Update: Jo'Burger is permanently closed
Mr. FFID likes movies with talking raccoons (Guardians of the Galaxy) and apes that shoot humans (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes) whereas I prefer foreign movies about tormented individuals with difficult relationships and sad endings. Choosing a movie sometimes leads to
So there is a new Jo’ Burger in town and
this time it’s on the Northside. Located just opposite the Old Jameson Distillery
in Smithfield and probably packed with tourists during the day but surprisingly
quiet when we visited on a weekday evening.
The restaurant has many outdoor seats (a one
hour limit applies when it's busy) and is rather spacious and bright inside. Apart from some giant
graffiti on the wall and flowery wallpaper, it’s quite minimalist and doesn’t
feel too 'hipster'. There is a large open kitchen and lots of long communal tables,
cutlery is served in empty Harissa cans and the drinks menu can be found in
children’s comic books.
In Jo’Burger you chose your burger (beef,
lamb, chicken, fish, veggie), your bread (Breton bun or tortilla
wrap) and your style of toppings. All the burgers are served with mayo,
lettuce, slices of tomato and red onions, you just can pimp it as you wish.
Prices range from €8.95 to €12.75 and you can add extra toppings (€1.50-€2.50).
There is also a choice of salads for a tenner and sides (€3.95-€4.95) and
sauces are extra.
I’m not a big burger eater and tend to make
them at home, so I didn’t have high expectations I have to say. However they
only buy from Irish owned companies, list them on the menu and hurray, it
includes some of my favourites (e.g
Sheridans, Le Levain Bakery, Clement and Pekoe…).
Mr. FFID went for a sunburnt red from 8
Degrees to quench his thirst while I went for a rather massive jar of
refreshing hibiscus and ginger lemonade. The lemonade was the type of drink you
want to enjoy in your garden on a scorching Irish summer day (that's anything above 20C for
those not living in Ireland).
The service was pretty quick and we got our
burger towers in no time. Warning! This is not the type of burgers you can hold
comfortably in your hands but there is a big skewer to kind of hold it
together.
Mr. FFID went for a Moroka (2 slices of
bacon, brie and relish) with some extra avocado. It was cooked medium rare as per request, oozed with
creamy melted brie and included thick slices of bacon. He loved it despite
great difficulties at eating it, he even tried using a knife and fork at some stage.
My Phiri burger (red onion marmalade,
rocket) was tasty, especially the fourme d’Ambert cheese I requested (a hefty
€2.50 extra).
Unlike Mr. FFID I held my burger firmly in my two hands
and pressing it tight to reduce its size without making too much of a mess. That said, it’s kind of impossible to have a bite that includes all the toppings: the
cheese was on one side and the marmalade on another…
The burger was bang on
though, generous in size and nicely juicy but what I liked the most was the bun.
It isn’t brioche but a lovely big fresh bun with a light crumb and golden crust,
real bread it is.
We also shared a portion of sweet potato
fries between the two of us, they were cubes more than fries but fluffy, slightly
spiced and perfectly cooked.
Verdict? I was nicely surprised and enjoyed
it. The bill came to €41 for two and we were full to the brim, it ain’t cheap but this is not the golden arches and the food was tasty. Jo’Burger is probably not
for those looking for an American style burger but perfect if you want alternative toppings, the setting is also pretty cool for a casual
meal.
After all, I survived watching Guardians of
the Galaxy and had a great date night.
Jo'Burger
Duck Lane
Smithfield
Dublin 7
