Nostalgia Overload – Bendy & Cheese (Wimpy Bar) By @Cinabar

I haven’t been to Shrewsbury for a day trip in years, so it was absolutely lovely to visit over the weekend. We’d planned to head home for dinner, but while wandering around the shops, a familiar red logo caught my eye. We walked over to double-check, and sure enough, it really was an actual Wimpy Bar. Oh my word. The one in my city closed in the 1990s, and I was heartbroken when it did. It was a favourite childhood treat spot.

As we got to the door, I was still only peeking in, curious to see if my childhood favourite was still on the menu. Then I heard the nostalgic 1980s music playing, and the sound of the Ghostbusters theme sealed the deal, we were going in. We sat in a cosy booth, and there it was on the first page of the menu: Bendy & Cheese. It’s a sausage, bent to fit in a bun and treated like a burger, and I had to order it just for the memories. I love that Wimpy still offers table service.

The food arrived quickly. We both had chips and a soft drink to make it a full meal. I opened the bun and grinned, the Bendy & Cheese looked exactly like I remembered.

 

One bite and I was overwhelmed with nostalgia. It had that classic frankfurter taste but was chunkier and firmer. The cheese, ketchup and tomato balanced it all perfectly. I couldn’t stop smiling while eating it. The chips were great too: crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside.

The dessert menu was new to me, I can’t remember what I used to have as a kid. I went for churros, as that’s always a favourite. They arrived in a fab-looking glass, more like an ice cream sundae. There were churros, ice cream and chocolate sauce, a sweet and indulgent treat.

We left full and impressed with the speed of service and the quality of the food. This place will definitely become a regular haunt. I can’t wait to go back.

Steakhouse Angus Gourmet Meal (Burger King) By @Cinabar

On our way back from a road trip, we stopped at a service station to grab dinner. The options included a Burger King, and we both realised it had been years since we’d last visited one. So, we decided to treat ourselves to a burger.

As we browsed the menu, the new Steakhouse Angus Gourmet Burger caught our eye. It sounded delightful, so we each ordered the meal. Fortunately, our order was served quickly—just before a large dance troupe from a coach queued up!

The food arrived promptly and looked great. I started with the chips and was pleasantly surprised. Who knew Burger King chips were this good? They’re far superior to those from KFC and McDonald’s, with their crispy exterior and fluffy interior. I absolutely loved them.

The burger itself looked appealing when unwrapped. The tangy rocket lettuce and smoky cheese packed a flavourful punch, complementing the rich, beefy taste of the Angus patty. It was a satisfying meal—far more indulgent than one from McDonald’s.

This pit stop was just what we needed, and it reminded me how much I’ve been missing out by not visiting Burger King more often. I won’t let that much time pass before my next visit!

McRib Burger (McDonald's) By @Cinabar

Today, we decided to get a takeaway. After a tough day, we needed something quick and comforting. I took the chance to check the menu for anything new and spotted something both nostalgic and exciting: the McRib Burger. Originally introduced in the 1980s but later discontinued, the McRib has made a few limited-time comebacks over the years. I was delighted to see it available tonight.

I ordered the McRib along with my childhood favourite, a vanilla milkshake, and fries. There’s something so comforting about a vanilla milkshake, never underestimate its simple joy. The McRib looked enticing in its box. The oblong bun held a generous portion of beef, along with onions and pickles. As soon as I took a bite, I noticed my fingers were covered in barbecue sauce, this burger is definitely a bit messy! Thankfully, I managed to keep it off my shirt.

The beef flavour was richer and more intense than I remembered, and I loved how the pickles and onions added a bit of crunch and tang. After a long day, this was just the treat I needed, finally bringing a smile to my face. I’d recommend picking up a McRib Burger while it’s back on the menu at McDonald's, as it’s available only for a limited time. At least they’ve kept the vanilla milkshake, some things are too good to take away!

Juicy Marbles - Thick Cut Filet Steaks - but vegan [@NLi10]

I pick up a lot of odd food for vegans, that my resident vegetarian would not touch - and I think this is the most meaty appearing so far.  It's a box of 'cat burgers' - plant based pork steaks in a very cool box.

They were a little expensive (£6 I think) but they were fabulous.

This is why we started calling them cat burgers (to differentiate from the other vegan stuff we have), that's Mr Marbles the cat.

So far - so meaty.

Ingredients - water & soy. and lots of red beet juice for the colour & blood.

The ick factor is high - but the smell is fine - even if it does look like you've got a pig heart for dinner.

Season up

Pop it on the George Formby grill

And turn into a waffle burger with some spicy kombucha! Decent enough.

This is how I'd have beef style things - but it turned out this is more like pork so for part 2 (which was individually sealed and so still fresh 3 days later).

USe up some of the high quality pork rub that we got ages ago - on all the sides. Let it sit for a bit.

And pan fry it as on the directions - awesome stuff - restaurant quality taste although my presentation is a bit naff.

This was awesome - well worth the admission price and like a lovely thick flaky gammon steak burger.  So good you could feed it to main-land Europeans and they'd like it.

Requires a little more effort than just popping a burger in the oven, but if you want to be a bit more veggie and still feel like a carnivore then this is an easy recommend.  I'm going to get more of these from Waitrose when I'm next there.

Doritos Burger King Flame Grilled Whopper (Tesco) By @Cinabar

Sometimes brands work together that you wouldn’t really expect to be working together, one combination I didn’t see coming was this. Here we have the exciting combination: Doritos Burger King Flame Grilled Whopper Corn Chips. I love Doritos, so I was keen to give these a try, even though the packet says "burger not included"! 

We shared the bag and poured them out. The seasoning makes the chips look a little darker than the usual salted Doritos, but not very much. I gave one a try and was pretty impressed with the flavour. Burger King always tastes barbecued, and these new chips had that distinctive flavour. They had that chargrilled taste that was a little salty, and then the lovely rush of beef. There was depth to the flavour too, I’m not going to say I could pick out all the salad flavours, but I will say they had a hint of freshness to the flavour, which makes sense if you try them! So all in all, these Doritos Burger King Flame Grilled Whopper corn chips sounded like a novelty, but they are well put together and ones I’d go back for, so a total success.

Warrendale Wagyu Burgers (@NLi10)

I've had a few weeks home alone so have been trying out more meaty things, and as a result have caught up on the Wagyu trend.  The first ones from Finnebrogue were amazing, but ordering from a different store meant I get to try out a different one this time. 

Flo is interested if nothing else!

I really need to clean George before the vegetarian returns, but it's doing well with the meaty BBQ feel.

As usual no buns for me - today we are having paratha (I had waffles with the other one in the packet).

And here we go! Decently well-done as the package suggested, with a side of broccoli and another paratha just cooking to go on top!

And - well it's not as exciting as the last one. It still crisped up and had a nice beefy flavour, but it just wasn't as magical as the Finnebrogue ones.  Burger number two backed this up - a decent burger that I'd be happy with if I got served while out - but not the headline act of the other ones.  Maybe this is one for the meat purists to make into their own recipe were as the other ones were almost their own distinct thing and worth the little extra they cost.

All decent - but these did just feel like fatter burgers.

100% Grass Fed Wagyu Burgers - Artisan Finnebrogue (@NLi10)

 Review is a bit late today - because I've only just finished eating these!

My partner is away so I can risk buying and home-cooking meat without stinking the house too much.

Wagyu is something I've never tried really - but "Probably The Best Burger In The World" and me needing two Burgers is a pretty good timing.

They look pretty when raw!  They are a little shiny somehow - and don't feel disgusting like some burgers.  And they smelt gorgeous while on the George Formby grill.

Pic doesn't show it too well, but the tops and bottoms are really crispy! And they were so tender - I really didn't need two - I was pretty full by the end of this pile. 

And yeah - probably the best beef burgers I've had at home - and certainly if we are judging just the meat quality these are up there vs restaurants too.

Pan fried gnocchi and a little veg topped it off nicely.

bonus pics! Here is my favourite pizza from co-op - also topped with Broccoli from the huge pack I ended up with because weights and measures confuse me.

And post cooking add rocket for super spicy delights!

The Spicy Spanish Stack (McDonalds) By @Cinabar

Friday night is take away night and today we decided to have a look at what the latest is on the McDonalds menu. The new burger from their Summer selection is called the Spanish Stack. I gave it an order to be delivered, flicked the TV on and started to catch up on the Common Wealth games. We have a medal already!

So the burger is on a bread bun flavoured with paprika. It has a spicy salsa and chilli cheese slice. I gave it a try. The first thing to note is that there are two burgers under the bun, making it feel rather substantial. I liked the warmth of the salsa ketchup and the chilli cheese, it was gentle but worked well. I think calling it ‘spicy’ might be a bit optimistic but there was a nice tingle. I couldn’t taste much paprika on the bread, but I had an awareness it was there. The onion was lovely too, it gave the burger a fresh feel. The best thing, though, is the heavy hit of tomato on the burger. I could eat that spiced ketchup all day. Not enough chilli to overpower anything but a good flavour. I’d have taken a second helping of that with the chips had there been the option.

The Italian Stack and Tiramisu McFlurry (McDonalds) By @Cinabar

Gosh it is hot today, the sun is beaming down and I’m thinking summer is properly starting. So we decided we would grab a takeaway and and check out the new items at McDonalds from the summer menu. I picked up and Italian Stack burger and a Tiramisu McFlurry for dessert.

I was impressed by the burger when I saw it, it is quite large with its double burgers and there was plenty of crispy fresh salad in their too. Once you bite in you realise that switching the cheese to mozzarella does make it fun and stringy, but it is a nice creamy cheese. There is tomato and basil in the bread bun adding a gentle bit of Italian seasoning to the flavour but what really stood our for me was the extra onions, such a nice taste with the beef. A very enjoyable burger indeed.

We also picked up the Tiramisu McFlurry for afters, and have to admit the heat on their car journey made them melt a little, but they were still solid enough to enjoy. Mixed in with the ice cream were biscuit pieces and chocolatey Tiramisu sauce. I like texture so the biscuit bits were lovely to crunch on in amongst the soft ice cream. The sauce was good too, it had melted into the rest of the McFlurry but added a nice hit of coffee taste, just what we needed to cool down on such a hot day.

Fully Loaded Cheeseburger Stonebaked Pizza (Marks and Spencer) By @Cinabar

This new pizza caught my eye in Marks and Spencers, as it is treat night in item combing takeaway items of burgers and pizza, what could be better. This Fully Loaded Cheeseburger Stonebaked Pizza implies a generous topping which include burger meat, gherkins, plenty of cheese and a sachet of burger sauce for drizzling after it is cooked. It is on a thin stonebaked base, I like both thin and deep dish pizzas as I’m quite easy going with my pizza carbs.

The pizza cooks in 12minutes in a hot oven, and then we added the sachet of sauce and shared the pizza with coleslaw. Firstly it made a big portion which was nice and it smelled lovely when cooking. I gave the pizza a try and found the burger topping was gorgeous. The pizza really did taste like burgers, I think the gherkins and the burger sauce added the zingy traditional edge and the yellow cheese just helped to recreate the tase. It was a fun meaty and tasty pizza that had me smiling throughout the meal. Sometimes it is the simple pleasures and this just hit the spot. This Fully Loaded Cheeseburger Stonebaked Pizza is definitely one I’ll be buying again.

Speedfeast - Flame Grilled Chicken Sandwich (@NLi10)

Lunch takes too long, right? We want a SpeedFeast - 90 seconds - Microwave - Eat.

I mean - Rustlers take a similar amount of time, and the other burgers we got from Lidl at the same time do too.  But this one is a Speed Feast!

So far so normal.

The chicken itself is a little odd, more of a mock grilled thing than I was expecting.  The value is all in the luxury herby mayo of course which contains all the flavour.  And it's not bad.  Not the most filling of propositions (I guess a lot of people opt for two of these?) but it tasted of chicken, and contained chicken, so I can't complain too much.

I think that teasing me with salad on the actual box picture was a little mean - with those added in it might have been a full meal!

 

Snackster's Classic Breakfast Muffin - Sausage & Hashbrown (@NLi10)

Lidl had surprisingly few  suitable office lunches to last the week so I ended up with a few discount microwave burgers to add to the collection.  They are all beginning to blur into one so I had to do a search to see if I'd had this before.

I bought it expecting it to be the McDonalds EggMcMuffin style thing.

but it's sausage and hash-brown (and cheese to bin) in the nice muffin style case.  This bodes well - especially if they've been doing this for longer than microwaves exist?!!

They always look like rubbish at this stage - you can't quite read it but the packet says premium ketchup.  I assume to cover for the budget sausage...

And here we see the 'cooked' version.  A little slimy and odd, but the smell is decent and the textures at least look correct.  The ketchup and hash brown is enough to convince me that someone at least cares that I had a nice lunch, and the other bits are fine considering the microwave.  I'd have toasted the buns for better effect given the option, but overall I'd cope with eating this again.

Turns out the 2nd burger I got was a different brand so I've saved that for the next review!

Hoisin Duck Quarter Pounders (Iceland) By @Cinabar

I spotted these new Hoisin Duck Quarter Pounders on the Iceland website and ordered some to try for tea. Spectre is fussy when it comes to burgers, I like to try different meats (I love both chicken and fish burgers) but Spectre likes beef burgers and usually won’t be swayed. I asked him if he fancied trying these Hoisin Duck Quarter Pounders and to my surprise he said yes so I bought a packet to try out.

These burgers grill/fry but on a sunny day would barbecue too. As it was raining we had them inside, served in a wholemeal bap with a bit of salad. Once cooked they looked much like beef burgers but the difference is all in the flavour. These are rich and meaty enough for Spectre to enjoy but they have that delicate duck taste too with a good helping of aromatic hoisin, they were a total success. I liked the definition of the flavour and thought they worked really well. I’m not sure what the right dressing is for them on a burger, we had a little mayo and a touch of chilli jam to add a bit of spice but I think they work well on their own too. Definitely one to get for a barbecue with friends/family if you want to impress (restrictions willing). They also passed the Spectre test as he said he would happily have them again, so that says a lot!

Terrible British Lunches - Rustlers Tex Mex Beef & Chickpea Combo Burger (@NLi10)

Here we have Exhibit 3 in the Terrible British Lunches series - the new Tex Mex Beef & Chickpea Red Pepper & Onion Combo Burger - with spicy salsa.  Even without eating the thing that's a mouthful!

Decent use by date - I got this about 3 weeks before deadline.

And packaged well enough to survive been shot into space - but easily recyclable.

Here is the pre cooking (microwave 80 sec) but grill-lined marked patty.  And it's not just beef.  This is an interesting hybrid of a daddy beef burger and a mummy veggie burger, with a lot of other Mexicana thrown in for good measure.  Smells too meaty for those that aren't burger fans - and it might just be a little too veggie for the pure carnivores.  For me though this exciting mix of styles and flavours was the reason for this whole series - this sounded exciting.

And while we toast the buns - doing the posh version of the 'recipe' we can read the box.

Cook patty, toast bun, add red goop. Sorted.  It's a decent wodge of a days calories too.  Lets see if it fills me up!

Splodge! smells good.

Its a bit wonky.

And - while its a lot more Texaco than Mexico - it's got a good flavour, and is a nice lunch.  It's not quite filling enough for me - like with the other Rustlers I need a decent chocolate bar at about 3pm to make it home - but it's certainly not bad - and at £2 it's a justifiable pick-up.  

The Mexican hybrid idea keeps this interesting, with the salsa adding needed variety to the fairly flat burger (like the bacon did on the last one).  I'm genuinely not sure which of these I'd rebuy first - but I think I'm likely to try them all.  

So not a meal - but not a crime against snacking either.  I look forwards to trying some other imitations of popular burger varieties!