'I ordered Tom Kerridge's £27.50 pub burger
Pete Green, known as Greeno Eats, paid £27.50 for a burger at The Coach in Marlow, but was ultimately left with "mixed feelings" over its somewhat unorthodox appearance.
“At £9.50 a portion, they're punchy. But, if you think about it, then you get a portion of those. I mean, realistically, even though it's only nine, it's enough to share between two, cos they're so big.”
A food critic who spent £27.50 on a burger at Tom Kerridge's pub was left puzzled when his order arrived. Pete Green, known online as Greeno Eats on YouTube, recently travelled to Marlow, Buckinghamshire, where Tom lives, to sample dishes at one of his two Michelin-starred venues.
It's home to Tom's fine-dining restaurant, The Hand and Flowers, alongside the more relaxed venue, The Coach. According to Pete, The Coach offers a less formal and more budget-friendly experience than Tom's other establishment, and he was quick to commend the "smart" interior.
He observed that while the "heart of the pub" had been preserved, it maintained a modern feel. He also pointed out that the venue featured real ale taps and seating available for diners wanting a bar lunch experience.
His focus then shifted to the menu, which included such "interesting" options as cauliflower cheese soup accompanied by beef cheddar and Marmite samosas, plus Sutton Hoo chicken Kiev served with Borlotti beans and rocket salsa verde.
Pete selected The Coach Burger, priced at £27.50 and featuring smoked brisket, hash brown, and gorgonzola cheese, alongside The Coach Chips at £9.50. For beverages, Pete sampled a pint of locally-brewed Roasted Nuts ale, while his "camera girl" chose lemonade.
The pair also sampled the three-course lunch offering priced at £25. Beginning with the Guinness rarebit - which he described as "posh cheese on toast" - he characterised it as "smooth" and "silky", a "substantial, hearty starter".
Pete's main course consisted of fried Cornish mackerel accompanied by a Bloody Mary butter sauce. He described the dish as "bang on" with a "delicious" crispy coating.
He also tried some of the chunky chips, joking that Tom only "likes to give out nine".
He additionally remarked on their size, noting they resembled roast potatoes more than traditional chips. Pete dunked them into a serving of Béarnaise sauce and also mopped his plate of the Bloody Mary sauce. Evidently delighted, he called them "delicious".
"At £9.50 a portion, they're punchy. But, if you think about it, then you get a portion of those. I mean, realistically, even though it's only nine, it's enough to share between two, cos they're so big.
"You can get one of them to go with two set menus, and you spend £60 on a three-course Michelin star lunch. You still can't grumble too much, can you?".
Pete's burger was brought out, a rather peculiar construction he compared to the "leaning tower of Pisa". Presented in a sesame seed bun, the burger was stacked with pickled cucumber, tomato, onion, hash brown and cheese.
Peter lifted it to show how its towering height would make eating challenging. Following an awkward bite, he remarked: "That's just daft, isn't it? I'm a big fan of the phrase, 'When it comes to burgers, you want them wider, not taller'.
"I mean, this is like the archetypal example of that, isn't it? It is much taller than it is wide. It is literally two inches wide. It is five inches tall, maybe, £27.50 this, mind, for a burger.
"And I reckon if it was normal burger-sized, it would be normal burger-sized. So it's not cheap."
Pete chose to take apart his burger, commenting "all the elements are good", though he observed how the base "doesn't retain its crunch" apart from the exterior. "The brisket's nice. The patty, let's cut it open down the middle if we can.
"It's served pink, as you can see there. It's so thick. There's no way to cook it any other way. So, if you don't like pink burgers, you're in trouble cos it'll take about a week to cook it like this. It's almost like a roasting joint."
On the whole, Pete characterised the dish as "very tasty", in spite of how it looked. Nevertheless, he mentioned that were it served in his restaurant, he would ask for it to be "redesigned". For pudding, he tucked into a cookie accompanied by coffee ice cream.
In conclusion, Pete called the three-course set menu "brilliant" and "genius". He felt the price of the chips was "too much" even though they were "delicious" and held "mixed feelings" regarding the burger.
He subsequently disclosed the ratings: set menu 10 out of 10, chips 8 out of 10, while the burger received 6 out of ten. As for the overall visit, Pete, who parted with £73.50, awarded it a creditable 8 out of ten.