Self-described as ‘a venue where left and right handers can exist in harmony without fear of persecution’, you can pretty much tell which type of atmosphere you can expect from the Hillhead Bookclub as soon as you check out their website. Offering a laid back, shabby-chic atmosphere complete with retro games consoles, ping pong, mismatched cutlery, jumble sale-style plates, extremely friendly service and a good music playlist, this is without a doubt one of the coolest venues in Glasgow’s west end. You can even bring your own plate if you wish to do so, according to their website.
The Bookclub burger comes served with lettuce, mayo and tomato on a toasted seeded bun and you can add bacon, red onion relish and cheese all for no extra charge, should you wish to do so. We chose to add relish and cheese. The burger comes served with chunky fries and the menu states that every burger is homemade and every chip handcut.
First impression was that the burger looked great! We loved the presentation and our eyes were immediately drawn to the bun, which looked fantastic. I’m not sure if the buns are made by the restaurant or whether they come from a supplier or local bakery; however, what I am sure of is that they look and taste very good. The bun was lightly toasted and held the contents of the burger together well. It was the perfect size for the patty and toppings and overall, it’s one of the best burger buns in Glasgow.
The patty itself was well seasoned; however, my only criticism was that it was overcooked ever so slightly. I still ate every last bite, but I would have preferred it to have been a little less well-done. It wasn’t dry by any means, but was just a little more well-done that I’d normally like my burgers to be. The cheese and red onion relish complimented the patty well, particularly the relish which was extremely well received by everyone at our table for it’s deep, flavoursome taste. We got a very generous helping of it on our burgers, which allowed us to really taste it too. A good relish can really make a good burger great and this one certainly helped hide the fact that the patty was slightly overcooked.
In terms of value for money, it’s hard to fault Hillhead Bookclub. Described as a place where nothing costs more than a tenner, it is certainly wallet-friendly! We were a table of three and the entire bill came to £29.50, which was for three burgers and three drinks. Don’t forget about those free extra toppings too, which were a cool touch.
Despite the fact that I would have preferred the patty a little less well-done, I still loved this burger. The patty was well seasoned and combined with a great bun and a red onion relish that I could have happily eaten an entire jar of, the Bookclub Burger gets a thumbs up from us and is one that we’ll definitely have again.
Price: £8.00
SUMMARY
+ Well seasoned
+ Excellent bun.
+ Red onion relish was delicious.
+ Good value
– Would have preferred it a little less well-done.
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Hillhead Bookclub
17 Vinicombe Street
Glasgow
G12 8BE
Phone: 0141 576 1700
Website: http://www.hillheadbookclub.com/
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