The Coach and Horses... Again?

Take 2...

I know I have already reviewed this place but I just happened to be close by and felt hungry so naturally thought why not have a burger. Since my last visit the menu seems to have been updated and there is a few different burger options, so it seemed fitting. I wasn't originally planning on reviewing this burger as I have done one last year but without giving too much away, this burger truly deserved a review so I practically had to. 

The Burger

I opted for the CHB burger:

"Bacon, CHB beer battered onion rings, Monterey jack cheese and Black Anna BBQ sauce."

Burger Compadre sporting NCFC football shirt

So named because of the addition of the Chalk Hill Bitter battered onion rings that come in the burger. So let's dissect this whopper and get to the juicy details. And my Lord are they juicy. As usual I asked for medium rare, they didn't refuse but had to ask special permission. The chef wasn't keen but agreed to cook it as pink as he dared. I don't think he quite had his brave big boy pants on as there was only a speckle of pink here or there, but that said, it was still cooked really well so it didn't matter too much. Moist does not cut it. Juicy does not cut it. This thing seeped burger juice like there was no tomorrow. It would of made a great post workout isotonic drink what with all the protein and salts. It was a beautifully seasoned hunk of meat.

Perfectly balanced as the meat flavour still very much came through. Although there was a lot going on with this burger the overriding taste in a full bite was still the beef, the additions complemented but did not overpower. 

Let us delve into the additional extras that make up this towering concoction. Crisp fresh onion rings battered in Chalk Hill Bitter (possibly one of my favourite beers, check it out!) were balanced on the patty like a food lovers jenga. Fresh salad underneath cut through and added a subtle freshness, while the gerkin added a much needed acidity in this meatsrocity. The Monterey Jack cheese was strong enough to taste but not so overpowering as to throw the balance off with the other items. Usually I prefer a stronger cheese but weirdly this was enough combined with the salty bacon and the sweet sweet black Anna BBQ sauce. If there is anything that could ever make BBQ better, it's a damn fine stout mixed in with it. I am very passionate about Norwich and this burger screams it. Not only a Norwich micro brew pub, but utilising two different norfolk brews in the burger. Something us norfolkians should be proud of.

The bun is great. It's not one of your standard white baps you see in a dodgy layby or in a builders cafe but a proper bun any baker would be proud of. My one point is that it could of been toasted to lock in moisture just a tad more. Though whether anything would of held back that flood of burger juice I don't know. The burger consortium thought that toasting wasn't necessary but we will never know.

A potential to improve the tomato could be sliced thinner and potentially pre-seasoned and dried a touch to ramp up the flavour but that is clutching desperately at straws.

Sides

The chips were awesome as they always are. I am so glad this is a pub that stands by proper chips. The coleslaw is also all homemade as well and fresh. It really makes the difference when it's produced this way.

Overall

My only issue with the burgers are consistency of quality. As I've said I often come here and although the standard is always very good, sometimes the burgers are exceptional. Why I get some that are incredible and some just pretty good I don't know. Either way it's a decent situation to be in when the worst it can be is still pretty damn good. 

This was by far the best burger I have had in Norwich to date so a very well done! 

9.5/10

The Coach and Horses

82 Thorpe Road

NR1 1BA