Burger O’Clock: Classic Burgers and New Desserts
If there’s one thing Karachi has in plenty, apart from horrifically hot weather and continuous road construction, it is exciting burger restaurants. If I started checking out every burger joint in Karachi, I would be eating burgers for the rest of my life, thereby cementing my identity as a “burger” in every sense of the word. Which is why when I first heard of Burger O’Clock I had no intention of trying it out.
Another One?
Whether it’s chargrilled or broiled, topped with aged gruyere or sautéed mushrooms, doused in BBQ sauce or coated in an exotic aioli, burgers are alive and kicking in Karachi. The ‘next best burger’ keeps popping up everywhere. I love trying out new places but excuse me for not wanting an umpteenth version of the same burger.
My husband, however, is a marketing executive’s dream come true. Show him anything done up all pretty and he will gravitate towards it like a moth to a flame. Case in point: He married me. Can I have a quick cymbal riff here?
Enter Burger O’Clock
One fine morning, as we were grabbing our groceries from the commercial area near Ayesha Masjid, Sam pointed out a new set-up in the building opposite the market. Sexy wooden finish and slick design, it was love at first sight for the man. Upon further inquiry, we found out that this was Burger O’Clock.
I was in no mood to try this out but Sam insisted, and by insisted I mean he launched an online investigation worthy of the FBI standards. The next two days involved him reading out glowing reviews at all hours of the day in efforts to convince me. When I found this interfering with my Lucifer binging I finally gave in, and so we set out for Burger O’Clock on a Friday night.
First Impressions
As far as initial impressions go, they had a pretty sweet setup. The restaurant was super spacious and industrial chic, with pops of yellow here and there. We perused the menu and my husband immediately decided to go for the Classic Burger, while I decided to order everything but a burger. All thoughts of moderation went out the window after one look at the appetizer options: Loaded Fries, Jalapeno poppers, and a Lemon Meringue Pie, for dessert.
Jalapeno Poppers
I order jalapeno poppers whenever I see them on any menu, and why not? That perfect marriage of gooey melty cheese and spicy peppers, yum. But these jalapeno poppers were unique. The jalapeno element wasn’t stuffed within the poppers, instead, it arrived in the form of a jalapeno dip on the side. Lovely crisp outer coating, deliciously cheesy, stringy goodness inside, and a sharp kick from the sauce.
Loaded Fries
The loaded fries were a bit of an issue. There was a ton of cheese and the chili, but the cheese was overpowering the potato chips. I found myself searching for fries with less cheese on them and that defeats the purpose of having loaded fries in the first place.
Classic Burger
The Classic Burger arrived on a cute wooden platter and a tiny bucket of fries. Sams reason for ordering a Classic Burger was simple; it’s the easiest to get wrong. It’s all too easy to hide flaws under copious amounts of dressings, sauces, and other burger accouterments, but a basic burger requires perfection. There was nothing fancy about the burger at Burger O’Clock yet it worked on so many different levels. It was well seasoned, the bun-to-patty ratio was spot on and the cheese was legit. Not bad, not bad at all.
Lemon Meringue Pie
Some people might say that dessert is unnecessary. Those are not the type of people I need in my life. The deconstructed lemon meringue pie arrived in a jar, showing off each and every layer in all its glory. I gobbled it up layer by layer and scraped the bottom clean. My husband stared on in befuddlement but I remained undeterred.
Verdict
Despite my initial hesitation and admitted bias, Burger O’Clock converted me. I’ll be heading back for poppers, burgers, desserts in jars, and more. Don’t tell my husband though, I can’t bear his “I told you so”.
