Tommi’s Burger Joint, 30 Thayer Street, London, W1U 2QP

All shiny and new…

If the queue outside MEATLiquor seems a little shorter at the moment then that might be due to a new player in town… The Icelandic King of burgers.

Literally around the corner, Tommi’s Burger Joint is adding fuel to the fire that is the capital’s insatiable appetite for a decent slab of beef in a bun. As soon as we walked into this tiny 25 cover American style burger diner, we immediately felt at home. Of course it had the obligatory London restaurant industrial feel but with a slight little twist, the menu short and the air was thick with the smell of grilled course ground beef steak.

We have ways of making you talk…

Loved the old movie posters on the wall and a Radiohead poster made Saff’s day (she’s easily pleased!) Had their music been playing it would have been the perfect combo. Tomas ‘Tommi’ Tómasson was there in person, he’s the man who introduced the modern burger to his home country of Iceland and boasts to have had a burger everyday for the last 8 years! Tommi says ‘If you don’t like it you don’t have to pay, you’re not coming here for a bad burger’. I can’t imagine this happens often.

The main man – Tomas ‘Tommi’ Tómasson

He has five branches of Tommi’s in Reykjavik and has brought his expertise over to the UK, and we’re damn happy that he did… The staff are proud of their burgers and almost insisted that we went for the basic, even though the Steak Burger with cheese and béarnaise, at £8.95, is £3.65 more expensive.

Talk about lo-tech…

Saff did as she was told and ordered the ‘Offer of the Century’, a burger, fries and a can of soda all for £8.90, bargain! While I have the same but with cheese – well worth the extra 50p.

We perched on our stools at the high tables and waited for our burgers to arrive. wished that the milkshakes were available (a little opening day hiccup!), apparently the coffee shakes are incredible. So I grabbed myself a free filter coffee instead.

Steak and chips and cocktail sauce!

Don’t judge a burger by its cover

Now were do I start? The buns were light yet firm, soaking up just enough juice so not to go soggy and limp. Just enough ‘salad’ (lettuce, red onion and tomato) so not to fall out everywhere and a medium cooked patty grilled to perfection. Saff always takes out her tomato but felt it really worked this time.

Just enough char on the outside and pink and juicy in the centre… The meat is carefully selected from butcher H G Walter in West London and cooked over an American gas grill. The chips are nice n’ crispy too and are delicious when dipped in Tommi’s Burger Joint’s cocktail sauce, 50p a pot. And so you vegetarians don’t feel left out, they have a decent looking veggie burger, £5.30.

As disgusting as it may be, you really can’t beat the sound of the drip, drip, drip of burger fat on your grease-proof paper. It means you’ve got a really good burger in your hand. We both found ourselves savouring the last mouthful, not wanting it to end.

When we visited we really weren’t expecting such a good burger, but we can honestly say it’s one of the best we’ve ever had. Create the hype people… Create the hype, you never know next time we visit there might be a queue snaking around the corner!

www.burgerjoint.co.uk
30 Thayer Street
London
W1U 2QP

Phone: 0207 224 3828
Email: info@burgerjoint.co.uk

Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 1130 – 2300
Sunday 11.30 – 21.00

Like them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TommisBurgerJoint

Follow them on Twitter: www.twitter.com/BurgerJointUk

Nearest tube: Bond Street