Before it was Independent, it was ‘Muse’ and before it was ‘Muse’ it was ‘Blacks’. I’d never been a huge fan of the burgers under either of the previous banners and it was only until I saw a large banner advertising the bar as I walked along Argyle street, that I wondered if perhaps the team behind Independent (or ‘INDNT’) could finally get it right.
There was only one way to find out…
Inside, Independent is mostly black. There’s black walls, black seats, black tables and black floors. There’s even old newspaper pages (can you guess which one?) all over the wall. It looks pretty cool for the most part, aside from the large glass cabinet of champagne bottles that just reeks of ‘I’m trying too hard’ and looks a little tacky.
We ordered the Independent burger – advertised as two beef patties topped with cheese, onion rings, bacon and BBQ sauce on a sourdough bun. We also ordered the Diablo burger which is advertised as being topped with chilli relish and chipotle sauce, again on a sourdough bun.
Now, we love sourdough. Next to brioche buns, they are possibly the best buns that a burger can be served on. Unfortunately, when our burgers were brought out, they were served on what appeared to be soft brown rolls – the type of roll that you’d expect to be given at a barbecue but not as part of a £9.95 burger that is advertised as being served with a sourdough bun.
The burgers were served with fries and a side salad.
Taste-wise, both burgers were rather forgettable, with the only stand out being the incredibly spicy chipotle sauce on the Diablo. The meat was overcooked and under-seasoned, even more so on the Diablo. It almost appeared as if the patty had been cooked and then sat aside and kept warm for some time. It was void of any real flavour and after a couple of bites, we gave up. Upon further inspection, the diablo patty appeared to be almost black on the inside, near the edges and the rest of the meat was a terminal grey colour – a clear sign that it had been completely nuked to the point where I was able to bounce it off of my plate like a rubber ball. The onion rings on the Independent burger were crispy, which was a nice surprise considering that onion rings on burgers are usually wet and soggy; however, no amount of toppings could mask the poor taste of the overcooked meat.
The bun (or roll) tasted fine, but completely fell apart and disintegrated after a few bites of the Independent burger. It just wasn’t the type of bread that should be used for a burger that is brimming with toppings. It’s the type of thing I’d expect a burger to be served on at a friend or family garden BBQ and not at a bar/restaurant.
We certainly won’t be in a rush to go back to Independent. There are certainly some nice ideas there; however, with Glasgow’s burger scene expanding almost daily and new burgers regularly popping up that are better quality and better value for money than these, it’s difficult to give Independent’s food any kind of recommendation. Despite some very friendly service, the overcooked flavourless meat and a poor quality bun make these burgers ones to avoid.
Price: Independent Burger £9.95 / Diablo Burger £7.95
SUMMARY
+ Chipotle sauce was great.
– Dry patty.
– Overcooked.
– Not very well seasoned.
– Overpriced for what you’re getting when compared to elsewhere.
– Poor quality bun.
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Independent Bar & Kitchen
35-41 Queen Street
Glasgow
G1 3EF
Phone: 0141 221 17779
Website: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Independent-Bar-Glasgow/359246050814478?rf=280471605323878
James vs. Burger 