Bunsen is a burger place in the heart of Cathedral Quarter, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
If you walk straight past the place, you’d be forgiven. Bunsen doesn’t call attention to itself. The Dirty Onion and Goat’s Toe, opposite demand the gaze of undiscerning passers-by.
I went to Bunsen Friday 25/01/2019 at 1 pm. I was meeting a friend who I had not seen in a while. We decided that we wanted to give Bunsen a try.
Want to know what I thought?
Read on.
Bunsen: Decor
Big windows allow for natural light to pour in. The place makes you think rustic fast food place. The centrepiece of the seating is a long bench divided into tables of two and four. You’re on old school seats if you’re not sitting on the bench. They’re not particularly comfortable. You’re meal is brief enough that discomfort is not felt.
Meals are served on metal trays, burgers come wrapped carrying with it that diner from the 50’s aesthetic.
There was probably music playing, but it was at such the right level that I failed to notice. Perfect volume level.
Service
Service was efficient. When my friend and I got in the door there was a queue. Within 5 minutes of arriving, we were seated.
Staff take your order soon after.
Staff are friendly.
They will have what I classify as “appropriate amount of chat”. Appropriate chat is where they ask you a question to make you feel like a human. They then mention something about themselves, so you know that they are human.
The person we paid had the card machine on them. That was a beautiful touch. The number of times you have wanted to leave a restaurant only for the waiter to forget about you.
Menu
Love, love, love a limited menu.
How many restaurants do you go to where the menu is more like a phone book?
Not in Bunsen.
You can have a burger, double burger, cheeseburger, double cheeseburger. That’s it for your choice of mains. There are regular fries, sweet potato fries, soda or milkshake.
The menu is a business card.
Say you bring your girlfriend to Bunsen. She does that thing where you’re ready to order, and she has n’t even looked at the menu. Usually because one of you has spent the whole time gabbing. Not going to speculate who it was. She says to the waiter, “ Could we have a few more minutes”.
Trust me when I say…
Dump her.
I really like that there is no faffing with the menu.
I wasn’t overly enamoured with one aspect. You will get asked how you want your burger cooked. I thought that was an American thing. It’s okay I guess, doesn’t detract too much from the overall experience but these aren’t steak burgers you’re getting. It’s mincemeat. You don’t need to ask us how we want them done.
Food
Food is excellent. Not much to say. Burgers are meaty and delicious. Bap is soft and doesn’t fall apart as you eat. Sweet potato fries are good. The milkshake was thick.
It was filling without leaving you feeling like a stuffed pig.
The price you pay for what you get, worked out at £12.50, is a fair trade. Perfectly acceptable for what you get. Understand that you may think it might be more than what you’re willing to pay for a burger.
Overall it was a pleasant dining experience.
Conclusion
Bunsen does good burgers.
It’s a step above fast food, and the price is reasonable. The lack of choice is a plus that simplifies the decision making.
I enjoyed my time and will be back.
One of the better burgers that Belfast has to offer.
Where’s your favourite burger place in Belfast?