Introducing: The Juicy Lucy at Handmade Burger Co! *Gifted

Its been a few weeks since I've raved about awesome eateries so today I thought I'd tell you all about Handmade Burger Co's latest creation- the Juicy Lucy!

I was kindly invited by Queensgate shopping centre to go along and review this beast of a burger and it's certainly up there with the best on the Handmade Burger Co menu. The location is perfect for a break from shopping, being located on the edge of Westgate Arcade and in the heart of the shopping centre.

We started our evening with a cheeky drink or two. I was on the wine whilst Chris opted for a Corona but there's lots to choose from to wet your appetite. From cocktails to milkshakes, you'll be spoilt for choice. All the fizzy drinks are re-fillable and you can pimp a milkshake with a spirit to make it extra indulgent!

One of the things I love about Handmade Buger Co is the fact that everything is made from scratch and with over 40 different handmade burgers to choose from, I don't think anyone can complain about the variety! The burgers aren't all beef either. You can choose from veggie or chicken too if that's more your thing. Naturally, Chris and I went in for the big guns and needless to say, we were very impressed!

Say hello to the Juicy Lucy- a burger which lets be honest looks absolutely epic!! Stuffed with American cheese, served in a bun with lettuce, red onion, garlic mayonnaise and served with a gherkin....everything about this burger is a taste sensation!

When I say stuffed with American cheese, it really is. One knife slice into the beef patty and the melting cheese was on show! Chris decided to double up his order on the Juicy Lucy , opting for a double stacked pattie which is amazing for any big eaters out there!

I chose the Blue Cheese and Bacon burger, with a flat mushroom thrown in for good measure which actually made my burger. In it's brioche bun you;ll find, blue cheese, caramelised onion relish, bacon, lettuce and blue cheese mayo and oh my lord its a taste sensation- particularly if you're into your cheese!

If you thought the burgers were the only epic part of your meal at Handmade Burger Co then you'd be wrong...They are phenominal also. Chris opted for the Denver fries whilst I chose the sweet potato fries, I swear that nowhere else does sweet potato fries like Handmade Burger Co and if you opt for them when you go- you won't be disappointed!

By the time we'd eaten our mains we were well and truly stuffed. It beat us and our bellies couldn't muster the strength to delve into desserts but there is always next time! What I will say is go to Handmade Burger Co with an empty stomach. This is not the place for a light meal but it's certainly the place for the best burgers in town. 

Have you tried the Juicy Lucy yet?

I was invited along with to try the new Juicy Lucy burger at Handmade Burger Co by Queensgate Shopping Centre and received a complimentary meal for myself and Chris. I was under no obligation to write a review but I enjoyed it so much I decided to do a blog post so that you guys could discover it and hopefully go and enjoy it too!

A Double Date Night at The Brampton Mill AD- Gifted

I'm back with another restaurant review and this week its none other than The Brampton Mill in Brampton Cambridgeshire! This is one of my favourite places to come for dinner, drinks and celebrating so when I was invited to bring three guests with me to see the newly re-furbished pub, I was mega excited! Being close to Valentine's Day it seemed like the perfect excuse to make the occasion a double date so I took Chris and my two best friends along to help me try the new menu and enjoy the decor.

I wasn't sure what to expect from the re-vamp but upon arrival the decor just blew my mind...

The first area that caught my eye was the bar. It's swanky polished marble top with black and gold wallpaper felt very Gatsby and fabulous and before long I was ordering one of the many gins the bar has to offer.

If you'd told me beforehand that the decor would have zebra patterned chairs, mixed with blues and greens, blacks and golds I'd have been sceptical but the designers clearly had a vision and it really works!

Some cosy touches of the bar area have been kept such as the crackling log fire so there's still an air of cosiness in the stylish new surroundings which are perfect for cold winter days.

My favourite part of the pub had to be this area- dubbed as "The Greenhouse" with its gorgeous leafy foliage and a beautiful view of the working mill. It was an incredibly inviting and pretty setting and here we had canapes and cocktail to begin our evening.

If you're a long time reader you'll know been fortunate enough to review The Brampton Mill before (read here) plus I've been many a time before so I can vouch that the food is phenomenal and this evening was no exception! Our canapes consisted of  duck liver & port parfait with a gooseberry and Prosecco compote on toasted ciabatta, deep fried brie in panko bread crumbs and some roasted lentil falafel. Everything tasted divine and was a great way to sample several of the new menu options too.

Soon we were ready to head to the more formal dining area and again we were greeted with fabulous decor.

Our table was set on the third floor which is probably my favourite of all the dining areas with the high beamed ceilings. Again the tasteful modern decor has revitalised the place but is also in keeping with the traditional features of the 500 year old pub. The low lighting in the room made for a lovely romantic setting and atmosphere for our date evening. 

Now onto the important stuff- the food! We truly were spoilt rotten with choice as everything sounded incredible. After much deliberation we went for  Thyme-Roasted Portobello muschrooms in Cropwell Bishop sauce with rustic toast, Salt & Szechuan pepper squid, Scallops of the day and the Lobster and King Prawn pot in Devon crab crème fraiche with toasted ciabatta bread.

I was assured by my other half and my dining chummies that their starters were delicious but I can comment most on the Lobster and King Prawn pot. It tasted incredible with a drizzling of lemon over the top and the chef didn't scrimp on the prawns either- they just kept on coming from the pot!

To accompany your food The Brampton Mill has an impressive drinks menu to choose from and on this occasion we opted for the Vieux Chevalier Chateau Neuf Du Pape which was delicious and full bodied.

For mains we dined on 9oz Rib-Eye Steak with twice-cooked chunky chips, crispy onions, grilled mushroom, confit tomato, baby kale and a side of lobster and garlic butter.

 
Seared salmon fillet on Chorizo mash, tenderstem broccoli and Bouillabaisse sauce.

Chicken, leek and creme fraiche pie topped with ham hock crumb, served with kale mashed potato and buttered green beans.

 

Again I was reliably informed by my friends and hubby that their mains were delicious and they tasted even more amazing than they looked. I had the chicken, leek and creme fraiche pie which was small but mighty! It's deceptive size was definitely filling and the ham hock crumb topping made a nice change to a traditional pastry topped pie. The mash was incredible and if I can re-create it I definitely will because it tasted amazing! The mash itself was incredibly creamy with kale embedded inside for an added crunch and interest in texture.

We were so full and two courses would have easily been enough but then we saw the desserts and our inner piggies persuaded us to have a final course. Well, all but one of us who opted for an Old Fashioned cocktail to finish the meal- a refreshing combination of smooth, rounded woodford reserve bourbon, a swirl of aromatic bitters, a hint of sugar and a twist of orange peel served over a perfect sphere of ice to create the quintessential sipping cocktail.

Meanwhile the other three of us were in chocolate and cheese heaven with Ice cream and home-baked triple chocolate cookie. 

The chocolate and raspberry pudding filled with a raspberry compote middle and served with Bourban vanilla ice cream. I had this and it was epic!

And finally the British cheese board which contained all the cheeses- Shepherd’s Purse Yorkshire Blue, Lubborn Somerset Camembert, Belton Farm Red Leicester, Isle of Man vintage Cheddar with a selection of Fudge’s nut & mixed seed biscuits, grapes, celery and chutney.

What a meal. We were all full to the brim by the end of it and slowly waddled our way down to the bar for a nightcap. 

I was thoroughly impressed with both the food and the service at The Brampton Mill and the re-vamp has definitely given the place a new lease of life. I'm already thinking of other occasions to go for dinner such as Mother's Day next month and with the friends we dined with that evening, we've organised a dog walk and stopping by for pizza and beers in the garden over the summer time! The Brampton Mill truly is a treat and I'd recommend it to everyone.

Have you been yet?

I was invited to the preview night at The Brampton Mill after its extensive refurbishment and received a complimentary three course meal for myself and three guests. I was under no obligation to write a review or promote the refurbishment but I enjoyed it so much I decided to do a blog post so that you guys could discover it and hopefully go and enjoy it too!

Dinner and drinks with the girls at The Green Man, Trumpington- AD (Gifted)

I’m back for the second time this week and with another foody post- hurrah! This Wednesday I had the pleasure of attending a media preview night at the newly refurbished pub The Green Man in Trumpington, Cambridge. With my three best friends in tow, I went along to check out the decor, try a cocktail or two and sample the delicious food on offer. 

*Spoiler alert* it was bloody amazing. 

Admittedly I had never been to The Green Man before, however one of my friends had and said the transformation was fantastic but even for a first time visit I thought the decor was spectacular. The dark navy and gold palette mixed with leafy green plants and quirky lighting was a feast for the eyes and made for an incredibly inviting setting to be in. 

We started our evening in the cosy bar area with a canapés and drinks. The canapés themselves were a bite size selection of what’s on the new menu and were just delicious! Three of us sampled the meat options and the vegetarian of the group sampled the vegan and veggie options available. As a vegetarian my friend remarked on the fact there were so many vegetarian and vegan options to choose from and they weren’t your bog standard or obligatory veggie options. Instead there were dishes such as deep fried brie in pank breadcrumbs with chutney, spiralised carrot salad, coconut tzatziki and flatbread and battered halloumi with twice cooked chunky chips. Now tell me that’s not a taste sensation for anyone let alone a vegetarian! 

For those of us with the meat canapés we feasted on seared scallops, roasted pork belly and crackling, beer-battered line-caught cod, lobster and Devon crab and fishcakes and duck. The canapés alone were sensational which made me even more excited for the three course meal ahead.

 

When it comes to drinks, you are seriously spoilt for choice. Everything sounded incredible! Alas I was designated driver but my friends happily obliged when trying out the cocktail menu. The Raspberry Mule was a huge hit, coming out in the cutest copper mug and consisted of aromatic Absolut Raspberri Vodka, ginger beer, a hint of lime and a handful of fresh raspberries. Another favourite was the Candy Floss Martini- A childhood favourite mixed with a very adult measure of smooth Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum and is expertly finished with lime and warming ginger. If this sounds up your street then you’ll be pleased to know that Happy Hour is Monday through to Friday 12-7pm!

 
For our evening meal we were led into another inviting area of the large 17th Century pub. Again this room boasted tasteful decor and was a real treat to be dining in. 

There was so much choice for what to have from the seasonal menu and we spent a great deal of time pouring over the various options. In the end we chose the Chargrilled Lamb Koftas which came with goat’s curd, plum tomato, roasted red pepper, cucumber and mint salad, whilst two of us ordered the 7oz Fillet steak with Stilton tart and twice-cooked chunky chips: one with Peppercorn sauce and the other with Lobster and garlic butter. 

The vegetarian main meal chosen (which is also vegan) was the Plant-based burger served in a sesame seeded bun with coconut tzatziki, slow-roasted tomato sauce and salad. I chose the fillet steak because it just sounded so divine and the stilton tart that accompanied it was just gorgeous. The steak itself was cooked to perfection and overall was an absolute treat to eat. 

Admittedly by this point we were stuffed but when we saw the dessert menu, our second stomachs had other ideas...Three of us went in with a full size dessert but if that proves to be too much there is always the option of a mini dessert and hot drink which one of the ladies went for and said it was the perfect size. 

You can choose from a mini apple and blackberry crumble, a mini baked vanilla cheesecake or a mini Belgian chocolate brownie to accompany your hot drink. I also think this would be pretty perfect if you wanted to stop by for coffee and dessert instead of a full blown meal! 

For those of us that chose a full size dessert, we went in with a New York style baked vanilla cheese cake, a Belgian chocolate brownie with Bourbon vanilla icecream and then the big one... the Melting Chocolate & Peanut Bomb. 

This dessert sure puts on a show! Filled with sticky toffee pudding and peanut butter cream, this golden ball comes served beautifully and with a little jug of hot salted caramel sauce to pour over the top and reveal the melted wonder inside. I mean just look at it. I don’t think I need to say anymore than that! 

By the final course we really were incredibly full but what a wonderful evening we had. Overall I was blown away with how wonderful the evening was. 

We sampled and dined on incredible food, drank delicious drinks, took in the inviting space. The Green Man is an ideal location to celebrate any occasion and come the summer months the outdoor patio area will be perfect for alfresco dinner and drinks. Both me and the girls have vowed to go back very soon! 

I was invited along with to the preview night at The Green Man in Trumpington after its extensive refurbishment and received a complimentary three course meal for myself and three guests. I was under no obligation to write a review or promote the refurbishment but I enjoyed it so much I decided to do a blog post so that you guys could discover it and hopefully go and enjoy it too!