Gourmet Burger Kitchen

This is the perfect and simplest place if you want a good burger! Although there are branches of this chain all over, the one I chose to go to was the Spinningfields branch, in Manchester City Centre.

The décor is bright, open, and modern, and there is seating out on a balcony with a pleasant water view. 

You're asked to choose your own table, and then a server comes and explains the way GBK works (you order at the counter) and the specials, as well as telling you to help yourself to free monkey nuts as you wait. The staff are friendly, pleasant, and smiley-smiley-smiley! :)

The menu lists a cacophony of various burgers in various sizes, made with various meats and with various fillings, as well as a variety of side-dishes, and three different types of fries. Yum! The drinks menu was also good, including a good range of non-alcoholic drinks rather than the standard Coke/Lemonade/Sprite offerings by most places.

I ordered a smaller-size cheeseburger and was asked what cheese I'd prefer, and how I'd like it cooked (a question which is always a wonderful thing to hear asked regarding burgers instead of just steaks!) so of course I chose medium-rare. I also ordered the rosemary skinny-fries and a citrus fruity fizz, which seemed good value at one-pound-something compared to the fizzy drinks at over two fifty each (and you get refills of this particular beverage for just a quid each time instead of the full price). 

As the tables are modest, providing simply cutlery and napkins in a bucket, and ketchup served in the classic novelty bright red tomato-shaped bottles, which always makes me smile. You're invited to raid the condiments trolley, which includes things from the usual salt/pepper/vinegar to the more interesting chicken salt and various hot sauces/mustards, as well as free carafes of water.

Skinny Rosemary Fries

My food didn't take very long to arrive. which is always nice. The burger was deliciously cooked, but wasn't as pink in the middle as I'd have hoped for (but was still the same flavour/texture as medium-rare), and the toppings and bun were fresh and tasty. The skinny fries came in an oval bowl, and topped with a bit of rosemary. It seemed silly to put such thin and crispy fries into a bowl, as if you put your fork into the fries, they pulled up and went everywhere due to how light they are... which is why I think the bowl itself is presented on an additional plate. (I think it's encouragement to eat with your hands and pick at your fries, which is perfectly fine really). The fries were tasty, but not as crunchy as I would've liked, and topped with a few sprigs of rosemary, which added a little to the taste, but the fries didn't generally taste of it. The citrus fizz drink was lovely... spring water with fresh lemon, lime, and mint... as you can imagine, it was very refreshing! There were at least 2 other options aside the "citrus" option I chose.

I'd definitely go again to this place, try a different burger, the chunky twice-fried fries, and a different drink too, not because these things weren't great this time round, but because if they're done as nicely as the things I chose this time, they're bound to be delicious too! :)

Although it was pretty good value compared to many places, thanks to my free Spinningfields "Yellow Card" I also got 20% off the bill, which made it even tastier, naturally!! My bill for the burger, drink, and fries, came to a total of eight-pounds-something, which in comparison to many other chains is pretty good!

Gourmet Burger Kitchen
Nationwide.
www.gbk.co.uk