Burgers with attitude

There is no doubt that the resistance has begun in Brussels, taking the form of a wave of brilliant new takeaway formulas. Rambo is one of them: a US-style snack bar that serves burgers with extra crunch.

If you thought that the burger was a piece of meat whose reputation had been permanently tarnished due to the unfortunate profusion of the dish, you are going to have to revise your opinion. A collective of “five guys” from Brussels, who include John Prigogine and Xavier Chen from Old Boy, has decided to restore honour to the speciality with their establishment, which operates solely as a take-away (at least for the time being).

This trendy quintet, whose mission is to provide quality junk food, wanted to get back to the basics of the burger. To do so, they use the “smash” method, whereby the burger is squashed and then cooked in a special way using the famous Maillard reaction, which compresses the juices during cooking to encourage caramelisation and gives a crunchiness to the meat.

The quintet tracked down the perfect meat, Black Angus beef, 25% fat, supplied by the excellent Wesley's Butcher Shop (Schaarbeek/Schaerbeek), and moved heaven and earth to come up with a bun that is loyal to the tradition of those soft American bread buns made with potato starch. The meat, which starts off in the shape of a ball, is salted, placed on a board, then squashed using a press. Once cooked, the meat patty is topped with a slice of melted American cheese.

The result is a miracle; the fat and acidity are beautifully balanced thanks to the punch provided by the ketchup and sweet mustard sauce, the raw onions, and the obligatory slice of gherkin. The snack bar has concentrated its efforts on three versions, each costing €10: the “Classic”, the “Special” with a more complex sauce and some salad leaves, and the “Nomeat”, a vegetarian alternative that will amaze any vegetarian in search of meaty sensations.

The place also offers excellent crunchy homemade fries (€3.50), freshly made sauces (€0.70), craft beers, and delicious natural wines. For dessert, you can have a vanilla sundae (€4) and homemade toppings (€1).

RAMBO
rue Washingtonstraat 7, Elsene/Ixelles,
wo/me/We > vr/ve/Fr 18 > 21.30, w-e 12 > 21.30
Facebook: RamboSnack­americain

TAKE AWAY HIGH FIVE:

LA FOURNA ••••
Brood gemaakt door sterke vrouwen.
Du pain signé par des femmes puissantes.
Bread made by strong women.
www.lafourna.be

GABRIELLA ••••
Italiaanse kost, genereuze porties.
Traiteur italien ultra-généreux.
Italian food, generous portions.
gabriella.cocina.be

MAISON LANSSENS ••••
De allerbeste zuurkool van Brussel!
La meilleure choucroute de Bruxelles !
The best sauerkraut in Brussels!
www.maisonlanssens.be

MINE MADEH ••••
Syrische keuken die je verwarmt in de winter.
La chaleur de la cuisine syrienne en plein hiver.
Syrian cuisine to keep you warm in winter.

THE VEGAN BUTCHER’s CHOICE ••••
De smaak van vlees, zonder vlees.
Le goût de la viande... sans viande.
The taste of meat, but without meat.
www.veganbutcher.be