOTS of a very good burger sauce.  It was dripping off the burger and was definitely one of the stars of the show.   The sauce is a traditional pink burger sauce but flavour is good, with a little combo of tang and heat.    It doesn’t mention anything on the menu but I saw a comment online afterwards that mentioned it had Sriracha and that sounds like what I tasted.   No side condiments were offered so I cannot attest to what options existed if someone wanted to sweeten up just a tad with a little ketchup or add a bit more spice/tang with mustard.  

The Cheese: 15/20

The cheese was good but is perhaps the one spot here that could have been improved a little.  I’ve seen photos on blogs that looked like it was American cheese on the burger, but I did not get that.  I had a generous helping of cheddar that was melted well but lacked that gooey creaminess I really like.   To be clear, it had a decent flavour that showed up in the end product, but I did find it a little less interesting than the other components. 

The Patty: 19/20

Thanks to Covid, in the last 18 months I have become an expert on frying burgers at home.  To the point where my BBQ is probably feeling neglected, but Blacklock reversed that trend.  These dual patties are perfectly sized and were perfectly cooked on a grill rather than a griddle.  It was a wonderful change of pace that reminded me of the 10 years I spent managing a steakhouse with a proper mesquite grill.  What made this so memorable for me is this is the sort of grill that is hard to recreate at home with high heat and a nice flavour.  I think restaurants are at their best when they prepare food you can’t recreate at home.  

The Taste: 18/20

I love a burger where the components work together and I thought that was the case here.  Clearly, the chefs have experimented with their ingredients to get a set of flavours that complement each other, personal preferences on the gherkins (and maybe the cheese) aside.  The gravy-like onions, lovely grilled beef and spicy sauce were absolute stars and I loved every bite.  It looked and tasted like the burger was put together as a whole, rather than being passed down a line with a few different cooks each doing their part, like you get at some steakhouses where the burger is an afterthought.  High scoring category for Blacklock, how do you think this burger faired on the Hit List?

Our Verdict: 85/100

A really good burger and one I will be back for soon when I feel like that grilled taste, or if someone I am meeting wants a steak.  But I want to use this space to talk about the absolutely excellent service. As I mentioned, I managed a similar joint for a decade so have a clue about how hard it is to get all staff in a restaurant that well trained and I was blown away.  My dinner guest owns a gastro-pub so is a qualified judge as well.  Product knowledge was excellent, the teamwork was amazing to watch, the managers were visible and active (and helpful, which is something rare) and everyone made eye contact with all tables as they walked through the restaurant, which is a skill I think is sorely lacking in the UK in general.  We ended up in the bar after dinner and even the hostess who kept an eye on us was a good server and offered us each “another x” etc rather than waiting for us to flag her down to get something when our drinks were empty.  I am not sure how she knew what beer or wine we were drinking, but it impressed me.  The restaurant was full when I arrived and when I left, I walked by many places nearby that were mostly empty so it’s clear their clientele feels the same.  Well done Blacklock! You can check out Blacklock’s website here