Steak ‘n’ shake

I find that certain foods are impossible to overeat and grow tired of. Overindulging in a single thing may obviously lead to a period of abstention, but once that most acute feeling of gorge-eating is over, the craving for that particular food always seems to return. Take pizza, for example. Or even something sweet like a cinnamon roll. How can one live without, even for a couple of months?

The gourmet burger was one of those foods I thought I would completely  lose interest in, with gourmet burger joints springing up like weeds all over town. There is nothing wrong with the burger as such, but how many burgers can a city take? And why isn’t anyone trying something new, instead of resorting to something as predictable as yet another burger place?

I’ve successfully stayed clear of all burgers for a little more than six months. But then, one Sunday morning a while back, that insatiable appetite for a burger was back. Once again, I was hankering after the sensation of letting my teeth sink down into a thick and juicy patty of grass-fed beef. Off to Phil’s Burger at Stureplan, the hamburger chain’s fourth Stockholm outpost, and my companion and I ordered as many items off the menu as we could possibly devour. A 160 g Phil’s Burger (98 kronor), a 220 g Double Cheese (130 kronor), a fries (35 kronor), sides of coleslaw (20 kronor) and pickles (20 kronor), and two frothy milkshakes (48 kronor) in the flavours of strawberry and Oreo cookies.

Although the space is an appealing one, with two floors that open up at the very entrance and with large windows that face out on to the street, the setting doesn’t really lend itself for long, comfortable meals. There are too many similarities to a fast food restaurant – the rackety milieu, the hard chairs and the heavily ventilated facilities – and I had no desire to stay any longer than that point in time right where I’ve swallowed down the very last bite of my burger. But the food… OMG. Especially the burger (opt for Phil’s Burger, as the Double Cheese is an exact replica but with 60 g more meat, which means considerably more environmental impact) and the shake leave a strong impression. The combo is the perfect marriage between savoury and sweet. Once again, I’m good to go for another six months without.

Phil’s Burger Birger Jarlsgatan 34 08 646 50 41 philsburger.se