And one more from @eatstreet.

The off-menu Big Pole from family fave Big Apple Hot Dogs.

Monumental.

What do you get when you slow cook ribs, pull the meat off the bones and put it in a bun?

Awesome is what you get, son.

Courtesy of the @theribman at @EatStreet.

[PREVIEW] MeatLIQUOR / London / The Hangover Is Still Not Over

Hang on, let’s rewind a little bit…

“The other question mark with the Meateasy will be what happens when it shuts down in March. Between now and then, a back-of-fag-packet calculation suggests the MeatEmpire will have served way, way more covers than it ever has done before. With that comes the next difficult sequel.

How do you go from having created such a special place, with a full menu, table service, a bigger kitchen, electronic ordering systems and all the other elements that add up to their slickest project yet, to then shutting it down and going back to a little van again?

And what of the pubs? Surely, Yianni is in the completely unique position of being able to say to any pub in London, from zone 1 to 6, that he can show up with his team and guarantee a horde of big eating, big drinking punters. Most of whom will post about it online. And then bring in even more punters. That surely has to factor in to his long term strategy.”

• from our #MEATEASY review, nine months ago.

The sequel

Technically, this is the third act. #MEATEASY was very much the sequel to the little burger van that could.

Others would probably disagree with us, but we were underwhelmed by the Meatwagon’s residency at the Rye in Peckham. A great deal of the urgency and energy generated by the #MEATEASY waned over the summer, and able competition sprang up around town, both on the street and pubs getting their act together.

But sure enough, there was a plan. Bricks and mortar. And here we are, a skip and a jump away from Oxford Street.

The things you need to know:

• opening hours will be 12pm until midnight (and there was a mention of 2am) Tuesday to Saturday.
• it exhibits the dark, red-stained, neon feel of a Proper Good Dive Bar. An American one, obviously.
• you will once again be regularly cursing Soulshakers for giving you that whopping hangover. The jam jars and ice blocks are in full effect.
• there are some new menu items we’ve never seen from the Meatwagon before. The desserts are a big one, but we’re into the Buffalo Chicken burger.
• the kitchen is ‘massive’.
• there’s a restaurant bit out the back, but we didn’t get to look at it
• we lost the ability to focus within 45 minutes of arrival

We didn’t eat much, so a review would be fruitless. We shared a mini burger (pretty sure it wasn’t a slider). It was excellent. It had special sauce in it and that amazing salty crust you only get with a Meatwagon burger. The buffalo wings have improved from their #MEATEASY outings - properly quartered and Frank’s’ed.

Be excited.

It’s gonna be big. Super, crazy big.

Meat in. Liquor out.

[GALLERY] The Hawksmoor Breakfast Slideshow / Hawksmoor Guildhall / London

Sneak peek: testing the buns.

(brioche on the left, potato roll on the right)

Finally had it.

(Yes, that’s the Hawksmoor burger. It’s going to be a Hawksmoor-heavy week.)

[HAWKSMOOR SPECIAL - PART 1] Breakfast at Hawksmoor Guildhall / London

The setup…

We ate most of this.

[FOODTRUCK REVIEW] Anna Mae’s II / Eat Street

Finally, I get my hands on Anna Mae’s Pork ‘n Beans.

The pork is as good as you’d expect it to be, and the portions are generous for the price.

What sets them out though is the quality of the homemade BBQ sauce. Thankfully it’s not too sugared and has enough heat to it. And they’re sensible enough to have Frank’s Extra Hot on hand if needs be.

Be sure to check out Rob’s thoughts on the Mac ‘n Cheese, and if you’re anywhere near King’s Cross on a Thursday or Friday lunchtime, then get your ass down to Eat Street.

They’re doing sterling work for street food in London.

“Obviously, given this über-foodie approach, Elliot’s has been clasped to the weekend market goers’ collective bosom and is predictably mobbed.”

— Another positive Elliot’s review from the Metro

The cheeseburger from Elliot’s cafe in London’s Borough Market.

Full review forthcoming.

But she looks pretty good, right?

[ON TOUR] Rob went to Hodad's / San Diego

R:In Tivoli bar in San Diego. Playing country music. It's changed man, it's changed.
S:Whut, no skatepunk? Rubbish! Did you go to Hodad's?
R:Yup, it was good, but not mind blowing. Huge burgers. The bacon in the burger was as big as the patty. And was American bacon chopped up and was brilliant. Best bit.

[ON TOUR] Cheeseburger / Gott’s Roadside / San Francisco

“Great buns with sadly average thousand island sauce”

• Rob.

[ON TOUR] - Cheesy Mac ‘n Rib Sandwich / Grilled Cheese Truck / Los Angeles

“Like Grilled Heaven Excess”

• Rob.

Local early morning baked goods on vacation in Olonzac, France.

The Raymond at Avignon TGV station in France.

It was excellent.

We miss ThatBurger

On Byron Hamburger's Uncle Sam

S:We need to do that Uncle Sam burger. Stat. I think he's made proper potato rolls for it.
R:I know! Looks good.
R:But still. £7.50 for a cheeseburger. Sheesh.
S:Well yeah.
S:Those new sites don't open themselves.

“1. Set the water bath temperature to 132°F.”

A truly phenomenal post on improving the Heston burger over at Salty Seattle.

And guess who’s going to Seattle soon?

[LINK] The Hamburger Cleanse

I wish I’d known about this for my wedding diet.