When it comes to burgers, you can always count me in. I don’t think life gets much better than meat in a bun and a nice layer of melted cheese. I have made it my mission in life to find the best burger in London – the title once belonged to Pick More Daisies in Crouch End, but it was hit by the recession and is sadly no longer openn. I believe I have Pick More Daisies high upon a pedestal which unfortunately never fails to diminish my pleasure of what is probably a very good or at least adequate burger.
A couple of years ago I was checking for updates on my favourite food blog, and read this review for the Meat Wagon. It looked promising. Rare beef, stringy cheese, a bun that doesn’t look too substantial (I hate a bun that is too substantial). I was eager to try it out but the one thing standing it the way of me and this meaty parcel was the fact that the wagon seemed to be stationed in Peckham and I could never quite understand how to find out exactly where they would be. Stupidity aside, I am also a little lazy.
Little did I know that a couple of years later my Meat Wagon dream would come true in the form of the #MEATEASY. Unfortunately, their wagon was stolen before Christmas so they came up with the ingenious idea of opening a pop up restaurant above a pub in New Cross. Now New Cross I can do. Although it means travelling on three different tube lines I know the journey like the back of my hand after three years of studying at Goldsmiths University, just minutes away from said pub. When a Goldsmiths friends meet up was suggested I was quick to put forward the #MEATEASY and everyone was quick to accept.
Ironically, the worst burger of my life was consumed at the pub underneath the #MEATEASY. Distressing memories of grey beef which was impossible to digest. Even Jyotsna with her iron stomach was unable to finish hers. We headed up at around 7pm where we were handed raffle tickets and told that with each ticket we could order a maximum of three dishes. From all of the media coverage about the place we were prepared for a long wait, so we all bought a beer and cheerily discussed what we would have.
An hour and a half later we were called up to order and I could barely contain my excitement. The food arrived soon afterwards and we all made short work of it. I chose a chilli cheese burger, like your regular cheese burger but with some sliced green chillies thrown on top. It was brilliant. The lighting was so dim it was difficult to see the colours of the food, but with my first bite I could tell that the beef was cooked perfectly. Crisp on the outside and soft and meaty in the middle. The chillies provided a nice kick and the cheese protected my sensitive taste buds from the heat. All of this held together by an easily digestible brioche style bun.
The sides were pretty incredible too. The fries I could give or take, but the buffalo wings were juicy and spicy and the onion rings were huge and provided that perfect crunch once bitten into. The real star of the show was the mac & cheese. SO cheesy. SO creamy. SO tasty. It blew my mind. Since then I have been inspired to create my own perfect mac & cheese. By the end of it I was absolutely stuffed. But also pleased to say that my #MEATEASY burger was one to rival Pick More Daisies. From that grey burger all those years ago to come full circle at #MEATEASY heaven.
A few weeks later after a particularly crummy day at work, I decided to make another visit with Mark. We got there as soon as it opened this time and were served within 5 minutes. I went for a Chilli Cheese Dog which was huge and I had to admit defeat three-quarters in. I wasn’t so keen on the frankfurter type sausage but that is because I have never been a frankfurter fan, but the chilli was delicious and there was so much of it that the sausage didn’t really bother me. Mark thoroughly enjoyed his burger as well and we ate in silence except for our mumbles of appreciation through mouths stuffed with food. We left in the cold rain but with our hearts warm and stomachs bulging.
In a sentence, the #MEATEASY is great. They seem to understand what a good burger should be – unpretentious, unfussy and easy to eat. When a new Meat Wagon is bought, I know now to make the effort to find out exactly where they are and take that journey to Heaven… I mean Peckham.
#MEATEASY Above the Goldsmiths Tavern, 316 New Cross Road, London, SE14 6AF http://www.themeatwagon.co.uk/
Naomi is hungry 