Haché was Time Out’s highest scoring burger joint, and that is where I decided to start this arduous task. Over the following months I will visit other locations, particularly those missed out by Time Out but highly recommended by other bloggers.
So before returning to my old time GBK favourite in Soho’s
Having read some critical reviews of Haché’s waiting service on London Eating (www.london-eating.co.uk), I was bracing myself as I walked in. To my surprise I was greeted by some very jolly staff who quickly showed us to our table. Haché is simply furnished, the careful lighting and crystal chandeliers suggesting a warmth and elegance which is a real step up from the usual GBK décor.
Haché’s menu is extensive, varying from beef to vegetarian, or fish, lamb, venison and duck (www.Hachéburgers.com/files/menu.pdf) the burgers will cater for all. I ordered the Catalan Burger with chorizo sausage, fresh chilli and tomato jam, with some chunky chips to accompany it. Mr G, my foodie partner on that evening, had the Spanish Burger with roasted red pepper and goat’s cheese. He ordered his burger to be cooked rare, and I stupidly assumed that mine would be cooked medium which is the usual deal for any decent burger. I was disappointed however when I bit into my burger to find it nearly blue. It was an unfortunate oversight, but being a true lover of steak tartare and everything else French, I was determined to enjoy my experience at Haché. As the name suggests, the burger meat was coarsely minced and tasted fresh and delicious.
As I ate my burger I felt that the ratio of bread and other ingredients was slightly disproportionate, with too much bread for the amount of filling, and that my ciabatta roll was also a tad dry. I did not feel that there was enough meat juice, tomato jam or even the humble mayo to mop up or soften the bread. I am not sure whether ciabatta bread and burgers is a marriage made in heaven - the chewiness of this type of bread (which I love immersed in extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar) does not show its best qualities in the same way in a burger. I think a good quality bap would have worked better here.
The chunky chips were well made and I polished mine off happily. Mr G echoed my feelings regarding his own burger. We shared a bottle of Argentinean Malbec which at £12.95 was of good quality and reasonably priced.
Verdict – For burger connoisseurs, I found Haché slightly disappointing. Our burgers were dry and lacked filling for the amount of bread offered. I am not convinced that ciabatta is the best type of bread for a burger either. The service was good, and the wines were reasonably priced. I would certainly like to come back and try it again, but will not be rushing back.
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