Experimenting with world's burgers

With a mammoth appetite and longing for good American cuisine, one enters Hard Rock Café (HRC) at DLF Place and their ongoing Burger Festival professes to guarantee both wishes. But the desire remains unfulfilled as taste fails to match upto the price.

The fancy playcard on the table lists an assortment of non-vegetarian Mediterranean Chicken Burger, Sri Lankan Chicken burger, Thai Chicken burger, Lebanese Beef burger, Mexican beef burger and North Indian Tandoori Lamb burger. The vegetarians, however, will have to choose either Lebanese Veg Burger or Sri Lankan Veg burger.

Heeding advice Metrolife orders Lebanese Veg Burger. As also, North Indian Tandoori Lamb burger and Mediterranean Chicken Burger, to get a taste of both the veg and no-veg. When served, all the three humongous burgers look almost the same but differentiated by tiny flags (of the nations that they represent). Considering the size of burgers, one feels glad that a large knife has also been provided along with each burger which makes it easy to cut portions neatly.

The most sought after i.e. the Lebanese Veg Burger, from which we had high hopes turns out to be nothing but a failed attempt to make a chickpea and paneer falafel shaped into a patty. Tasting bland (even with parsley and cilantro), the patty’s texture was so crumbly that it was a waste to use cutlery. Every bite fell apart even before landing into the mouth. It was definitely an odd combination of Arabic and US cuisine and a waste of Rs 530!

Its bun, however, was soft and fresh unlike the bun served with North Indian Tandoori Lamb burger and Mediterranean Chicken burger. While the grilled lamb patty was extremely dry, the melted cheddar cheese saved the North Indian Tandoori Lamb burger to some extent. But the best of the lost was the Mediterranean Chicken Burger. Its chicken patty was infused with a combination of olives, cheese, spinach and a few herbs, then grilled well to leave behind beautiful burnt lines on the exterior of the patty. Succulent enough to be relished till the end, this one tasted good even with the salt content a little on the higher end.

What was common among all the burgers and the best bet for gourmands - the perfectly baked golden brown potato wedges, topped with dry herbs. These could be savoured with the Tahini Cream Dip, Cucumber and Mint Dip and Sundried Tomato Aioli served with the three burgers.