Byron’s – The Dribble

When I first starting working in London a little over a decade ago, I mentioned to a colleague that I was yet to find a great cheeseburger in the UK and he took me to a nearby Byron that very day and changed my mind.  When I saw they had a special burger on for the Euros, I made arrangements to pop into the city for some meetings last week and take on “the Dribble”.  Read on to see how it was…

What we have in store

Toggle

The Bun: 16/20

Byron has always had a good bun, the sort of brioche that has become a near standard with London burger joints.  With the Dribble they have pressed the top into roughly the shape of an old football.  However with my bun, it didn’t look quite as sharp as the ones in the menu photo, and it left me with more of an impression of being a turtle shell, so not super appealing.  Maybe cool for photos but I think it also compromised bun integrity just a little as my final bites fell apart more than I remember.

The Toppings: 8/10

I am fine without pickles or tomatoes, but think a burger needs onions so this was right up my alley as it comes with a big helping of caramelised onions.  Really good caramelised onions in fact.  The only knock is that they are slippery and perhaps contribute to making the name “Dribble” appropriate as between the double patties, extra cheese and generous helping of onions it was a very slippery burger with a high risk of cheese and onions shooting out on to your shirt.  A little shredded lettuce might have added a nice crunch and maybe helped things stick together.  

The Condiments: 8/10

The only condiment here is Byron sauce, which is a classic burger sauce with a near perfect mild spicy kick.  It usually adds a little pep to a burger and fills the mustard/relish space adequately but was just slightly lost here in the grand scheme with all the beef, cheese and onions.  A spot of mustard on the top bun and I think this would have been near perfect though. 

The Cheese: 20/20

If you love cheese this is for you.  Double cheddar AND double American cheese, all absolutely perfectly melted.  I wish I had taken more photos but honestly, once you picked it up, it was hard to put down as things were sliding around a little.  This is not a burger for the lactose intolerant, nor something any cardiologist would endorse, but it was a delicious combo! With high scores like this category, where did the Byron Burger sit on our hit list?

The Patty: 19/20

Two 6oz patties might make your doctor a little cross with you, but wow did they make for a delicious meal.   Fantastic flavour, no gaminess, just the satisfying mix of fat and meat that makes US burger joints so good.  And despite my ordering “cooked through” they were still really juicy.  Could have perhaps had a little more crust on the outside of the patty to enhance the flavour from the Maillard reaction.  Definitely was not hungry after finishing all that beef!

The Taste: 18/20

A fantastic cheeseburger, and reminded me why I have missed Byron so much over the last year or so.   Meat/cheese/onions ratio was ideal and really worked together for an excellent savoury, and gooey, meal.    Bun and Byron sauce a little muted due to the quantities of the other ingredients but I was just fine with that.  

Our Verdict: 89/100

It seems like just about every week since a new burger place opened in the city and so perhaps it should not be surprising that Byron had to reduce the number of restaurants over the last few months, especially with the pandemic.  I am glad they have survived for now and look forward to visiting again soon.  They now offer bottomless fries or salad which is a nice perk, although I could not take advantage this time around.  This might be too much burger for a lot of people but if you hate being left hungry at the end of a meal, then this is for you.  If you want to check out your local Byron Burgers you can see their website here