The Vurger Co – Christmas menu review for Absolute
“The incredibly rich flavours and textures all working in harmony to produce a masterpiece that has all the essences of Christmas in a bun.”
I think it is fair to say that over the past couple of years the market for vegan comfort and junk food has exploded in Brighton and Hove, with an astonishing array of delicious options available that even the most ardent carnivores who have sampled such wares would be hard pressed to find argument that their meat alternatives are superior. A few years back you might find one or two vegan options on a menu, but nowadays you can walk around town and take your pick of completely vegan eateries that encourage innovative uses of ingredients that you would not necessarily see in other areas of the restaurant industry to produce some obscenely tasty fast food.
The Vurger Co is one such establishment that stands out from the crowd, who since opening in in London in 2016 have been revolutionising fast food through the power of plants to make vegan food as accessible and convenient as possible. They have been serving up a wonderful array of burgers with patties made from a variety of plant based ingredients as well as mouth-watering sides and shakes in the centre of Brighton since the middle of Summer, so I figured it high time I give them a try. Just in time for the launch of their festive special.
The location is prime for shopping and eating some incredible junk food on the beach. Nestled in the famous laines on Market street. The diner itself has a minimalist vibe, with pristine white tiles and marble topped tables and a mixture of pink and black chairs. A huge neon sign exclaims the Vurger Co are about to feed our soul! With a regular menu featuring four different patties made wholly of vegetables, seeds, nuts and grains, plus buttery butter-free brioche buns, salads, and cream-topped shakes I don’t think the sign is lying! Everything on the menu looks glorious, however we have our heart set on some festive flavours so my companion and I both plump for the special, the Crackin’ Cheesemas Vurger, Fauxarella sticks, and some 50/50 fries to share. Along with a couple shakes to wash it all down (chocolate orange from the festive menu for me and banana caramel for my companion).
Our meal is quick to arrive on metallic trays and it all looks and smells incredible. Vurger Co gets extra brownie points for the focus on sustainable packaging — compostable cutlery and paper straws as well as ‘plastic’ cups made from plants, of which ours are already overflowing and dripping vegan whipped cream all over the table. The portion sizes are unashamedly huge, so we waste no time tucking in.
Let’s begin with the absolute behemoth of a burger, which as its name suggests is bursting with cheesy festive flavours. The patty consists of a lovely golden herby carapace of crunch encasing a mantle of chestnut and sweet potato which when bit releases a golden oozing cheesy centre that is oh so satisfying. Topped with cranberry cola sauce, braised red cabbage, “baconaise” and a big handful of crisp parsnip shavings. The incredibly rich flavours and textures all working in harmony to produce a masterpiece that has all the essences of Christmas in a bun. Bravo!
The sides were also a delight. The Fauxarella sticks has a similar herby crisp crust and gooey cheesy centre to the patty and came with more of the cranberry cola sauce to dunk, the perfect accompaniment to go with the burger. The 50/50 fries were crisped to perfection, even the sweet potato fries had a lovely crunch which I never seem to be able to get when cooking them at home. The shakes were some of the best I have tried and not a jot of lactose in sight. Nice n thick, incredibly sweet concoctions that were quite honestly a meal in themselves.
My first experience of The Vurger Co was a resounding success. I cannot wait to go back and try all the other delicious sounding creations that make up an extremely innovative and well thought out menu. Their special festive menu really is a treat, and much like a Christmas dinner we were so full after we could barely move. Such good value and super tasty to boot. Make sure you pop in to give them a try while you still can as they will not be around for long.
Tony Shattell
The Vurger
13 Brighton Place
Brighton BN1 1HJ
Available on Deliveroo and click and collect!