The Classic Burger Joint

Kanari street (Saripolou square), 70000405, LEMESOS (LIMASSOL)
Mon-Sun 12:00-00:00
Food: [rating:3.5] 3.5/5
Service: [rating:4] 4/5
Ambiance: [rating:3.5] 3.5/5
The name says it all: it’s a classic joint that makes burgers. We have seen quite a few open in the past year, fortunately most of them are decent. My experience at the Classic Burger Joint was overall a very pleasant one. It wasn’t the best burger I have ever had, but it was good enough to make me return again and again.
The location across Saripolou square is quite a cliché, but not reflected in the restaurant itself. I thought the yellow colour together with the rustic wood suits the retro décor, while the fact that it’s tiny goes well with the “joint” tag. Although the tables were very near each other we didn’t feel any invasion of privacy and enjoyed our loud conversation comfortably.
We didn’t take long to decided what to have since the menu consisted of one thing: burgers and side dishes. Apart from the Classic burger with tomato, lettuce and the “classic” salsa there was a cheese burger, a Mexican one, a BBQ one, a “halloumi” burger and a “chicken burger”, all served with freshly cut fries. The extras included the usual suspects (fried egg, bacon and cheese).
We were both in between the Mexican or the cheese burger so we got one of each. Both arrived in exactly 12 minutes, as the waitress had promised! The main difference of the Mexican to the cheese burger was the spiciness the green peppers, and the onions. The truth is I would have preferred it was served with guacamole, which is the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Mexican food.
They say that every sense has to be satisfied in order to have an overall, great experience. Visually I was definitely satisfied since the well-sized burger was beautifully served in a black tray with a generous portion of fries and a large burger. Flavour-wise the Mexican that I had was quite spicy (and a bit more than what I can handle), so I had to take out the jalapenos. If you like spicy food you should definitely go for it. The patty was very juicy and flavourful without too many spices and cover-ups, truly home-made. The semi-sweet brioche was excellent. The best part I thought was the overall combo of ingredients, home-made salsa, fresh lettuce and tomato with the fantastic, salty, freshly cut fries. The only thing that we both commented on was how the brioche became a quite soggy half-way through the meal and made it really difficult to eat unless you used a fork an knife, (and a box of napkins). And in all honesty, I still haven’t found the place where you can eat a burger and have a spongy, dry brioche from start to finish.
13€ for a burger and fries might seem a lot and it is actually on the high side but I am a person who prefers to pay slightly more and get a good, home-made burger with fries in a pleasant atmosphere with very good service, rather than pay 3-4€ less and get frozen fries and a lower quality burger.
The direct comparison of the Classic Burger Joint is probably the Burger Lab that I reviewed earlier this year. I would say that the Burger Lab wins on the price and on the variety since it offers a large selection of very interesting burger combos, while the Classic Burger Joint wins in terms of ambiance, friendly service and aesthetics of the burger meal. In terms of flavour they were both well above average without being at the top.