The Rising Sun, Ultimate Burger

Review of The Rising Sun (Old English Inns) Ultimate Burger, Cheltenham

Website: http://www.oldenglishinns.co.uk/cheltenham/index.php

What they say:

Doubly delicious and stacked with two beef burgers, cheese, bacon and a giant beer-battered onion ring. Served with salad, relish and a bucket of chips.

Price: £10.45.

Calories: 1,991 – ouch!

The Rising Sun pub and hotel overlooks Cheltenham and is situated on Cleeve Hill with views back to the Malvern Hills. Here you will find the monster that is known simply as The Ultimate Burger. And it is indeed that!

Now I will start with the only negative points to this review. Firstly the chips were not served in a bucket and secondly I received no salad but I assure you that when you see this burger up close these are the very last things on your mind.

My goodness this really is the ‘Ultimate Burger’! It came from the kitchen with almost a fanfare accompanying it. As it approached the table, time and space seemed to slow around me and as it was placed in front of me all I could think to myself was “what have I done?”

It is massive! Really, really massive! I estimated the beef patties to be 6oz so you are tackling a 12oz monster all for a tenner. Luckily I had a pint or two of Aspall Cyder to help wash this beast away. But could I do it?

The Rising Sun, Ultimate Burger

The first thing I noticed was the thick generous amount of cheese melted all over the bacon which was sandwiched between the two burgers. There was no salad on board, just a spread of mayo on each bun and these days I don’t even flinch at the thought of the dreaded ‘M’ word.

The beef patties were really lovely – they had a ‘real’ meaty flavour to them and despite the huge size they were not dry around the edges in the slightest. In fact the whole of the burger was a tad greasy but then… when did a bit of grease kill you!? I also liked the addition of the onion ring and thought that a bit of BBQ sauce on this behemoth would take it to a whole other level.

The Rising Sun, Ultimate Burger

I noticed that the toasted brioche bun did struggle slightly holding this beef bonanza together but the quality of the burger shone through. I don’t know where they source their beef from or if the patties are homemade but it tasted lovely. Halfway through I started to struggle and thought to myself that I had lost it.

As I continued sparring with this meat beast, my friend taunted me by saying “you better not waste it”. This made me feel like I was on an episode of Man vs. Food and an imaginary crowd chanting my name formed around me.

Towards the end of this burger, bacon and cheese ‘Ultimate Challenge’ I could taste the char from the grill but this may have been from beef hallucinations. The taunts continued with “burger baby” and the mayo didn’t even register in my mind as I realised my phobia was firmly behind me.

I knew I was in trouble when I started to think of lying down! As my vision got cloudy I started to offer my remaining chips to any passing stranger in the restaurant. However, you don’t acquire the name Burger Lad® by eating 165 calorie salad lunches and in the end I defeated my ‘Ultimate opponent’.

My friend had to assist my fatigued body out of the restaurant and my final thoughts were of the 40oz steak challenge and how I would completely fail it.

The Ultimate Burger from the Rising Sun (and I assume other Old English Inns) is a meaty monster of a meal and if you are hungry you will not walk (or crawl) away from this requiring a meal for the rest of the day.

For a while I thought it had the better of me but on this occasion, Burger Lad® won!

Class dismissed!

The Rising Sun, Ultimate Burger

Burger Lad®