It's such a hard life working so close to many restaurants and takeaways. Sometimes the DI team crack under the pressure, especially when we heard that Big Society have introduced some tasty additions to their menu. #toughtimes
Katy: I decided to pig-out on the pulled pork bun. The brioche bun is generously filled with meat, just about remaining enclosed in the bun. Accompanying the pork is a vinegar slaw which provides the much needed sour tones to contrast with the sweet, BBQed pork. The very moist filling means it is a bit soggy - one of the downsides to getting a takeaway rather than eating in. Rather than fries, I opted for the two pieces of fried chicken. I'm convinced that Big Soc have the best flavoured fried chicken I've ever tasted, perhaps because they soak it overnight in milk and then roll it in their secret rub mix, but let's see what Susie thought of her fried chicken burger:
Susie: The chicken wasn't breast meat which was nice but it does mean that the overall combo of the mayo, chicken and batter was overpowering grease-wise. The size of the burger is good - stacked but not massively wide as well; sumptuous but manageable. Airy fried chips can be dry and without potatoey substance, which was a little the case with these, but they pretty much got the balance right and were well seasoned.
Katy: Dan, did your philly cheesesteak fill you with joy?
Dan: It had a generous filling with a good amount of tender steak. The green chilli heat was necessary - no skimping! As ever it was hard to make it look appetising in tin foil, but rest assured that it tastes MUCH better than it looks. A fork is required due to the generous filling and as street takeaway it would definitely be tricky without the aid of a napkin. I was glad to be provided with melted American cheese rather than the squirty Cheese Whiz you'd probably get in Philadelphia itself!
Katy: Michael, did you have any cheese-induced revelations?
Michael: Sometimes burgers convince me that I could be vegetarian. This was such a burger. The sweetness of bun and the salty, battered halloumi worked really well together. There was nothing superfluous in there, no stray onions - delish.
Katy: Bloke, anything to add?
Bloke: This is the closest thing I've had to a McDonalds chicken burger in twenty years. (Ed: The comparison is complimentary!)
Katy: Russ, any thoughts on the new kid on the block, the BBQ burger?
Russ: There is many a burger to choose from in Oxford but Big Soc's BBQ one still stands out as a mighty fine addition to the roster. A tasty combination; the patty is refreshingly unprocessed and the BBQ sauce has a sweet edge that doesn't overpower the meat. The burger is cooked to just the right degree and the red onions seal the deal. The chips are tasty, retaining enough of the potato in the centre to not just be crispy deep-fried sticks. A very good work lunch.
Other new additions to their new menu includes the skinny chicken (sans batter), the dbl stkd burger plus the meat-feast that is the dirty burger. There was general agreement that the packaging was good, especially the shower cap-style wrapping on the burgers, which may sound like a strange thing to comment on but is vitally important for the safe delivery of these tasty treats. Big Soc, we'll be back to indulge in more of your fried goodness very soon.
Price: £51.50 for 6 burgers and 4 sides.