This week, food critic and freelance writer, Emily Priest, snags a bargain and gets her hands messy on the latest stop on her Southsea Food Tour.
As I reviewed Two Doors Down last week, it is only appropriate I now review its counterpart, 6oz Burgers. Two doors down from Two Doors Down on Osborne Road, you will find this quirky burger joint.
I ate there on a quiet Tuesday night and took advantage of their weekday ‘meal for two’ offer. This included two burgers or hotdogs, two skinny fries and two drinks, beer and wine included, for only £10 a person. Also available weekday lunchtimes, 12 – 3, this huge bargain made my night that little bit better and, as I entered the door, I had a spring in my step.
I was welcomed by a rustic styled interior and friendly barman who said I could sit anywhere, gesturing at the wooden and metal tables and chairs. I thanked him as he stood behind the bar on the left-hand side, countless bottles of spirits and beers lined up behind him.
There were two other couples in 6oz Burgers and my partner and I chose to sit in the back area which was more atmospheric and quiet. This was decorated with fairy lights which adorned the ceiling, a chalkboard showing 6oz Burger’s local suppliers including Buckwells and a very strange looking painting. It was a picture of people in a coffee shop. Upon closer inspection, we found it to be quite ominous with one lady’s arm appearing to be broken as a man glared at us with beady, painted eyes.
Anyway, the cheerful barman came over not long after our arrival and gave us two menus.
The food options at 6oz Burgers are not the most diverse but there are still decent options available. As the name suggests, there are burgers including a veggie burger, chicken burger and cheeseburger which are all customisable to the customer’s wishes. There are also 3 hot dog choices to choose from such as Jalapeno, Sauerkraut and Classic. For those who cannot make up their mind, you can also choose from their ‘slider’ options where you can have half of a burger and mix and match as you see fit. They have other nibbles too from various fries, nuts, chicken wings and halloumi chips.
There are not great choices for vegetarians and vegans but what do you expect? You get what’s on the tin and in this case, the tin reads ‘burgers’. If you don’t fancy that or hot dogs then perhaps this place isn’t for you. But, for myself who has been craving a hotdog for the past 6 months, it was definitely the right place for me to be.
So, in the end, we decided on a Smoked Sausage Burger, Sauerkraut Hot Dog, two fries and two cokes, in accordance with the deal.
Looking at the prices, as we waited for our food, I found 6oz Burgers was quite reasonable. A burger and fries would only cost you £11 on a normal day. This is great considering other places, such as Southsea Village, around the corner, would cost a lot more. And, with the addition of the weekday deal, it was even better for your pocket. We saved £6.
Other items such as the loaded fries and wings would only cost £5.50 and, for a second, I couldn’t believe I was in Southsea. I am used to paying more.
About 15 minutes passed and then the food arrived. The burger was a decent sized thing on a tin plate with a tin bowl of chips on the side. The hotdog was presented in a similar way but was far bigger. The sausage, being just smaller than a foot, was slathered with mustard, sauerkraut, dried and spring onions. Finally, I thought, it was about time I had myself a big sausage. #SorryNotSorry.
The hot dog was great and certainly filled a hole (no pun intended). I didn’t finish it all as it was too big for me, (really, no pun intended), but I found a lot of flavour and pleasure having it in my mouth, (okay, maybe that one was intended). The fillings were generous and they all complimented each other well. The sharpness of the mustard and the tanginess of the pickled cabbage added a nice aftertaste to the smoked pork. I did find that the hot dog bun was not a brioche bun as the menu promised. No, it was more of a white roll that you would get at a family barbeque. It didn’t matter too much but I did find it didn’t hold my sausage in place as much as I would like. With each bite, it slipped out more and more.
Another realisation I had whilst feasting on my long desired hotdog, was that I would not suggest 6oz Burgers for a first date. I mean, it’s tasty and wholesome and reasonably priced, but it is not the most dignified meal. Having mustard all over your mouth and hands like I did is not as sexy as it sounds. Having a mess like that would not play into your hands if you are trying to win someone over. Even my partner didn’t seem impressed and we’ve been together 2 years.
Looking up from my mess, I saw my boyfriend was struggling with his burger. It was quite large and had lots of fillings such as smoked sausage and pickles. But what it didn’t have, was one of those fancy sticks to keep it all in place. Rather than letting it all fall out, my boyfriend savagely stabbed his knife through it and ate it like that. It was certainly a sight, seeing my ‘not-so-better-half’ eating his meal with cutlery sticking out of it.
I made sure to have a quick bite of his burger before he finished it. For research purposes of course. It was a unique tasting burger with a moreish smoked taste. The pickles, although not normally my thing, complemented the smokiness well and there was plenty of cheese to add to the mix too. I would get one of them next time for sure.
We paid and left soon after as their dessert options were quite limited with only ice cream and a brownie on offer. Although, saying that, I couldn’t have eaten much more. If the hot dog wasn’t enough then they gave me a huge pile of chips as well.
I much prefer 6oz Burgers to Two Doors Down. The prices are reasonable, especially with the weekday deal, the food is tasty and the portions are generous. The food is not only high-quality and filling but from local producers too which always goes down in my good books. I can say with confidence that I will be going again and that you should too.
That’s unless you’re a vegan or going on a first date.
Photography by Emily Priest
