Corner burgers are one of the most popular spots in Varna for burgers and last time I was there I enjoyed it but I wasn’t lightning struck. This time my opinion has changed. I also met with the local burger legend @burgmeon who made a guest review recently and has been exploring the Bulgarian burger scene. Check him out!

How tasty is the Motherf*#$&r? – 9/10

Ever since my first experience with smashed patties burger with the Dead Hippie, I am in love with those burgers. They represent that junk food diner-style burger and are full of the classic junky burger flavour but just on a different level

The burger had:
– 4x Smashed Beef Patties
– Cheddar
– Smoked Bacon
– Homemade BBQ sauce
– Pickles (Gherkins)
– Pickled Red Onions
– Brioche

I am very impressed with the meaty flavour coming from this bad boy. You see when we have good beef a lot of that flavour is coming from that slightly burned crust where all the fat has integrated. The smashed patties embrace this flavour to the next level because almost the entire patty is that crust! Corner burgers have done a very good job and the execution is exactly what you expect. Well, seasoned and quality beef = a lot of flavours. The smoky bacon wasn’t too hard or too chewy, just the right amount. And the smoky pork brought a lot of different yet balanced flavour to the meaty experience.

The burger embraced the cheddar very well. The benefit of smashed patties is that you put cheddar in between every single thin patty which means the impact of the cheese tends to be more compared to a regular burger. And we all know frequently there isn’t enough cheese. This wasn’t the case here, the cheddar was strong and tasty present in every bite and balancing great between the meat and the pickles.

The BBQ sauce was one of the things I was afraid of. It is very easy to get it wrong and ruin the whole experience but I was impressed by the execution of the sauce. Not too sweet, tangy in the right way… quite tasty. I would have preferred some mayo variant for more body on the sauce but nonetheless a good job.

The gherkins were great! They weren’t a sweet pickled but a sour one, which made that acidity shine through and bring balance to the bite! I absolutely loved them and they were generous with them which was important for the whole recipe. That good textured crunch also helped for the overall experience. I was however sad I didn’t feel much of the onion. It would have finished the burger perfectly but was rather missing from the mouthful. I think they but too little or the pickled nature made the flavour less intense.

The brioche was nice and springy yet firm. Well toasted and a great vehicle for all the flavours.

Really good job Corner burgers, few tweaks and this is an easy 10/10.

Burger joint venue and overall experience? – 9/10

Flavourful fries, amazing hot sauces that are going to blow your brains our and more and good draft beer to quench your thirst, a burger joint that has it all

Quirkiness level of the experience? – 7/10

Sadly you don’t get to experience smashed patties every day. There are not as popular, especially in the Bulgarian scene. We need more for sure!