BURGER REVIEW: Burger Shack and Bar

As nice as Wimbledon Village may look to a non-locals, SW19 isn't the most exciting place to live. The restaurants are mainly high street chains and the local 'bistros' have a price tag to match the multi million pound mansions found around the common. When I was invited to Young's Burger Shack & Bar to sample the menu I was most definitely intrigued. The bar may not be part of a new, independent business but it is a welcome change from another wise mundane stretch of road.

The bar itself is lovely, decorated with bright pops of colour and mid century furniture designs. It reminds me of English country home meets Scandinavian chic. The sliding doors open up all the way which is ideal come sunnier weather when the bar fills with natural light and you 'almost' feel like you're sitting outside.

The drinks list has a nice selection of cocktails and local brews so we settled down with a couple of tasty gins and a dish of popcorn.

We ordered the chicken wings to start which were nice. The meat was succulent and the coating had a nice hint of heat to it.

Steve ordered the pork belly burger which was absolutely enormous. The pork belly was deep fried in breadcrumbs and whilst the meat was very succulent it became a little too much after while. The blue cheese dressing was a nice addition to this burger as it helped cut through the heaviness of the meat.

I ordered 'The Streaky' which is a bacon cheeseburger. I like my burgers quite pink in the middle but the kitchen had to cook the meat through so it was unfortunately a little on the tough side for me. Saying that the burger tasted nice enough thanks to the crispy bacon, oozing cheese an ale cooked onions.

To accompany our burgers we ordered curly fries, rosemary chips and mac n cheese. The fries were great but I found the mac a little on the bland side.

To finish, we ordered the key lime pie cheesecake which was lovely. The portion was generously sized by thanks to the citrus taste it acted like a nice palette cleanser after a rather heavy meal.

Burgershack & Bar might not be the best burger I've ever tried but the venue itself has a nice atmosphere that I'm sure I'll be back to visit for a drink and snack. The food is generously sized and the menu is full of classic pub options. It's the sort of place to go for a casual meal or a snack if you're out with friends for a few drinks.

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BURGER REVIEW: Dip & Flip

Bacon and cheese burger

Dip & Flip with roast beef burger

Cheese burger

There's not a great deal of non-highstreet chain restaurant options in Wimbledon so you bet was I delight when Dip & Flip opened last year. They're fast becoming a South West London burger joint favourite and when I visited the Clapham Junction branch I really enjoyed their messy burgers so the thought of having one open across the road from my flat made me start to appreciate Wimbledon a little more.

Dip & Flip is famous for their French dip gravy burgers. Grab your burger, dip it into a hot plate of gravy and enjoy. My favourite is the Dip & Flip, a beef burger topped with cheese and a slice of roast beef. It's messy as hell but oh so delicious. The burgers are meaty, cooked exactly how you want them (medium rare please) and hold together surprisingly well despite the mess. Everything comes with a side of mouthwatering delicious gravy and they even do poutine for those that like gravy on their fries.

All in all Dip & Flip is a great place to enjoy a hearty burger. Great quality, great taste and great value.

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LOCAL LOVES: Neal's Yard Remedies, Wimbledon Village

I've always been familiar with Wimbledon, I grew up in Putney which is down the road but since moving here with Steve last year I've been making a big effort to get out and explore my local businesses. It's easy to dismiss your local neighbourhood in exchange for the glamour of the big city centre. I'm definitely guilty of overlooking what's on my doorstop for a new, sparkly place in Soho but I'm trying to put my preconceptions aside and spend more time in SW19.

When I was invited to try a treatment at the newly refurbished Neal's Yard Remedies in Wimbledon Village I jumped at the chance. Not only because more poor, overstressed body was crying out for some TLC but also because I had no idea that Neal's Yard Remedies even offered spa treatments.

After speaking with my amazing therapist Colette she decided that the best thing for me to have was an hour long, full body massage. The hour was a dream, Colette used hot oil and figure of eight type strokes to massage my tired body. The whole process was extremely relaxing and I came away feeling lighter, stress free and calm.

It's not often I treat myself to these sort of procedures but they really do make a difference to my overall well-being. Neal's Yard Remedies in Wimbledon offer an impressive range of holistic therapies from Indian head massages to acupuncture so I'll definitely be back again next time I need some TLC.

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RESTAURANT REVIEW: Cousins Fish Shop and Restaurant

Cousins Fish Shop and Restaurant is a relatively new fish and chip shop in Wimbledon and after walking past a few times since we moved last November, Steve and I finally managed to visit. The menu is surprisingly large with an array of starters, different fish and sides. There's even a healthy section consisting of grilled fish and new potatoes.

I don't drink fizzy pop that often but when I do Fanta orange is my all time favourite, it's perfect for a fish supper.

We decided to get a mixed platter with 4 choices in order to try a range of starters. First of all this plate was huge, a lot bigger than I expected it to be and definitely something which can be shared amongst many people. The scampi was my favourite with a good fish to batter ratio. The calamari was a little bland and the fish cake had an unusual taste about it. The tempura prawns were nice and crispy and the sweet chilli dipping sauce was a tasty addition. The chips were lovely, proper chippie chips with a fluffy centre.

We also ordered a small cod and chip, the fish was very fresh and the batter had a nice crunch and not at all greasy. Again, very nice chips.

 

Mushy peas, my favourite. This portion was delicious.

Cousins is a lovely little fish shop and somewhere I'd like to visit again. They do 10% discount for local businesses and you can get a take away if you don't fancy eating in. The food scene in Wimbledon is pretty poor so it's nice to see an independent restaurant so close to home.

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