Striving for Bur(ger)fection

Following years of abuse/mis-management (think horse meat, BSE, cardboardesque patties to name a few) it is not surprising that the burger is generally viewed as a poverty stricken relation of the steak. Look no further than the knighted Sir Loin as an example of the recognition the great cuts of meat are bestowed. 

However, with the likes of Meat Liquor, Pitt Cue Co. and many others creating waves in London and beyond with their indulgent burgers, times are a changing. The much-derided cousin of the revered steak is enjoying a similar rise to prominence as craft beers have of late. There are even specialist burger blogs such as hamburger-me.com (well worth a visit).

So, when we decided to add a burger to our menu, it was never going to be “just another burger”. We wanted to create the absolute most fabulous possible burger that money could buy (well £9.95 to be precise). And so the quest began… 

Fast forward 8 months, 4 chefs (not including 2 very interfering owners), 5 different recipes and many different buns and we think (touch wood) that we’re pretty much there. The lion’s share of credit must go to our head Chef Chris “The Duke” Wellington for it was he that stripped apart the prototype and elevated it beyond recognition focusing on the 3 core elements:

1. The Beef Patty: High quality steak mince combined with paprika, cumin & parsley - offering a hint of Spanish you might expect from a bar serving Tapas

2. The Garnishes: Red onion jam, garlic aioli, beef tomato (from Bob) and baby gem lettuce - giving it a delightful mix of textures and flavours.

3. The Bun: A sesame seed bun from our aptly named local baker, Burger’s - after all, a work of art deserves to be framed in style.

Et voila, one outrageously good burger! It’s no wonder so many Burger King’s have closed down and McDonald’s seems to be focusing on coffee. 

Every Tuesday here is “PIMP your burger Tuesday” which means… buy a Clayton’s burger and get 2 extra toppings for free.

Questioning Creativity

What makes a good quiz? Is it the questions? Is it the quizmaster? Is it the quizzers?

The monthly quiz here at Clayton’s Marlow is anything but your average quiz with the emphasis on enjoyment rather than providing geeks the opportunity to be smug as they recite the periodic table or laugh as others cannot recall the latin name for a goat.

The rounds reflect this, taking inspiration from some of the finest game shows TV has had the decency to give us. The ‘Can I have a P please Bob’ round draws inspiration from the hexagonally challenging Blockbusters whilst the Going for Gold round tries to recreate the magic of Henry Kelly. All rounds, including the music, film and very current affairs rounds, work towards the deciding Family Fortunes round, the hurdle where many weaker teams have fallen.

Quizmaster Tosh, adorning a bow tie and chequered blazer, harking back to the golden quiz show era of the 80s, pre X-Factor and The Voice, looks to entertain and involve. At last night’s quiz he even got a member of each team to sing a children’s song to earn a bonus point.

This time the winners were ‘Let’s get quizzical’ (pictured) in a very close finish but was the quiz a winner?

In all honesty, I don’t know whether it was a winner and I’m yet to decide what makes a great quiz however, what I do think is that if it’s not fun, why bother?

Hopefully if we stick to that philosophy, we’ll at least get those that appreciate a laugh coming back for more.

The next quiz is on Wednesday 16th May at 7.30pm.

Do you think you’ve got what it takes to be a Clayton’s Marlow Charity Quiz champion?

Here are a couple of questions to give you a taster…

1. What ‘P’ is a tasty nibble for those wanting fun with snacking adventures guaranteed! Light and crispy with a mild taste. It is Germany’s most popular children’s snack. 

2. A sausage and mash (cash) machine in East London has started offering cockney as a language option when you withdraw your money.

What would be the correct Cockney terms for the following amounts?

£5

£10

£20

£25

Answers on a postcard please…

Welcome to Clayton’s Marlow Blog, where you can follow what’s happening at the bar in Marlow.

Well, Spring is nearly upon us and we are busy getting our beautiful garden ready by planting new flowers and herbs for our kitchen in preparation for summer. And if you are thinking it may still be a bit cold to sit outside, don’t worry, we have a large heated umbrella, to take away those chills, so you can still enjoy your cocktails outside!

It’s been a busy couple of weeks at the bar, where we have been hosting several private events and corporate functions, and putting a fresh new menu together for you. All the usual favourites are there but we have added our very own homemade jacket fries, and a delicious mezze platter as well…

Tonight sees the return of our resident band “3.3” who will be entertaining you with a wide selection of smooth jazz while you enjoy a drink, from our new wine menu, or maybe a minty mojoito!

We’ll be keep this blog updated regularly with gossip from behind the bar, events in Marlow, and of course photos, and the occasional mix track of funky tunes from one of our resident or guest dj’s…

We look forward to seeing you soon!

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http://www.claytonsmarlow.com