19.12.08: Out to Ground

He joined Her for drinks at her company xmas 'do, and, 3 hours later, They cast about for some post-festivity sustenance. The Ground gourmet burger restaurant answered the challenge with cheeseburgers for Both, courgette chips for Her and regular chips for Him. An insouciantly plain salad of cuke, tomato and leaves did its best to strike a note of health amid the indulgence.

HE SAYS: This was a satisfying burger experience with my new beef eating buddy. The meat was good, the bun not too air-puffed or soggy and the chips were hot, salty and crunchy. What more could you want? A salad perhaps? Yes, that was plain but fresh-tasting, but what else? Okay, stealing a handful of Her courgette chips made it perfect.

SHE SAYS: I thoroughly enjoyed testing out my newfound beefeating gambit once again with this excellent example of the humble hamburger. Unlike many of its competitors, Ground has not seen fit to drown its patties in chutneys, relishes and soppy sauces. My cheeseburger had a thin slice of melty white cheddar and a dab of mayo here and there - just enough to help things slip 'n' slide happily down. The courgette chips were tempura-battered, pepper-speckled, fresh-hot, and gone real quick. Overall, a much better service experience than the first time over a year ago, when we waited for ages in a half-empty restaurant.

02.12.08: Pizzas n' burgers

She had to work late so they went their separate ways for dinner tonight. She was stuck eating office pizza with co-workers while He ate at home. His plate consisted of two burgers with melted mature cheddar and English mustard mayonnaise on toasted green olive ciabattas. An M&S edamame soya bean salad with chili and coriander dressing rounded His plate off nicely.

SHE SAYS: Sorry folks, I just couldn't bring myself to explain to 1/3 of the office why I would take pics of the dreaded Pizza Express pies in their greasy boxes. Actually, I was starving, so it didn't seem as offensive as usual; the sausage and pepperoncini pizza stood out slightly above the rest, which do not deserve mention. I also sampled a bit of the mediocre dough balls that came with cups of garlic margarine, holding out faint hope...but enh. Anyway, it sustained me thru a mildly entertaining evening of sewing up Uglydoll-like xmas pressies for our clients. Had I known what He was having for din-dins, I might have held out.

HE SAYS: I swear, I wasn't trying to make Her jealous or miss out on Her new appreciation of all things meaty, but it just so happened I fancied a burger while she was out. The mayonnaise was frisky with the English mustard addition and helped to moisten the bites of the crusty ciabattas – which, by the way, were also M&S and also tasty. The salad was a crunchy affair and was helped out by the great dressing, which was all things shweet n' spicy.

04.11.08: Election nite w/ Alex and Amy's, NYC, NY

We love Obama! And Obama cake, thoughtfully provided by our hosts.

Well, you'll have guessed already this turned out to be a celebration feast, complete with friends we haven't seen for far too long. Amy & Alex magicked up some fantastically indulgent macaroni n' cheese; grilled some generous cheese burgers; and mixed up a salad of green leaves, raisins, sweet pepper, cucumber, and some sort of tasty vinaigrette. Although We didn't manage to snap a sneaky pic of the meal we did pop a pic of dessert: a special funny confection Alex had picked up and called Obama cake. Lest you think this choccy reference was all in bad taste, may we assure you that we all thought the nite's outcome, like the cake, was so, so very sweet.

SHE SAYS: Well, that does it: I eat beef now. In-N-Out was not just an anomaly (Fact: I've not eaten beef willingly my entire life, in any form, whether McD's or Mignon - until this week!). The burgers were med-rare and grilled with a hint of smokiness and topped with some nice white cheddar, plus Our pick of tomato, lettuce, and the usual condiments.

But it's the macaroni I savoured most. So creamy, piquant and uniquely American. The spiral pasta was very substantial and in generous supply - such a treat after a whole day's near-fast of airline peanuts, 1 granola bar, and a vanilla yoghurt. The salad offered cool comfort and contrast, while the moussey Obama cake delivered sweet creamy bliss. With the added, intense enjoyment of reuniting with long-held friends, plus the euphoria of the 11pm announcement, this may well win "Happiest dinner of 2008" all 'round. Thanks to Alex and Amy for being hostesses with the mostesses.

HE SAYS: After a hectic day of travel, nearly missing our flight from LAX to NYC, it was so good to meet up with old friends, good food and entertainment. The burgers were juicy and tender, heaped with large tomatoes, onions and salad; it left little room on the plate for the fantastically indulgent and spicy 'ome-made mac n' cheese. It surely was the creamiest and cheesiest version I've had the pleasure of scoffing. The salad was definitely a bit player in the scheme of things but still tasty with added interest from the inclusion of sweet raisins.

The chocolate dessert was intensely chocolatey, rich and funny. Not sure what we would've made of McCain cake but I'm sure it wouldn't have been so deeply satisfying and tasty (I'm not such a fan of white chocolate either).

01.11.08: In-N-Out Burger, San Diego, CA

His double cheeseburger deluxe with fries

It's a dream He's treasured ever since reading about it in Fast Food Nation: to dine at one of only two(?) fast food chains even Eric Schlosser could approve of, CA's In-N-Out Burger. There was only one catch: She doesn't eat beef. And they don't do chicken.

A brief negotiation ensued. She protested She could just have some fries and get a snack elsewhere if needed. He protested that it wasn't a full meal, and he didn't want to drive farther in search of more food at 9pm if She still had an appetite (admittedly likely). She prevailed...and there was a surprise yet to come!

Her reg'lar cheeseburger - first ever!

SHE SAYS: That's right - I succumbed! Fully, happily, greedily. I started out with the fresh-cut, all-potato fries, but kept eyeing His double whammy of a burger. Gosh, but it smelled good! So...I had a taste. And then, as if my tum exerted a will of its own, I found myself at the counter inside plunking down $2.10 for my first-ever (ever!) full-fledged cheeseburger (no onions, thankyou).

It was chargrilled, not overdone, and pleasingly coated in some very American cheese. not too salty, not drowned in sweet relishes and ketchup. It was actually better than some so-called gourmet (lamb) burgers I've had. The fries were a little dry, but purely potato - no sugarcoating going on here. I don't think I'll be seeking out more beef for comparison, tho'; in In-N-Out I trust!

In-N-Out vs Mickey-D's!

HE SAYS: It may look a little like a Mickey-D's, but the burgers are a lot better. The limited menu gave me no choice but to sample their double cheeseburger deluxe and freshly cut fries. I went back for a single cheeseburger just to fill out the edges and that also satisfied my burger craving. I espesh liked the crispy onion and lettuce garnish that came with. A cheap and easy eating solution. Why can't all fast food be this fresh and good?

21.09.08: Out to GBK

We can't resist a two-fer coupon, and this time we took note of the Sun-Thu limitation (unlike a previous occasion we'd rather forget). At ye olde GBK, She plumped for the 'New!' organic lamb burger simply dressed with mayo, tomato and lettuce, plus the 'New!' coleslaw of celeriac, spring onion, carrot and cabbage in vinaigrette. Going for bust, He spec'd out a blue cheese burger and chips.

HE SAYS: Hmmm, the blue cheese was actually blue cheese dressing (read: mayo overload) and not that great tasting. The actual burger was cooked medium and wasn't bad overall, but I much preferred the chips, which were hot and fluffy inside, crunchy-ish on the outside. The 'slaw was vinegar-based with no added mayo, which was a good thing, and I definitely tasted a hint of apple (perhaps cider vinegar or added juice). Anyway, the coleslaw may have tasted a little too sweet but was still tangy and tasty.

SHE SAYS: My med-rare organic lamb was tender and selectively charred for my pleasure, with judiciously light application of mayo (unlike some poshburger imposters that will drown a poor patty in not-so-special sauce). However, it was not worth £9.50 - nothing special in seasoning, size or obvious quality. Next time I'd go for the non-org Greek burger and ask for the hummus on the side. Coleslaw was apple-y fresh and sharp, but too sweet for my taste. I left feeling a little peckish still, and downed a small serving of Hula-Hoops once back home.

07.09.08: Fine Burger takeaway

After completing a family errand at His mum's place, We happily anticipated a dinner treat from Fine Burger Co. Above: She ordered the Greek lamb burger, which arrived with a wedge of feta and scoops of a rather white hummus, while His BBQ burger (below) presented a neat stack of tomato, red onion, and the eponymous sauce. Hand-cut chips for Him and some chopped salad for Both sealed the deal.


HE SAYS: I think I enjoyed mine a little more then She liked hers but it still wasn't "fine" by anyone's standards. The bun was droopy and the sauce was excessive; if you like your burgers on the damp side then this is the place to get 'em. Truth be told, I was more then a tad bit hungry and so my critical eye was half-closed but managed to open up for the fries, which were not bad: hot, crunchy, salty and not soggy. I barely even remember eating the salad it was that good.

SHE SAYS: It's very rare that I can unequivocally diss an entire meal, but the day has arrived. My burger was drowning in suspiciously mayonnaisey hummus, and the wedge of crumbly salt they were calling feta didn't help. But it was the burger itself that was downright disgusting: it was pinky, barely warm, and densely damp. I like pinky lamb if it's nice and hot, but this was like eating the cushiony part of a Band-aid after you've sweated through it a bit. Really. The salad was nothing to speak of, with a bland, thin 'ranch' dressing coating a few rocket leaves, radishes, cucumber chunks, and chilled-to-transparency tomato slices. Ick. Yeh, I ate what was on my plate - hungry, and didn't want to be rude - but the ironically named Fine Burger doesn't even rate basic linkage.

25.07.08: Out to BBQ at worky funday

He and She met on the field of battle, I mean softball, along with Her work colleagues and drank lots of Corona while inviting mild sunburn. Then, finally, at 6:00 they fed Us. He had the heapin' helpin' you see above, while She had the only slightly less heapin' one below.

All in all, We downed lamb and veg skewers; tuna prawn and lemon skewers; spicy sausages (with and without bun); a burger; a sort of Waldorf salad with apples, celery, romaine, and lots of mayo; grilled veg; avo-moz-tomato salad; various forms of white bread; and chicken skewers (not shown).

SHE SAYS: Enjoyed the range of salads and should have had another sausage - it was orangey-red and reminiscent of spicy smoked sausage from home. Bread was bread, except an oddly herbed one that was chewy and ammonia-flavoured. The tuna and prawn skewers were v. v. good - I feared the tuna would be overcooked but it was perfect, and the grilled lemons made a nice accompaniment. Should have piled another one on the plate instead of a truly disgusting chicken kebab - it was pasty in texture and icky in faux-mediterranean flavour.

HE SAYS: It was a pleasure to take part in Meat Fest, haven't had a burger for a while and it tasted good. The sausage? Ditto, it was spicy, not too fatty and burnt to perfection - just the way I like 'em. The salads were okay but too mayonnaisey for me; still, enjoyed the giant pieces of avo, it's just a shame there was no beetroot to be found. The lamb kebab was standard pub bbq fare but I ate it and went back for seconds nonetheless.

04.04.08: Out to GBK

A Friday night jaunt to our local burger joint rewarded us with a regular classic sans cheese for him, a Greek lamb one for her, and fries and simple house salad to share.

HE SAYS: A very busy, packed restaurant with a long wait for our food, and my continuously growling tummy didn't bode well for a pleasant eating experience. But apart from my burger being a little too well done, the food hit the spot: burger not too dry or bready and the fries were hot, crispy and fluffy in the centre. The "Gourmet" in their name may be a slight exaggeration; perhaps a more accurate label would be "cheapish, fresh and not too greasy"? I think our last visit was a little more satisfing (plus then we had the free wine coupons, who doesn't like a coupon, eh?).

SHE SAYS: Think I enjoyed the GB outing more then Him. My Greek lamb burger once again proved satisfying and delish, although there was a bit too much hummus and I had to eat the ensemble with knife and fork. Salad was extremely fresh as before with only the necessary amount of creamy-lemony dressing, which restraint I greatly appreciate. Agree with Him that the service was ridiculously slow, as the house was bzzy but not overflowing. All in all, a relaxing evening to offset another stressful work week.

28.02.08: Out to GBK

A bit of a break at the late end of a long Thursday: burgers, salad and chunky chips at Gourmet Burger Kitchen.

HE SAYS: I had a cheeseburger, which was cooked nicely. A pretty tasty meal, in a pinch - definitely a step up from fast food, and GBK is not pretentious like some other, overpriced nouveau burger joints. The chips were pretty good, not sure if they're frozen or not, though. Made good use of free wine coupon!

SHE SAYS: Quite pleased with the Greek Lamb burger topped with hummus, cucumber raita, fresh chilli sauce & salad - it was med-rare and tasty. I wouldn't have minded having something more simply dressed, but the 'plain' GBK burger (and lots of their offerings) come with a sugary relish that tends to overwhlem. Another thing in GBK's favour: their mixed leaf salad is always incredibly fresh, with generous variations of rocket, baby spinach and other baby leaves. And like Him, I rather enjoyed the free glass of vino.