I'm afraid it's another post with phone photos and dodgy lighting. Think I need to make sure I leave my camera permanently in my handbag from now on!
At the beginning of this month, a group of us from work went to check out Boom Burger, a Jamaican burger restaurant in Portobello, West London. As you can see from the picture above and their website, Boom Burger has a very strong aesthetic; made up of green, yellow and red from the Jamaican colour palette and cartoon-style graphics.
Inside, Boom Burger is quite small (in keeping with the rest of the trendy burger places) with a few tables inside and out. There was a big table next to the mini bar to sit all 11 of us. We'd already spent the day perusing the menu online at work so quickly went up to the till to make our orders. As you can see above, the till is situated right next to the open kitchen so you can see it all being prepared.
I must admit, I was expecting Boom Burger to be a bit...cringey. Full of white middle class people trying to create a Jamaican vibe but I was wrong, it was completely authentic. As it explains on the website, Boom Burger was founded by Jamaican native, Josh de Lisser to emulate his Auntie's spicy flavours and barbecue grilling.
Even though we all ordered separately, the chefs ensured our food was cooked and brought to our table together. The group split into two categories: those of us who went for the signature Boom Burger, consisting of beef smothered in cheese and bacon jam, while the rest went for the Jerk Boom - jerk chicken, fried plantain, rocket and pawpaw sauce. I went for the latter and as suspected, was delicious! The jerk spice provided a nice flavour rather than burning your mouth. I'm pretty sure there's nothing that doesn't taste good in a brioche bun, they're so tasty! If I'm honest, the carnivore inside me was envious of those that went for the beef option. Here's a closeup:
Between us all, we ordered most of the sides they had to offer and everyone got to sample a little bit of everything. I wasn't a fan of the plantain fries as they were quite hard but they were enjoyed by the others. The french fries were cooked perfectly - much better than Patty & Bun's offering. After sampling the jerk wings, I'd say next time I would order those with the beef burger, to get the best of both worlds. The Stamp & Go were a tasty combo of salt fish, chilli and herbs made into small fritters, creating a nice crispy treat.
The Caribbean vibes aren't only delivered with the food and decor. The Boom Juice bar completed the experience with a limited but fitting drinks menu - red stripe beer, rum served with coke or ginger beer and cocktails including Pina Coladas.
I don't usually drink rum in a mixer so opted for a Pina Colada. I felt bad for the waitress as I was the only one ordering a cocktail but she responded that she got to drink the leftovers so was more than happy to make some up. I told her to feel free to make it a little stronger in that case, so I ended up with a cup of rum-y, frothy goodness.
So what's the final verdict on Boom Burger? All 11 of us absolutely loved it! The mouthwatering food coupled with the mostly rum bar, laidback atmosphere and thumping carnival-esque beats made for a fun Thursday night dinner with friends. Especially as the burgers are just £8 and the sides are £2 each. Boom Burger would also be the perfect place to eat before heading out for a night of drinking and dancing. Or you can do what we did and continue the Caribbean love fest at The Rum Kitchen nearby in Westbourne Grove for a nightcap, before making your way home.
Have you been to Boom Burger before? I can't wait to take Dan there soon!
xx
