By Aditi Datta
What’s not to love about a burger? Meat – good. Bread – good. Cheese – mmm, good. If you think about it, it subtly traverses all the major food groups. Throw in lettuce, tomato and onion, and there we have it. Protein, carbs, dairy, and ahem, traces of vitamins and minerals – it’s a classic all-rounder. {Hey, we’d never make a weight joke so callously!}
We’re not sure when this patty and bread beauty went from primal hunger diminisher to gourmet skill showpiece; all we know is that Gurgaon is the battlefield, and burgers of all types and sizes are the brigades battling for supremacy. Other than the newly arrived Fat Burger, Delhi Height’s Juicy Lucy {42,000 sold and counting!} and old hands at the game like Hard Rock Café, we’ve seen smaller warriors making their way in. While we try to eat our way through the indecision of who the true burger king is, here are the contestants.
Smokey’s BBQ & Grill
The menu offers 12 kinds of burgers, including some promising vegetarian options. We have our eye on the 6 Chilli Chicken Burger. With fries and baked beans on the side, the number of chillis is the only kind of counting that anyone’s doing. For some fruit and veg, try one of their original cocktails.
Where: Ground Floor, Cyber Hub, Gurgaon
Contact: +91-124-496 6321 or find them on Facebook here
Price: INR 1500 for a meal for two
The Joint Cafe
We have a feeling that our good friends Harold and Kumar would have approved of this joint. As in, this eatery. We have to say it is several notches above any castle of any colour, with its Fat Boy Burgers like Holy Cow, which also packs in Belgian pork belly and bacon strips. Some more munchies? There’s cheesy fries to go with it.
Where: Galleria Market 1st Floor, DLF Phase 4, Gurgaon
Contact: +91-99994 00013/+91-95999 92444 or find them on Facebook here
Price: INR 1800 for a meal for two
Eat@Joe’s
This tiny restaurant churns out quite a whopper. If burger decisions overwhelm you, you’ll be pleased to know that Joe’s is so confident about its offering that there’s only one type on the menu. Choose the flame grilled veg, chicken or lamb patties – they all come with a secret 7 spice seasoning that makes all the difference, caramelized onions that add smokiness, and sauces, all of which are made in-house. Homemade coleslaw makes for a refreshing side.
Where: Shop 115, Cross Point Mall, DLF Phase 4, Gurgaon
Contact: +91-124-414 1444 or read more here
Price: INR 900 for a meal for two
Double Roti
We hadn’t seen this one coming. Moving away from the classics, Double Roti serves up more burger adventure than its more seasoned compatriots. Expect Lemon Aioli and Jack Daniels steak sauce, or Chilli Lime Pesto, or Aubergeine & Feta to sneak into your standard burger. Extra points for packing in some humour with the cheeky soy burger named Soya Soya Chand.
Where: Galleria Market First Floor, DLF Phase 4, Gurgaon
Contact: +91-124-4239596/+91-98113 37803 or find them on Facebook here
Price: INR 700 for a meal for two
Medium WellDone
Going by the name alone, the least we’d expect is that this restaurant take the trouble to ask how you’d like it. Diners get the choice to have their filling grilled when ordering the Jumbo Beef {actual beef} or the Cock-a-Doodle-Doo burgers. The Holy Veg burgers get some extra attention with a bit of smoked Scarmoza. Very well done, indeed.
Where: Lower Ground Floor, South Point Mall, DLF Phase 5, Golf Course Road, Gurgaon
Contact: +91-88001 11338/+91-78385 09176 or find them on Facebook here
Price: INR 850 for a meal for two