Rating: 7.5/10

Overview: This past weekend a friend sent me a message asking if I’ve been to this place yet … truth be told, I hadn’t even realized it was open – so I have Yoo to thank for directing me here. Tucked in the back of a quiet strip mall (just next to Health Land), Burger Factory is welcoming burger fans and offers both outside and inside seating … far enough away from the main road where you won’t be too bothered by rush hour traffic. With a name like Burger Factory, I was expecting (read: hoping) for a more industrial feeling to the place … but what I got was something like a cross between Audrey Café and Greyhound. The venue is still comfortable and the staff was friendly and attentive. Add to that, that I was there probably on just their 3^rd or 4^th day of soft opening, I’d say they are on the right track. They are currently serving off of a temporary menu … so it’s hard to say what additions they will make in the future. For now they have apx 9 burger variations, including a salmon burger and ‘Shroom Burger for any pescetarians or vegetarians out there. (: I figured that I would go with their signature burger for my first visit … I placed my order and happily waited.

The Factory Burger: THB 250- (US $8.33)

“150g Aus. beef patty, sautéed onion, fresh onion, tomato, lettuce, bacon, burger cheese and BF Sauce on a homemade bun.”

Let’s kick things off by talking about the beef. Here’s the deal, I’m told they use imported Aus. beef – ground in-house. Props for that. If places want to effectively maintain consistency, I think this is the way to go. I ordered my burger Medium, and I’d say it came just a tad overdone, but not by much. Flavor and consistency wise, it was almost there. Personally I would have liked a bit more salt, but this wasn’t a deal breaker. The aspect that took down this burger a notch for me was the bun … and this could have also been what set this burger apart from others. They make their buns in-house, and as such you can count on freshness. The unfortunate part for my visit was that the bun was a bit doughy, or rather it became quite doughy once the burger juices/burger sauce was added to it – to the point where it was sticking to the roof of my mouth and teeth. It wasn’t horribly bad, but enough to the point where it detracted from my overall experience. It seems they are aware of this problem, because they asked me what I thought of the bun. Anyway, I like the fact that they grill both sides of the bun; it was a nice touch. All the toppings were fine, and I though that the gilled onions added a nice, subtle sweetness to the burger. The placement of the lettuce could be improved a bit – it was bit chunky and what was supposed to create a barrier between the burger and the bun … didn’t really work. You also get your choice of potato salad or fries with the burger … I went with the fries. Not bad at all. Also, I think they were letting guests sample some of their other dishes; they gave me a couple of their sweet&crispy chicken wings and a strawberry mojito. I liked the wings a lot; the mojito was a bit sweet for my liking. The Verdict: I’d say a definite must try in the Thonglor-Ekamai area. Fix the bun and as Arnold once said “I’ll be back”.

Other:

Serving Time: 15 min +

BTS: Ekamai  | Parking: yes (limited)

Hours: 11 am- 11 pm

Note: They are planning on closing one day of the week, this info was not yet available.

You might be wondering where the term “slider” comes from, and some that believe the term originated in U.S. Navy ships, where the burgers they served were so greasy that they would just slide down the counter as the ship rocked back and forth on the sea waters. And others believe that the term came about to describe small greasy burgers served at military airfields that would just “slide” down one’s throat. But regardless of where the actual term came from, many credit White Castle (a fast food chain with the invention and popularization of the slider and as such, it wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t mention them. Here’s fun and informative video by them about sliders. Also, here is another post that delves into the difference between Mini Burgers and sliders, so if you’re interested, you checkout this post on AHT.

Anyways, lets move on to the beef of this entry … the burgers. I’ve visited all three of the venues before to review their standard burgers … but while I was there these little guys stood out and I made a mental note to revisit and eat them. We’ll go though them in alphabetical order.

Bangkok Burger Company

BBC Sliders (THB 295.-/US $9.83)

This was the first of the three places that I visited. The order consists of three mini burgers: Plain, Triple Cheese and Bacon Cheese. There’s not really much that differentiates these guys from the other burgers on the menu, aside from their size. If you like the style of BBC burgers, then it would be safe to say you would enjoy these 3 burgers. I think for a medium-size appetite, you’d be content. In my earlier review of a BBC burger you’ll note that I comment on the consistency of the patty (I prefer all-beef, no fillers), I’m not a huge fan of “soft” burgers – however,  I think the size of these burgers gives the patty a little more resistance the their larger counterpart (read: makes it not as soft) and that’s a plus for me.

Firehouse Pub & Restaurant

Firehouse MiniBurgers/Sliders (THB 260.-/US $8.66)

When I went in to do my original review of this place, there was a guy eating an order of these … and I’ve wanted to try them ever since. What attracted me to this particular set of 3 “sliders” was that they were/are served to you with a set of 4 dips/toppings (on the side): Bacon Bits, Guacamole, Peanut Butter and BBQ Sauce. So aside from just being smaller, they give you a totally different burger experience, which is nice. They come standard with cheese and grilled onions (which is a mandatory topping to even be considered a “real” slider by the purists) – I mention this for the non-onion lovers out there, just order them without. Portion wise, it’s on target like BBC – just enough to satisfy. If you go in for a set, the peanut butter is a great first choice to experiment with.

Woodstock

Mini Me’s (THB 195.-/US $6.50)

Honestly, I wanted to order these just because of the name … it’s so cute I could eat it (and I did). The ultimate pairing would be an order of these Mini Me’s and a Fat Bastard (a hefty 1-lb burger option). As you may or may not be able to see, these suckers are pretty small and they don’t come with anything other then cheese on top … but don’t let that deter you. They are pretty tasty. The patties are well-seasoned and there is a lot of flavor coming out of them. You get 4 with each order, but I think that you’d need to eat at least a couple of orders to get full. To be fair though, I think that is the actual point of sliders … to eat a lot of them. Just an FYI, the other places come as a meal set – these are all alone – but, they are listed in the appetizer section of the menu so this shouldn’t be a surprise. (you can also see my original review of Woodstock here – it was the first-ever entry for BBB, so I’m sure they deserve a follow-up review.)

Verdict: I’m not going to give my typical rating this time around, but I will say that of the three I think that you get the best value for money with the Firehouse MiniBurgers. Size wise, FH and BBC are pretty close – and they both come with fries – but I really like that you get dips with FH. And, if you know my burger style preference at all … you can bet that I’d go with a meatier patty.

Below are three more pics of the burgers … one of each in the order I listed above. If you know of any other places that serve mini burgers/sliders – please share in the comment section.

Rating: 3/10

Overview: Located at base of sky train exit next to Interchange Tower in the lobby of a hotel, sits this little café. I didn’t have high expectations when I went in … and I probably should have trusted my gut and not gone in at all… but oh well, another burger under the belt. The staff was quite friendly and attentive and probably the only redeeming factor of the place. Business was slow when I was there; just two other tables that had already been served their food. Since it is in a hotel lobby, you get a nice view of guests coming in and out … and most of the people I saw were old men with young girls. Probably spillover from Soi Cowboy. Anyway, I placed my order and waited. They do have free wi-fi, for anyone eating there and in need of an internet fix.

S Sukhumvit Giant Burger: THB 185- (US $6.17)

“Beef, onion, tomato, lettuce, green/red peppers, burger cheese and mayo on a sesame seed bun.”

Where to begin? This burger experience was pretty bad. I had to send my first one back because it was still raw inside (see the second burger at the end of this post). This is the third burger (in a row) that I have ordered that came raw/rare – maybe I’ve upset the burger gods somehow! Anyway, the first burger served to me was big, albeit raw inside. I sent it back and waited for my new one to arrive. When it did, it was half the size of the first burger! My S Sukhumvit Giant Burger was no longer a Giant Burger. Very strange – if I didn’t know better, I would have guessed they just took the raw part of my previous burger and re-cooked it – hence half the size. There was nothing exceptional about the taste of the patty, and to be honest, it was pretty much masked by the cheese and mayo. The consistency of the meat was loose (read: falling apart) and chunky – not very appealing or satisfying. That said, I did like a couple of things about this burger: the green and red peppers, and the grilled online slice. Is that enough to make me go back? Not a chance. Also, I think there is supposed to be bacon on the burger, but there was a little misunderstanding on my part … they asked me if I wanted ham and I replied “no, beef”. Fries were fine – standard shoestring variety. The Verdict: I’ve had worse burgers, but my standards are rising. Unless you’re staying here and starving, I suggest you go find another place to satisfy your burger craving.

 Other:

Serving Time: 15 min + 15 min

BTS: Asoke

MRT: Sukhumvit

Hours: closes at Midnight

SECOND BURGER:

Rating: 6.5/10

Overview: Apparently this place is a longstanding French chain that has “many, many” locations in France and also a couple in Southeast Asia – the one I visited being the first in Thailand. Until recently, I had never heard of this place. The first time I saw the name was when I went to this mall when it first opened looking for a burger place; I saw the venue then, but it wasn’t open … and so I went to On The Table (Tokyo Grill). As far as mall restaurants go, this one could be considered a bit more “up-scale”.  Any place that serves you bread and butter before a meal (which they do) is a bit classier than your average mall burger joint. That said, I’m not sure carb loading before a burger is really necessary … but I’m not one to turn down good bread. I’m a bit embarrassed to say that I didn’t really look the menu over, I just flipped to the burger page … but I guess there’s a whole range or steaks, etc. on the menu as well. Anyway, I stuck to my routine and ordered a burger …

Hippo Classical Burger THB 290- (US $9.67)

“150g Aus. patty, lettuce, pickle, onion and tomato on a sesame seed bun.”

This burger was brought down by the bun. It was big, dry and soggy. You might be wondering how it could be dry and soggy at the same time, and I’ll get to that soon enough. Let’s start with the patty.  150g of Aus. beef – not bad. Good flavor. The only downside here was that I ordered my burger medium, and it most definitely came rare. And I know they know how to cook it medium because one of the guys with me ordered medium and it was done perfectly. Anyway, I ate it … and it was ok, but it wasn’t what I ordered, and that’s not good. Now to the soggy bun. One nice thing about this place is that you have your choice of sides, I chose veggies and au gratin potatoes. The veggies came on the plate with the burger, and they had some sort of watery butter sauce on them that, in turn, soaked the bottom of the bun. So as soon as they set my plate down, I could see the bun was wet. Minus points. Aside from being soggy, the bun was dry tasting – not a good combo. Additionally, the burger was quite bready … for me the bun to patty ratio was a bit off. The lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle were all fine – difficult to mess that up. The sides weren’t bad – nice to have an option other than fries. The Verdict: Not the best burger in Bangkok, but the name is kinda cute and bonus points  for sides.

Other:

Serving Time: apx 20 min

MRT: Rama  9

Rating: 7/10

Overview: Like or not, this place isn’t going anywhere … or more accurately stated – this place is going everywhere. Business seems to be booming and there are plans to open up more branches across the nation. Awhile back I did a “preview” of this place and didn’t really do a proper review. I figured now would be a good time to revisit the BBC and give my 2 cents worth. Obvious changes were the menu look, prices (gone up) and selection, but probably the biggest change was burger recipe; they’re still made with fillers and as a result are a bit on the soft side … however, in my opinion, the texture is much improved. The people behind BBC are adamant in communicating this burger is not targeted at expats/westerners … it’s targeted at Thais; and I guess they like soft, sweet burgers. Readers of BBB know that I’m not a big fan of soft, filler-heavy burgers – for whatever reason, they just don’t do it for me. That said, a 7 is most likely the highest score I could give to a burger of this style (and that might be pushing it a bit). Anyway, I knew what to expect when I arrived – I placed my order and waited …

The Bacon Cheese (large): THB 310- (US $10.33)

“150g patty, bacon, cheddar cheese, burger cheese, onion, tomato, lettuce and secret burger sauce on a sesame seed bun.”

If you’re bad at making choices, it’s probably best just to close your eyes and point … there are a lot of burgers on the menu. I went with the first option. With a choice of 2 sizes – regular (100g) and large (150g) – you can choose according to the level of your hunger pangs. To get into it, the patty is still on the soft side, but gives much more resistance than the old style (it no longer oozes out when you pick up the burger). Also, the patty is very sweet – this actually overpowered the meat taste; it’s not bad, it’s just different to what I’d
normally like. If you’re a fan meaty taste and texture, this burger is not for you. The toppings and bun all seem to be of high-quality – fresh veggies and a crisp, warm bun. There’s a “secret burger sauce” that comes on all burgers … it seems like a cross between mayo and 1,000 island dressing – adding another level of sweetness to my burger. You also get your choice of fries or side salad – a nice touch. We all could use more veggies in our diet. The Verdict: Good and soft.

Other:

Serving Time: apx 10 min

Credit Cards accepted (except when I tried to pay with one)

Rating: 8/10

Overview: Out with the old, in with the new. This place sits in the same location where Larry’s Dive once stood proud. You can forget about the cheap and artificial (albeit fun) beach-side décor of Larry’s; when step inside, you’re welcomed to a clean, spacious interior. You can sit upstairs, downstairs, inside, outside, at a table or the bar. Prices aren’t exactly cheap, but they’re not too far out there either … since this is a “café & gastro pub”. Anyway, I took a seat outside – which turned out to be almost exactly where I sat when I went to Larry’s for a burger (except then I was sitting inside). I ordered a Phuket Beer (which is one of my favorite Thai beers) and the burger.

Wagyu Beef Burger: THB 320- (US $10.67)

“Wagyu beef patty, bacon, cornichons (aka pickles), onion, tomato, lettuce and mayo on a sesame seed bun.”

Let me first start by saying, I liked this burger. It was pretty good, but there were a couple of things that seemed a bit strange. The main thing was that the texture was pretty “beefy” for a Wagyu burger. I would have expected it to be much softer. Don’t read this as a complaint, because like I said – the burger was good; it just made me wonder if it was really 100% Wagyu that’s all. The second thing was the bun (lightly toasted), seemed a bit out of place. I guess I just expected something a little less generic – something homemade even. Anyway, I ordered my burger medium, and it came out fine. I saw that the chef had cut it to see how it was done (see above in full burger shot) … points added for caring but lost for letting out the burger juices! The toppings were good. The bacon was nicely cooked and veggies were fresh – nice flavors all around. The potato wedges were great when first delivered, but they quickly lost their crispness and ended as being just ok. I especially liked the presentation, the burger was served surrounded by wedges. The Verdict: Not my favorite 8+ burger in Bangkok, but worth getting to know.

Other:

Serving Time: apx 15 min

Rating: 5/10

Overview: I used to eat at this place quite often. It was near my office, cheap and had A/C – a perfect lunch destination for hot and humid work days. While there is nothing overly special about this restaurant; they are extremely efficient and, in my opinion, seem to maintain a relatively high standard of cleanliness. Located in “lobby” of Food Land, this diner has a long bar with 20 or so seats and the open kitchen sits behind it. There are also a number of tables that are spread out in the space. There tends to be a busy work-day lunch crowd that keep the place buzzing, and since it’s open 24/7 it also is a good location for late-night munchies. I took a seat at the bar and ordered the burger … 5 minutes later, I was eating it!

Hamburger: THB 71- (US $2.37)

“beef patty, lettuce, tomato, onion and mayo on a sesame seed bun.”

For the price and it being served indoors, it’s really a bargain. The burger comes with fries and a small serving of coleslaw on the side. I’m a fan of open kitchens: 1. they give me something to look at if I’m dining alone ,and 2. I get to see who makes my food and what they do to it. From my seat, I watched as the cook took a stack of pre-formed patties out of the refrigerator and slapped one on the griddle, and moments later it was sitting in front of me. The patty wasn’t anything special, but for 71 baht my expectations weren’t very high. Overall the flavor and texture was ok, but tt was a tad dry and sort of had a fast-food taste to it, which it was. No bones, no grizzle. The bun was also toasted on the griddle – a standard, run-of-the-mill, store-bought kind. They put a sweet mayo or
salad cream on the burger, which I’m not really a big fan of, but it did help to slightly offset the dryness of the burger. The veggies were fresh. The fries were crisp. The Verdict: Like the name says – cheap and good. Not the best burger in Bangkok, but def. a good value for money.

Other:

Serving Time: apx 5 min

BTS: Asok

Rating: 3.5/10

Overview: I have half (read: sort of) wanted to try this place for sometime … a couple years in fact, but something for some reason or another, I never made it in until recently. Maybe because of the New Year I made an effort to finally make it in … or perhaps it was because I happened by it while thinking about where I was going to eat my first burger of 2012 … either way, I found myself sitting along at booth in this Japanese “health” burger chain. The place is quite small and was totally empty when I visited (aside from the staff). It now almost goes unnoticed. I think when it first opened they had grand visions of R Burger domination … because older pictures online show it taking up 2-3 floors, now it’s just a cubby hole with a few tables. As usual, I ordered a burger took seat and waited.

Beef Burger: THB 85- (US $2.83)

“beef patty, lettuce, tomato and miso sauce on a bun.”

I had to refer to my notes to remember what this burger tasted like … as I looked down, I realised that I didn’t write much … and then it all came back to me. Truth is the patty looked dry on the outside, but was actually pretty moist. Unfortunately it was almost tasteless, aside from the random piece of peppercorn. The burger was soft and didn’t have much character. There wasn’t much difference from the but to the patty. Speaking about buns, I was under the impression that the burgers here came served on steam Chinese buns; this was not the case. A quick look at the menu showed that the beef burger and one other burger came with this style bun, while the others had the white steamed buns. Oh well. As for the veggies, there was one small round of tomato on the burger, if anything it was cute, but I can’t say that it made any significant contribution. The fries were good. Skin on wedges served hot and crispy.  The Verdict: R Burger “R” you kidding?! Pass. Not the best burger in Bangkok.

Note: I ordered the meal @ THB 110- comes with fries and choice of drink. Also, the website listed is based in Singapore; I could not find the Thai site.

Other:

Serving Time: apx 10 min

BTS: Siam

Bun roll please ….

BEST BURGER 2011

Yankee Burger @ Hyde&Seek  |  Facebook: page

I might be a little bias, this was one of my favorite burgers before the creation of BBB, and it continues to top my list. While it is a little pricey and perhaps a little “hi-so”, the fact remains that it is a tasty, beefy burger. In fact, I wish I had one right now …

BEST NEW BURGER 2011

PremiumBurger @ Firehouse | Facebook: page

As the new burger on the block, this one made strong impression. It’s really just a burger done right and has an authentic grilled burger feel to it – sort of like the burgers I’d eat back home … but with a much more appealing presentation.

EATER’S CHOICE 2011

Duke’s Express  |  Facebook: page

A veteran to the burger scene, Duke’s “duked” it out in the Eater’s Choice 2011 poll and came out ahead in the end thanks to a dedicated facebook fan base. Congrats.

While only three burger places were mentioned above, it wouldn’t be fair not to mention a number of other places that add to the Bangkok Burger Scene.

Honorable Mentions:

Audrey Café 

Bangkok Burger Company 

Bully’s 

Café Europe 

Home Run Bar & Grill 

Monsoon’s

Note: I’m sure that I’ve missed some good burgers … and I’m going to do my best to located them and eat them in the weeks and months to come. Your continued support and comments are appreciated. The first burger review of 2012 will  be up very soon.

Thx. ~BBB

Rating: 7.5/10

Overview: I decided to head to the new CentralPlaza on Rama 9 for lunch and was hoping to find a new burger place. I did a quick look around and came across On the Table. I’m a bit embarrassed to admit that I actually thought I found a new restaurant in Thailand and was sort of excited at the thought of being one of the first to write about, but as it turns out (after a quick online search) … I was a bit late to the table you could say. On the other hand, I guess it just means I don’t spend my days wandering around eating in malls (there are 3 other OTT locations in Bangkok). Anyway, the venue is/was nice; there’s something relatively calming about it. The menu is interesting and was actually nice to look at – appetizing food photos. If I wasn’t on a burger mission, I would have been happy to order other things listed – although saying that, nothing really comes to mind. Anyway, for being a Japanese/Italian restaurant, I was almost positive that if they had a burger on the menu it would be a Wagyu one … I was happy to be proven wrong. Nothing against Wagyu; but I sort of feel a lot of places just put one on the menu because they like saying the name … Waa – gyuuu. Well, as the girl sitting at a table next to me was taking pictures of herself sitting at the table, I placed my order for the Angus Beef Burger and waited.

Angus Beef Burger: THB 310.- (US $10.33)

“150g Angus beef patty, lettuce, mushrooms, sautéed onion, bacon, mayo and cheese on a sesame seed bun.”

First impression was a good one. I thought that as a whole, this burger was put together nicely. It was a big 150g, and I actually thought it was bigger before I asked the waitress to check for me. The patty texture was a bit springy but not to the point of ruining the burger. Also, there was a strong peppery seasoning, just shy of being too much. Overall the flavor was good though, and the other components went well with it. The burger usually comes with mushrooms, but I had mine without them. The cheese used is mozzarella, and as you can tell by the photo they don’t skimp on it. Personally I would have preferred a different type of cheese. This one, when after it cooled a bit, took on more of a plastic-like texture. I suppose that could just serve as motivation to eat faster. The bun was nice. It was toasted, buttered (top and bottom) and then smeared with mayo. The sautéed onions added a subtle sweetness to the burger and went almost undetected. Fries were fine; nothing special. The Verdict: I liked what I saw, and I ate what I liked. Not the best burger in Bangkok, but a pretty good one.

Other:

MRT: Rama 9