Reviewed – Handmade Burger Co. at Grand Central Birmingham

The arrival of Grand Central Birmingham has meant the opening of lots of new eateries, selling a wide variety of different cuisines. On Sunday I was invited to check out on of those restaurants, the Handmade Burger Co, which offers one of the biggest selections of burgers I have ever seen. So, after Joe had made his football debut for Wyrley Rangers, and we were all suitably starving after a morning on the footie touchline, we made our way to my new favourite shopping centre to try out the handmade Burgers of the Handmade Burger Co.

The restaurant is another that has that slightly industrial feel to it, with a mixture of booths and tables. It could easily accommodate bigger groups due to larger tables at the back of the restaurant, and the general feeling is friendly and relaxed, but with a few added surprises along the way.

We were shown to our booth and presented with the menus. We were offered both table or counter service and opted for table. The menus are fairly large, and so choosing your burger is a tough choice, they all sound so delicious and have so much variety. This is where the staff are so good, our waiter Mick was very knowledgeable about the burgers, and made recommendations based on our food preferences. Pete was really tempted by the Peanut Butter and Bacon, but eventually the promise of extra black pudding won out and he chose the local choice of the Black Country Burger, a burger put together for the Birmingham restaurant that supports local charity Help Harry Help Others. The Black Country burger is a handmade beef patty with the Black Country touch of adding Black Pudding.

Both Joe and I chose chicken. Again, this was where the beauty of the Handmade Burger Co. revealed itself. We totally tailor made Joe’s burger, which is actually bun less on the menu. Joe wanted a bun and cheese, but no relish or salad. He wanted ketchup – but on the side, not on the burger. All of this was noted down and was no problem, so refreshing when you have a fussy child who knows exactly what he likes.

I was very torn on what to order, loving the sound of the honey mustard chicken, the sweet chilli and the Cajun burgers – I do like a little spice. In the end though I fell in love with the AMERICAN CHEESE which was made up of
Onion rings, Swiss cheese, handmade burger American mustard & gherkin relish, mayo, lettuce, tomato & red onion. I asked for the tomato to be removed, but otherwise left this as it is on the menu.

With the sides we opted again to add spice to the menu with 2 portions of chips, the Cajun chips and Denver Chips, and two portions of Peri Peri Onion Rings. Pete also ordered a small side salad – he would frankly eat salad with Sunday lunch if he was allowed.

With the food ordered we were treated to some rather special magic tricks by the super talented Alex Angell. His card tricks frankly left me flabbergasted and Joe mesmorised, and I was really impressed that Handmade Burger Co. would think of this sort of entertainment to make the wait for food just fly by. Alex is a superb magician and it was a pleasure to enjoy his trickery.

And so onto the food. We didn’t wait too long even though the restaurant was quite busy, and the food looked absolutely amazing as it was presented at our table. The burgers are big, hearty portions that are a great mix of burger and sundries, relishes and salads. The Black Country burger was juicy, with the delicious beef patty perfectly balanced by the black pudding. The salad – lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, added lightness to what could be a very heavy choice. There were no complaints from Pete, he finished every single mouthful – praise indeed.

My burger was equally delicious. A fresh chicken breast that had a slightly barbecued flavour from chargrilling, this was complimented by the delicious melted Swiss cheese. The creamy cheese could be sickly, but by adding American style pickles and mustard the balance is there for a perfect chicken burger. I loved this, each bite seemed to reveal a new flavour, each one deliciously tasty.

Joe’s burger was also good because it was just how he liked it – no relish, no mayonaise, just chicken and a bun. That said, Joe totally tucked into the rather spicy sides – he totally loved the Peri Peri Onion rings that were gorgeous and crunchy and coated with a tangy Peri Peri salt. The Cajun chips were also fantastic, I loved the fact that they were crunchy and spicy on the outside, but the middle was totally soft and fluffy.

Handmade Burger Co. burgers are wonderfully filling, and I had to say no to dessert. Joe however, always has room for dessert, and ordered the BRAMLEY APPLE PIE. Made from Vanilla ice cream, bramley apple compote, biscuit and topped with whipped cream, this was a sundae I was a little worried about – apple can be very tart and sharp. However, this was beautifully sweet and creamy, and probably tasted even better as Joe was able to create it! This was a gorgeous touch that made a little boy’s day.

I really can’t recommend Handmade Burger Co. enough. The food is delicious, the choice is immense, the service is friendly and efficient, and the place is just so child friendly.

handmade burger Co. Grand Central
Grand Central Station
Upper Retail
Birmingham
B2 4BF
Tel: 0121 643 1621

Opening Hours:
Mon – Fri: 9am – 10pm
Saturday: 9am – 11pm
Sunday: 9am – 9pm

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