Psychic Burger: Eating Is Believing

Contrary to popular belief, Psychic Burger is not a place where the food instinctively knows your star sign or what relish you prefer. It is, in fact, arguably the coolest dining destination in hipster London with possibly the weirdest name.

Somewhere you can gorge on baby crack ribs, heavenly fries and the biggest, dirtiest burgers that will probably make a right mess of your J.Crew blouse and Acne jeans, but hey, that’s what dry cleaners are for!

I visited for dinner recently and if you haven’t eaten recently I suggest you stop reading now, as this website cannot be held responsible for any subsequent episodes of binging.

A limited edition menu offering, my dining partner and I simply had to try the Posh Chicken Nuggets. Think you know your nuggets? Think again.

Made with confit leg and thigh meat, mousseline of breast, with a champagne reduction, garlic, shallots and chives in a crispy golden batter (slaver), these man-sized, pumped up versions were twice the size of standard nuggets and despite their magnitude, we managed to make them disappear.

While the pretty bad news is that these bad boys are no longer available (let’s all pray to the heavens that they are reinstated), the good news is that the small but perfectly formed menu has an enticing choice of permanent offerings, so ditch the 5:2 for one night only and make sure you’re hungry.

The burgers, which are ridiculously good, are the star attraction and quite rightly so. Choose between the Classic Burger, the Psychic Burger with its Psychic sauce, Soft Shell Crab, Veggie, Fried Chicken – the woman on the next table to us complained because she seemed to have literally half a bird inside her bun – or the slightly left-of-centre Lamb Franko Burger, featuring a toasted almond and spiced lamb patty, smoked pomegranate yogurt and aji on demi brioche.

Fries are skinny and moreish and come regular style or with cheese – melted cheese, chili cheese or even beans and cheese. The crumbed and deep fried cheese Croquettes with polenta and chipotle dip are really, really good.

There’s only one dessert on the menu and it’s highly unlikely you’ll need it, but if you’re so inclined, ask for the Psychic Sundae – a cerebral chocolate and vanilla ice cream, chocolate fudge sauce, caramel popcorn and toasted nut fest. Good luck with that.

And I honestly didn’t see this coming but Psychic Burger has recently moved home; it’s now at The Old Queen’s Head in Islington.

Psychic Burger, The Old Queen’s Head , 44 Essex Road, Islington, London N1 8LN. Tel: 020 7354 9993