Of Good Stock

The Abu Dhabi outpost of Stock Burger Co. has made quite an impression since opening in the capital less that a year ago, scooping the award for best casual dining restaurant at the recent FACT Dining Awards 2019, David Tapley visited the vibrant venue located at Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi…

Much of the appeal of Stock Burger Co. lies in its casual approach and the feeling that you’re not dining within the confines of a hotel. It successfully manages to encapsulate the industrial feel of London’s Shoreditch or New York’s Williamsburg neighbourhood via the clever use of exposed brick walls emblazoned with logos and slogans, in addition to exposed ducting that feels part warehouse and part licensed diner. We pass through the open plan space and sink into a comfortable red leather booth which offers an excellent vantage point for sports viewing, with matches displayed on numerous screens dotted throughout the spacious venue.

Staff maintain the casual and fun approach which is engrained into the Stock Burger Co. ethos, building a friendly rapport with diners and offering genuine recommendations from the menu which specialises in (you guessed it) burgers and craft hops. Refreshingly, the menu remains tightly focused on the burgers and grills while ensuring the quality of ingredients. All of the beef used by the kitchen is exclusively supplied by Springbok Butchery and served in the signature brioche buns for which the restaurant has fast become renowned.

We begin with a generous portion of veggie nachos (AED47), piled high with melted cheddar cheese, a mild salsa, sour cream, jalapeños and guacamole. Fully-loaded doesn’t quite describe the sheer amount of toppings covering the crisp tortilla chips, meaning each mouthful provides a different flavour from the combination of ingredients. We also sample the buffalo wings (AED40) which continue the trend of ‘go big or go home’ with six large wings slathered in a fiery sauce and served with crudités. The wings with their crisp skin are tender and moist to the point of being addictive but, believe us, when we say that you will get messy devouring these. When it comes to the burgers there are ten options to choose from including the intriguing Nachos Burger (stuffed with guacamole and jalapeños) the 31st Street Burger (with its hopbattered fish and lemon caper mayo) or the signature Boss Burger (two charcoal grilled patties, veal bacon, Gruyère and cheddar cheese). With such ambitious flavour combinations on display, we feel inclined to embrace our Middle Eastern location by selecting the Camel Burger (AED65). Comprising a chargrilled camel patty, topped with Arabic pickles, tabbouleh, fried onion and halloumi cheese. There may be a lot going on with each mouthful but the soft brioche bun gives way to the camel meat which is almost gamey in flavour, before the taste of the tabbouleh comes through. There may be a lot of ingredients but they complement each other seamlessly without overpowering one another. Stock Burger Co. also offers the option to build your own burgers and with customisation and dietary requirement becoming such an integral part of the current dining landscape, it’s pleasing to see this taken into consideration. For those less enamoured with burgers the ‘no burger, no problem’ section of the menu includes slow-cooked beef rib, a giant prawn skewer, meat lovers pizza and pub grub favourites such as fish and chips.

A selection of milkshakes and sundaes are offered for dessert with the appeal being that they can be made ‘boozy’ upon request. These extravagant shakes come in a variety of flavours such as strawberry lime, double chocolate and marshmallow and look as though they have the potential to induce a diabetic coma.

With so many burger and milkshake joints in Abu Dhabi, the advantages of Stock Burger Co. are obvious. Not only is it licensed but it also offers good value for money when compared to many similar venues around town. With a semi-circular bar at the far end of the venue, it manages to successfully blend bar and restaurant into one environment, making for a comfortable place for an after-work drink or an entire meal of comfort food. You’ll be pleased to learn that as of late April, Stock Burger Co. has launched its delicious Friday brunch which we look forward to experiencing very soon! ✤

GO: VISIT STOCK BURGER CO. AT HOLIDAY INN ABU DHABI. CALL 800 78625 FOR RESERVATIONS AND MORE INFORMATION.