Review: Jones the Grocer

Doha is burger mad. Capitalising on this ever lucrative trend, restaurants are experimenting with all sorts to stuff between buns, ranging from camel meat to hummous. Jones the Grocer is rolling out a new menu, and not so much a review, I got a preview:

Classic Fish Burger
Perhaps my favourite of the lot, the white snapper is lifted by capers and cornichons. A few notches more delicious than the typical battered nondescript white fish, this winner tastes like the cousin of a crabcake.

Greek Style Lamb, Spinach and Feta
The lamb mince is accented with the perfect amount of yogurt scented with garlic and mint. Served in pita bread, it’s a much more elegant, less slobby way to enjoy one’s meal.

Coconut Shrimp Burger
Prawns deepfried in a coconut batter. Need I go on? Real knockout.

Open Wagyu Burger
I enjoyed the avocado, beetroot, bacon and Brie more than the actual Wagyu. The flavours coalesce well, adding some intrigue to your typical beef burger.

Open Stuffed Portobello Burger
This feels like the most ‘upscale delicatessen’ of the lot. The carb comes in the form of foccacia bread, and the Portobello is beautifully paired with a creamy basil pesto. Bonus points for making the veggie option sexy.

Veggie Burger with Ricotta Cheese
This one sadly sounds better on paper. The patty falls apart at first touch and the texture is a tad too grainy because of the ricotta. The restaurant just might change the recipe to give the patty more body, so I’ll reserve judgment until the final product is set.

Angus Mac n Cheese Burger
Get ready for this — I can just see this becoming the next big thing in Doha. Mac ‘n’ cheese is compressed, breaded and deep fried. These cakes then replace the bun, sandwiching the beef patty. One bite and the cheese sauce oozes from the ‘bun.’ It’s all very showy and potentially popular but a tad too rich for the calorie-counting sort.

Oh, there’s also an upcoming pancake special. So we got a taste of two:

Strawberry, Peach and Cream
A take on peach melba, the pancake feels quite light. But the highlight is the ultra-smooth, sinfully rich chocolate sauce.