You know it’s big news when Stourbridge gets its first dirty burger eatery.
I grew up in Stourbridge, my parents owned Mayson Chinese Restaurant for the best part of 25 years so I was raised in the catering & service industry. I started working at the restaurant when I was 16, like my older brothers before me, and it taught us all a lot about the industry.
Back then, the nearest Stourbridge had to quality burgers was McDonalds. Today, the High Street is full of chain coffee places, Pizza Express, Wetherspoons and the odd independent eatery smattered between.
Which brings us onto the Cock’n’Bull. This is their first eatery, with the second due to be in Glasgow. When I found out they were opening in Stourbridge only a few months ago, I thought I would check out the place. My parents still live near Stourbridge and as I was having a catch up with my college friend Sarah, it gave me the perfect excuse!
We turned up early evening Friday and it was already packed. We hadn’t booked ahead but were told there would be a short wait and if we wanted to get a drink at the bar, they would let us know when a table was available. No sooner had we ordered our drinks and perused the menu, printed on butcher paper, a table was available.
There’s a good choice of sharers and mains, it was almost too much. The foodie in me just wanted to order a bit of everything but knowing how it was likely to turnout out (i.e. significant left over food!), we went for burgers with a couple of sides to share.
My choice was the Cheese & Bacon Filthy Burger, which consisted of 2 free range Herefordshire Beef patties with Monterey Jack cheese and streaky bacon housed in a brioche bun. The burger was cooked perfect for me, with the saltiness of the bacon counterbalancing the sweetness of the brioche. I don’t often finish burgers but I managed to wolf this down well, which is a good sign that I really liked it!
Sarah went for the Cockadoodle burger, free range buttermilk chicken coated & seasoned in their own recipe crumb with mayo and lettuce. Classic & simple, the coating was crispy, light and slightly salty. She found the brioche bun quite filling, much preferring the chicken itself.
We skipped the fries, something I don’t normally do, and went for sides of onion rings and Asian slaw. The onion rings were done in tempura & black sesame seed batter, which was light if slightly greasy. The Asian slaw was quite heavy on the red onion but tasty nonetheless.
For me, this is good news for Stourbridge, to get a new and different experience. I found the staff friendly and attentive. The next visit will most probably be with Ryan, as he’s already had a mooch at the menu and wants to try all of it.
When: 24/11/2017
Where: Cock’n’Bull, 109 High Street, Stourbridge DY8 1EE
Who: Cock’n’Bull
