Byron King's Road

I do like a good burger. I've tried most of 'em and Byron is my go-to Burger of choice. I like the fact they are not too flash or clever – no foolish brioche buns or pulled pork here, just an honest, juicy burger, served medium, with a proper bun and straightforward accompaniments. If I were to offer constructive criticism, I would prefer a slightly smaller bun and certainly more relish – you can barely detect the “Byron sauce” they put on, requiring judicious use of ketchup and American mustard. Sides are variable: french fries are fine, I like the onion rings (mine have always been crispy) and the courgette fries, but the skin-on chips and the maccaroni cheese are to be avoided. In terms of drinks, if you're not ordering a malted vanilla shake, then you need urgent help. Damn fine milkshake. Service is usually quick and efficient, even when it gets busy, but there is a distinct lack of atmosphere, and they do feel a bit “corporate” (I've been to Kings Road, Gloucester Road, High St Ken and Westfield). However, for a burger joint, that's less of an issue for me – I don't go there for a long luxurious meal, I go there for a cracking burger, fries and malted vanilla shake and expect to be in and out within the hour. It may not be as “cool” as a Bar Boulud burger, but it's a lot bigger and only costs £7. In terms of upscale burger chains, it beats the rest hands down.

It's been a while now since Ed's Diner unfortunately shut it's doors on the Kings road. My wife and I enjoyed their 50's Americana styled restaurant with it's juke bokes, open kitchen and friendly service, the ‘big bubba’ was our favourite from their menu and was held in reverence by myself as the best burger in town. For a quick pre-cinema dinner we decided to visit Byron on the Kings Road, having heard positive comments from friends. Inside it's like any big chain restaurant, the tables so close together you feel intimately entwined with your neighboring diner, and a few signature interior design lights. There's plenty of space though and there was a pleasant hubbub of activity. We were welcomed and swiftly shown to our table. The young lady who served us was friendly and attentive. We ordered their signature ‘Byron burger’, french fries, courgette fries and onion rings and a couple of glasses of Pinot Grigio. Service was swift and efficient. We had to ask for ice cubes as the wine was room temperature – a deep insult to Pinot Grigio. The Byron burger was good, plenty of flavour and cooked to my request. They use only the finest beef from Scotland and this was reflected in it's superior taste. The accompaniments were, however, a let-down; the fries were particularly poor, more like a value range from Lidl than restaurant quality, whilst the onion rings were so greasy as to be inedible. The courgette fries were ok but again, greasy to the point where you felt unable to proceed without a doctors note. Overall, stick to the burger alone and you'll be fine. Is it better than Ed's? Not in my opinion. The best burger in town is still the Big Bubba!