Le Bun UK – Copeland Park, Peckham

Aged rare breed patty, American cheddar, truffle Mayo, brioche bun

I had been hearing some rave reviews about Le Bun for a while now, but had been slightly put off by the look of their overly rich looking burgers consisting of such things as froie gras and truffle, whenever I have seen them at national burger day.

As a result, I was pleasantly surprised by the simplicity of this burger. The only threat of richness came from the truffle Mayo which was delightful. Creamy and slightly rich with perhaps a hint of garlic, but at no point did it become overpowering. If anything, it could have had more truffle, but that would be being pedantic.

The toasted brioche bun was a little too large for my liking, detracting from the flavour of the burger and offering little, until you got a hit of the sesame seeds that coated it. The genius here was toasting both sides of the bun, accentuating the rich, nutty flavour of the seeds that coated the bun.

The patty was a little too rare. It meant that it was really soft, which was great, but some parts were a slightly different texture and not hot through. I can imagine that this element of the burger will split opinions between the health conscious and the old school. Although this was a juicy burger, it wasn’t dripping with juices, and it lacked enough flavour or robustness to pack too much of a punch.

Sticking with the theme of simplicity being a selling point again, Le Bun went for sliced American cheese. There is a reason why so many burger joints go for this option, and it’s not just the price. It is slightly sweet, creamy, deliciously industrial, and it melts easily. The only concern is that it’s flavour is not as strong as other cheeses in the market and so if in doubt, whack a couple more slices on. It is virtually impossible to have too much cheese.

Now I appreciate that my ramblings may come across as harsh, or as though I didn’t enjoy this burger, and I apologise if that is so, because I definitely did enjoy this burger. It was a tasty burger, but in a world where competition is becoming more fierce than a bewildered lioness defending her cubs, this burger provides little to hold its hand up and stand out from the rest.