The first time we paid a visit to Cocktail & Burger, it had only been open two days and was fairly empty. Fast forward two months and the place is packed with every table full, the bar crowded and the food just as good as when we visited the first time.
Read our first review of Cocktail & Burger by clicking HERE.
We loved the burgers on our first visit and were only able to highlight a couple of very minor things that we thought could have been different. C&B have made a few changes since opening – the menu is now more focused around burgers and there are more ways to customise your burger, including the option to double up, which we mentioned in our last review as something that would have been a welcome addition to the menu.
We heard about a new ‘Bombay Burger’ special that was being made available for a limited time only and decided to order one along with a double c&b burger and a ‘poppin’ pulled pork sandwhich. Since there were four of us eating and the burgers here are 2-4-1, we ordered another double c&b and a portion of stealth fries and mussel popcorn to share.
All of the great things that we loved on our first visit remain – burgers are still 2-4-1, the thin, smashed patties are still full of flavour and juicy and the brioche bun still holds it all together well. We’ve received a lot of positive feedback on Cocktail & Burger via our Twitter and Facebook pages with a lot of people commenting on the burgers being a perfect size – not small, but not so big that it’s impossible to eat. C&B are clearly listening to it’s customers, recently describing their food on Twitter as ‘burgers that you can eat on a date without looking silly’.
The bombay burger, which consisted of a curry-infused smashed patty topped with salad and served on a glazed toasted brioche with a ramekin of mango chutney on the side, was quite unusual but absolutely delicious. Curry infused burgers are something we’ve thought about testing out for our recipe section in the past and this only confirms that it does indeed work. The patty had a slightly spicy kick and a delicious warming aftertaste. The curry wasn’t overpowering, but still prevalent enough to distinguish the bombay from a regular burger. We love mango chutney with our curries and I was sure to spread the entire ramekin on to the burger before eating. As with any curry, the chutney gave it a wonderfully tangy finish and mellowed the curry spice ever so slightly. We’d recommend washing this one down with a pint of C&B’s house beer, which pairs well due to the curry throughout the patty.
The Double C&B was much the same as our first visit, except with twice as much burger this time. The highlight was the secret sauce, which is absolutely fantastic. Again, it reminded us of the legendary shack sauce from Shake Shack in New York City and is the closest thing to it that we’ve tasted at home. The option to double up for an extra £3 is a great addition to the menu and even with double the contents, the burger is still easy to pick up and hold without it falling apart.
The poppin’ pork sandwich consists of shredded slow-cooked pork belly with Kopparberg cider onions on the same toasted brioche that houses the burgers. It was tender and the cider onions added a hint of sweetness to the pork. It’s an uncomplicated dish, but one that works well in it’s simplicity. I wouldn’t order it over a C&B because the C&B is simply that good, but if you have reached the point where you feel that you just can’t manage yet another burger (does this ever happen?!), grab one of these instead.
The fries certainly had more seasoning than the last time we visited and had a fantastic crunchy texture, but were just a little too salty for us. The mussel popcorn, which we had received a lot of feedback on via Twitter, Facebook and e-mail was absolutely delicious and was a nice change to the usual combination of burger and fries.
Cocktail & Burger continues to improve and the changes made to the menu since our first visit have only made the overall experience even better. We’re glad they have kept the 2-4-1 option, although it may prove to be a tad problematic if you’re visiting as part of an odd-numbered group who all want burgers! In terms of value for money, we can’t fault it. For four burgers, sides and drinks our entire bill came to just under £31. The burgers themselves are delicious and easy to eat and despite the fact that it’s only been open for a couple of months, Cocktail & Burger gets our recommendation as serving up one of the best burgers in the city.
Price: £7.85 (2-4-1) – add £3 to double up.
SUMMARY
+ Great value.
+ Delicious, glazed bun.
+ Flavoursome, smashed-style patty.
+ Closest thing you’ll get to a ‘Shack burger’ in Glasgow to date.
+ Option to double up.
+ Easy to eat – very little mess
– Fries were a little too salty.
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Cocktail & Burger
322 Sauchiehall Street
Glasgow
G2 3WH
Phone: 0141 353 0953
Website: http://www.cocktailandburger.com
James vs. Burger 