The Rye - burger and chips

[Fitzgeraldo]

Went for lunch with the wife to ?The Rye?. The menu looked interesting if solid, so anticipating a thick, juicy, flavoursome burger I ordered ?Rare Breed Dexter Beef Burger?. When it arrived, within a small rather tasteless bun surrounded by thin fries sat not one, but two beef patties. The bun also contained a slice of tomato and some cheese-like material. I assume that tomato chilli jam was also present.

As I was hungry, I ate the meal. When she retrieved my plate, the pleasant waitress enquired whether I had any comments. So I asked: ?Why two patties?

I pointed out that this was unusual for a restaurant or even a gastro-pub. She went to the kitchen and returned to advise me that:

?The chef said we always do it like that here.?

I wonder whether any other EDF readers feel that to be charged ?13 for the equivalent of a ?Big Mac and chips? is a bit steep. Also, in order that I may avoid them in future, do any other local pubs serve two thin patties in a bun and describe such a culinary masterpiece as a? burger? and charge accordingly?

[Louisa]

This justifies earlier rants from me about the steep prices surrounding this whole posh burger and chips phenomenon. I have tried it, and with the exception of Byron (which was very nice as a treat), I do not understand why people spend so much money on what is effectively a take away meal. I'd be extremely disappointed if I had spent ?13 on such a basic formula. Did it come with a free glass of wine or a beer like a wetherspoons meal deal?

Louisa.

[DulwichFox]

The Burgers in The Bishop used to be brilliant when they first opened.

6oz Fillet Steak Burger in a Sourdough Bun with fresh lettuce and Beef Tomato and onion.

It came with a Bottle of Stokes Tomato Sauce to help your self, Chilli Sauce and Mayonaise side dishes.

?5.95 if I remember rightly.

Fries were separate ?1.50 ??

Suspect The Rye and The Bishop do similar deals.

DulwichFox

[JayBe]

A couple of months ago with a friend of mine was at Herne Tavern, used to like this place especially for the service and their garden. That time we had good beers but the overpriced frozen burger that came with fries, priced aprx ?10, became a disappointment.

[PoisonIvy]

I've given up on The Rye. My experiences there have been pretty much the same as yours. I don't mind ?13 if it's a nice atmosphere and the burger is far better than anything I could make myself (and I can humbly state that I make excellent burgers!), but the food there is overpriced and I've found the staff to be very snooty. It's like a little slice of Stoke Newington in Peckham. No thank you.

As for burgers, I've found Honest Burger to be the best "sit down" burger, and the chips are great too. I like Meat Liquor too, but the rock n roll atmosphere isn't for everyone (love their House Grogg cocktail, which is a rum and Papaya concoction and pretty lethal - doesn't taste nearly as strong as it is).

If I'm not looking to sit in, there's always excellent traders at Brockley Market on Saturdays - Tongue 'N Cheek is my favourite but he's not there every week. He does one burger with chimichurri. Mother Flipper are great too, a bit less fancy with the toppings (I get that not everyone wants flashy sauces) and are there every week. Also Slow Richie's at the Brick Brewery in Peckham. All of the above do burger and chips for about a tenner.

Edited for phone typos.