The Burger Reviewer

Stef • June 7, 2019

After a while you think you’ve seen it all. The juicy, the dry, the safe, the experimental, the minimalistic, the over-the-top. Can a burger be still so bold that it truly surprises you? Have dinner at Laurenz4, you’ll see.

Our criteria for good Burgers seldom include the optics. We might even go so far as to say that the presentation would better be as simple as possible, as every second spent on the looks is potentially a second stolen from the preparation. Nonetheless, receiving the Black BBQ burger at Laurenz4 is a borderline mystic experience. Astonishing from every angle, the jaw-dropping pitch-black bun stands out on the wooden tray like a sculpture of sharp contrasts and fine details. Most often, this would turn out to be an extraordinary presentation for an ordinary burger with BBQ sauce - but not here. The first bite disorients you, with the caper-mayonnaise punching your expectations in the face. The second makes you reset these expectations, with the textured bread hitting your teeth like silk. It’s probably only by the third bite that you start making sense of it all. The meat, still dripping with juices, takes center stage along with the incredible caramelized onions, while the remaining ingredients (masterfully balanced speck, black tomatoes, cheddar and lettuce) provide the final touches to what proves to be a rare work of art. So exceptional that the other beef option in the menu, an unmistakably delicious cheeseburger, simply pales in comparison.

Laurenz4 serves a masterpiece that defies description, whose colors and textures and technique will challenge your beliefs on how far an amazing burger can be pushed.