22 Jun 2014

BYRON - THE RONALDO

London, UK

In the spirit of the World Cup, and as an excuse to visit the new Byron that’s opened up in Shoreditch, I tried the limited edition Ronaldo Burger. Named after the 90s Brazilian football phenomenon, this double cheeseburger has crispy bacon, pickles, soft butter onions and fried onions. There are no special sauces on this burger, only ketchup and American mustard. Its price of £13 is a  hint to the sheer size of the burger, as Byron’s standard burgers cost between £7-9.  When the waitress placed it on the table, it toppled over, another hint that it was too large.  What stood out to me at the first bite was the very thin and perfectly cooked bacon, along with the classic pickles. The flavours all worked really well, but there was just too much meat. I’m not a big fan of double-patty hamburgers, as it messes with a trialled and tested meat-to-bread ratio that works so well in a single burger. I think this burger would be a lot more enjoyable with less meat, so that you manage to give more of your attention to the delicious toppings. Additionally, Byron has such tasty sides, that it is a shame to fill up on the burger without being able to enjoy enough their French Fries, Proper Olives and Oreo Cookie Milkshakes. I had to get the olives to go, as I really could not eat another bite of anything. It was nice to try it, but already when people have asked me about it, I haven’t recommended it. The list of garnishes on The Ronaldo had so much potential, it was disappointing that it just did not balance out with the patties. I’d rather stick to my usual choice of the Cheeseburger with American cheese and Byron sauce on the side.