On a burger trail

Friday, 26 September 2014 22:51 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Iresha Umagiliya History has it that the first ‘burger’ was created way back in the 1900s in the land of America. Whether this was a “healthier invention” during the civil wars is arguable. Both union and confederate generals would sure to have enjoyed this simple yet amazing creation although there are no written records.

Coco Veranda burger A burger, hamburger or hamburger sandwich is essentially a sandwich with ideally one or more ground meat patties entrapped between the two halves of a big bun like baked bread piece. But luckily over the years many different cultures and social groups have put their culinary minds in to it and have added various ingredients. Among the most popular are cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, fried egg, pickle, while some of the bizarre ones include waffles, maple syrup and birch twigs! The good thing is, there are no rules. That’s enough about the history of burgers… Now let’s get to some sniffing around.

Burger King Coco Veranda Burger A perfectly-baked bun filled with tomatoes, lettuce, one ground beef/chicken patty, cheese and a fried egg to top it off. This has a more balanced effect and would suit the palate of many food lovers. The good thing is that the meat is perfectly cooked and the veggies are fresh, which makes for a nice combination. Although cutlery is provided, any burger lover would know that eating a burger with cutlery is simply not done. So let your fingers do the walking all over this yummy fellow. Price Rs. 700. Border Burger at CCC

Now we all know that their ‘David Shepherd’ is a heartwarming belly filler, but this burger ain’t half bad mate! The bun is a tad sweeter than most places but rest of the ingredients more than compensate for that. A perfectly ground and cooked either beef or chicken patty coupled up with tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, bacon and of course a fried egg are the addictive culprits in this combination. The bun is laid out on the plate in two halves, with fresh crispy French fries filling up the rest of the space. This is definitely a must at Colombo’s most coveted sports bar and café. Price Rs. 600.00++. TGI Fridays Burger This is a place more popularly known for its steaks and other dishes around the globe. Since it’s a new brand in the island nation, I thought I’d give it a try. Well, the bun is not really perfect and the French fries are simply too skinny. On the plus side the meat is cooked to perfection, veggies are fresh and the sauce that accompanied the meat had a very authentic barbeque flavour. More importantly, the cheese is succulently melted like in most classic hamburgers of the West. It’s not gigantic so even for dinner or heavy snack, this should be good. Being an international brand, the price was a bit steep for a burger. Price Rs. 900.00++. The Whopper at Burger King

This is only for those who do not fuss about always needing gourmet food. But what we have here is a perfect, simple, unsophisticated beef burger. The bun is perfect and the other ingredients also live up to their expectations of an international franchise. The patty is delicious, although lacking a bit in size. Personally I would need a double whopper to properly taste the meat. There will be no fat fries (or any fries!!) if you order only the burger and frankly a normal Whopper for lunch may not be enough for most people. Having said all this, I still feel it’s worth a visit – especially when you want to grab something quickly because we all know that gourmet burgers take time! Price Rs. 550-870.

The CFC Surprise Burger This is the biggest boy of them all. A nice double decker with all you want. This has two very chunky yet soft beef patties made of perfectly ground meat. The second patty is topped with bacon and caramelised onions. Then a thick slice of cheese a fried egg and a slice of vegetable of your choice. Lettuce is thrown in between the items to give a feel of greenery and the burger is accompanied by a generous plate of potato wedges. Word of advice – only order this if you are really hungry because this is a big burger. This is not for the fainthearted average eater; this is the carnivore’s delight! Price Rs. 800.00++.

Well that’s it for this time around. Hope you got some insight into a few of the burgers to eat in town. I have purposely avoided the more commonly-known varieties such as the Sugar Burger, ‘Burgers King’ and the Commons burger in order to give an idea of what else is out there. Remember you do not eat a burger with cutlery!! It’s simply not done. (Trekurious together with DailyFT explores Sri Lanka for the curious traveller. Trekurious works with talented individuals and great brands to create amazing experiential tours, activities, and events in Sri Lanka. You can find out more at www.Trekurious.com.)