Bumpkin - Banging Ribs and Burnt Burgers

The Eatery:Bumpkin South Kensington, 102 Brompton Road, London, SW7 3RD
The Site: http://bumpkinuk.com
The Companion: Great for lunch with a group of pals or the family
The Dolla: Around £35 per head
MCM Rating: 3.8/5

Today I went for a BIG Sunday lunch with the family at Bumpkin . Always good to end a weekend having eaten so much you're no longer able to move. There's a lovely atmosphere at Bumpkin, it has a sort of smart/casual feel that makes you feel instantly relaxed.

Everyone felt like an afternoon full of comfort food so we started off with a plate of ribs to share. This was a pretty generous portion, plenty of meat on the bone and the sauce was tangy, tasty and full of flavour (I kept the little pot of extra sauce for chip-dipping)! Delicious!

For the main course I went for a a burger and that's where it fell a little bit flat; the chips were under-done! More importantly, they wouldn't serve the burger medium-rare but said they would cook it pink, when it arrived  it was far too overcooked for my liking. The good thing was; it came with a fluffy brioche bun, a drizzle of delicious sauce some salad and a gherkin...I love a gherkin.

To finish off this naughty Sunday meal we went for a Sticky Toffee Pudding with Salted Caramel Ice Cream. They gave us another generous portion and this was pretty delicous, only complaint; I would have liked a little bit more of the sauce -I'm greedy like that.

The Verdict: I love the atmosphere here, the service was good and staff were lovely. A good choice for a Sunday lunch. Would be great to try some of their more refined dishes next time and see what they can do with a nice piece of fish or a pork belly. In the meantime Bumpkin, STOP BURNING YOUR BURGERS!

Dip & Flip - Flipping Amazing

The Eatery: Dip & Flip, 87 Battersea Rise, London, SW11 1HW
The Site: http://www.dipandflip.co.uk
The Companion: Buds who like to get stuck in
The Dolla: Cheap as chips for what you're getting: around £15 for a burg, fries and a drink

I've been wanting to recommend this burger/ roast sandwich heaven for quite a while but to be very honest I wasn't sure I wanted everyone knowing about it! Finally I'm ready to share...

When I first heard of the idea of burgers and roast sandwiches dipped in gravy I had my reservations, being a Londoner through and through my view was that gravy should pretty much be served with turkey and nothing else. I have been converted. It's an absolute stroke of genius which has now made all other burgers look pretty inferior in comparison.

You can go for 'The Dip' :thinly sliced roast meat in a freshly baked brioche bun dipped, double dipped or soaked in gravy with with white cabbage slaw OR 'The Flip'; burgers cooked medium-rare on American chrome flat grills and served wit ketchup, mustard, cabbage slaw and pickles - gravy comes on the side ready for you to dip, dip, dip to your heart's content. Both of these options are mouth-wateringly delicious - just can't get enough! A few sides that aren't in the menu above are, Squeezy Cheesy Fries and Cheese Fries with gravy, crispy bacon and green chilli!

Now these guys are pros so they've come up with an excellent variety of options to help you wash down this delightful grub: a range of bourbons, Sambrooks Pump House Pale Ales, bottled craft beers, hard and soft shakes (my personal favourite) and even 'The Pickleback' which is a combination of your choice of bourbon shot chased down with a shot of pickle juice!?! - I'm yet to try one but I'm planning to on my next visit.

If you make it to the end and still find yourself wanting more you definitely won't go hungry, go for a slice of pie; Chocolate Salted Caramel Pie OR Bourbon & Pecan Pie with double cream or you can finish off with a liquid dessert; shots of Strawberry & Ginger Crumb Cheescake or Chocolate Mousse.

At the moment you can normally rock up to this place and not have to queue or book, not sure how long this is going to last so get down to Dip & Flip to experience the gravy phenomenon - turns out northerners really know what they're doing.