Review of Gallery 36, Malvern – Beef Steak Burger
What they say:
Beef Steak Burger with Bacon & Monterey Jack Cheese served in a Toasted Brioche Roll with Fries, House Salad, Mayonnaise & Ketchup.
Price: £10.50.
I am back in my hometown of Malvern to visit Gallery 36 and sample their Beef Steak Burger.
Any burger that followed the lavish monthly special at Patty & Bun was going to struggle. And with judging at the National Burger Awards coming up, I thought this would be a great opportunity to get some practice in.
Inside Gallery 36 it’s stylish with a nice eclectic mix of furniture and décor. It’s a million miles away from when I was here last under one of its previous guises, Oliver’s Wine Bar.
I certainly enjoyed being at Gallery 36 and the staff and service was adequate enough. The menu is quite comprehensive.
You’ve got breakfast/brunch options, sandwiches, afternoon tea, Tapas, soups, platters and a predictable selection of mains. Obviously, I was going to go with their Beef Steak Burger but after the delights of Patty & Bun it sounded quite boring.
When the burger arrived, I noticed two things. Firstly, the ketchup and mayo were in two little pots on the side. Result! To be honest, I wasn’t looking forward to these two elements, so was glad to see you could add them at your discretion.
The second thing I noticed was the absolute size of the beef patty. It was very thick and reminded me of a hockey puck. The meat was a pretty good quality, seasoned well but very tightly packed reminding me of grill steak texture. Fairly respectable though.
To be fair, you’re not going to rush from major cities to try this, but if you’re in Malvern and fancy something different to the generic Italian chains a few doors down on Belle Vue Terrace, it might be worth a punt.
The bun is exceptionally good and the choice of leaves on the build is an interesting and inspired choice giving you a peppery poke now and then.
You’ve got bacon and cheese which is noticeably good quality. The melted cheese is quite distinct and apart from a minimal bit of fat, the thick cut back bacon is commendable.
After a few bites, I removed the fresh tomato as it will never be one of my preferred burger toppings. Personally, I would trade it for red onion and some thickly cut pickles.
It’s not a bad burger. It’s not great either. Malvern isn’t exactly a hot spot for burgers and anyone who has eaten at places like Almost Famous or Patty & Bun would find this light years behind.
I’d teased our evening organiser earlier in the afternoon saying that I was struggling to get to sleep the night before, so glanced at Gallery 36’s menu to help me nod off.
I probably sound harsh. Don’t get me wrong, the food was alright, service as expected but the main thing I’ll remember from the evening is the stunning refurb the interior has had (compared to what it was).
If you’re visiting Malvern for a jaunt on the hills and you fancy a safe, generic, predictable pub/bar/grill burger, then Gallery 36 is your perfect destination. It’s like that person you go out with from work who always gets a Korma or Tikka Masala at the Indian.
If I could summarise their Beef Steak Burger, I would say the quality is obvious, the presentation could be better and the overall taste and combination of toppings is average.
Gallery 36 is certainly not one for the discerning burger hunter.
Burger Lad®
Website: http://www.gallery36malvern.co.uk/