Go guilt-free on ‘real’ burgers

Abu Dhabi: A new burger joint has recently opened in the capital proclaiming that chomping on a massive sandwich is not a calorie crime. With ‘real ingredients’ like unprocessed cheese, hormone-free meat, calorie-safe sauces, sugarless buns and locally sourced veggies, Burger Bureau touts itself as the first ‘real burger’ concept born in the Middle East.

XPRESS checked out the joint at the new Al Wahda Mall extension on the third floor to verify how true their claims were. And there was no doubt about giving the funky joint our stamp of approval… Yes, it’s possibly the only burger joint in town that has a resident DJ and live bands spinning out some real foot-tapping numbers!

As we stepped in, we saw the burger ‘heroes’ (read waiters and managers) were on a mission – to ‘save’ the burger lovers of the world. Agent Roma, our waitress had her gadget ready – an electronic tablet menu that allowed us to flip through and pick our choice of healthy burgers and drinks.

From an inviting spread of mozzarella sticks, crispy curlers and chips, we settled down for the spicy and crispy chicken strips – a great tastebud trigger. What better way to enjoy our starters than washing them down with a chilled float – vanilla ice cream in a glass of Pepsi (Dh22). My companion thought their homemade lemonade (Dh12) was a better choice. We agreed to disagree.

As we flipped through the menu (quite imaginative), assortments of finger bites, sandwiches and wholemeal tortilla wraps were vying for our attention. But we were not the ones to betray the burgers.

Not so adventurous with my tastes though, I went for Bombay Bliss (Dh39), a desi chicken burger that showed the audacity to replace mayonnaise with Raita – the quintessential Indian invention of yoghurt mixed with onions, tomatoes and cucumber. The ‘not so spicy’ chicken strips marinated in ginger and brushed with mint chutney was a far cry from the real ‘Mumbaiya’ street burger. But no regrets as I munched on the deliciously crispy brown breads.

My partner got working on a massive but healthy bite – The Chopper (Dh40), made out of 100 per cent Angus beef, cheddar cheese, BBQ sauce and topped with a fried egg sandwiched between a ring of pineapples and beetroot slices.

For the sweet tooth: Pop smoothies in four flavours: Melon Coolers, Sweet Sensation, The Gym Junkie and The Berry Delight and unapologetically thick Pop Milkshakes in caramel, strawberry and Oreo cookie flavours (Dh22) offered enough options to choose from. The chocoholic in me was smitten by the deep-fried Mars bars (Dh22) served with a big scoop of locally made vanilla ice cream generously drizzled with caramel and chocolate sauce.

Scott Sorensen, who owns the Burger Bureau with Trevor Woodward, said the concept was born out of the need to represent the burgers in a positive light. “Burgers are considered one of the unhealthiest meals. It is not represented well and it’s a great crime against all the burger lovers of the world. We promise to solve those burger crimes,” said Sorensen. He said they have plans to open 10 more outlets in the UAE by next year.

Details

Meal for two: Dh175

Location: Al Wahda Mall (Extension), 3rd floor, Abu Dhabi

Timings: 10am to 11.11pm

Contact: 02-445 2044