The Brighton Burger Club Review: The Troll's Pantry at the Hobgoblin 6th February 2014

The Brighton Burger Club visited The Troll's Pantry on 6th February 2014. Click here for the Troll's own blog and here for a map to the venue.

Carrie says:

It's almost a shame that this was our first event as a Burger Club because I fear that such a high precedence has been set that we may never have a burger which will ever come close.

The Troll's burger was a beautiful, filthy, perfect mess. The bun was soft, sweet and fell apart. The meat & filling was gooey and delicious - well seasoned meat and cooked to perfection. The chips were fairly average and paled into insignificance alongside such a delicious burger. 

The venue was a bit dingy but not offensively so - the toilets however were moderately offensive but with burgers that good it wouldn't put me off (just remember to pack your alcohol gel!)

Meat: 9.5/10
Bun: 9.5/10

Dan says:

 

Being an actual Brightonian (there are three of us left, we meet up once a year) I have always avoided the Hobgoblin, even after they swept all the Goths out, because it is always so dingy and loud, with toilets that look like they might suck your soul out of your anus. Then came the Troll’s Pantry and the rumours of their burgers became legend. I had to face my fears.  My first bite of a Troll’s Pantry burger instantly became the happiest memory of my life. Previously it was the memory of being sat at a booth table in a stunning ballroom venue watching my favourite band play and realising I was falling in love with the beautiful woman in my arms; the second the juices from the beef hit my tongue that memory was ousted to second place. 

I quite seriously had to stop talking to the rest of the Brighton Burger Club for ten minutes and just be with my burger. Once I announced that I thought the burger was bringing me close to orgasm, none of the rest of them wanted to talk to me any way. I had the Imperial but the Swine is a firm favourite as well. The trick with the Troll’s Pantry is not to order anything with too strong a sauce, the quality of the beef is so good you need to let the meat do all the talking. And double up, you’ll thank us. The burger is Heaven, the toilets look like a gate way to Hell.

Meat: 10/10

Bun: 9.5/10

Michelle says:

This was my second visit here and it did not fail to disappoint. The meat is perfectly seasoned and with just a hint of pinkness to emphasise the quality of the beef. Order a double patty (much better value, you won't regret it) and let the juices trickle down your wrists! My fave is the Smokey Mountain, the bacon has great flavour. 

Meat : 8/10

Bun : 8/10

Asher says:

For me, the Trolls Pantry is a familiar favourite Brighton Burger, I have been many times, and keep coming back.

February 6th was the first gathering of the Brighton Burger Club, and for me it was a chance to meet a group of like minded souls, who work with Mitch. We were late arriving, and the club had gathered in a window seat, and ordered. No bad thing, except they had to watch me eat mine when they were finished...
Three good things about the Trolls Pantry Stinky Breath Burger:

Tasty meat, a mature flavour (it is claimed thirty days aged, and tastes like well hung beef)

Great seasoning: the pattie has lots of salt, pepper and maybe other spices, charged into a firm crust

Rich sauce: I had the stinky breath, but tried Mitch's Smokey Mountain also. My stinky breath sauce was much more interesting than a standard blue cheese, the inclusion of anchovy gives a real strong umami quality.

Three things that could be better:

The brioche bun, while sweet and soft, was reduced to mush on moments

Hard to fault otherwise, though I might gripe about the venue. The Hobgoblin is not a pretty place!

Meat 9.5/10

Bun: 7/10

Sean Says:

OMG. Was that a dream?! That's how I felt after inhaling the joy in a basket that was cooked up for me by the Hobgoblin's kitchen associates. Unreal burger, dripping with juices so good that when they flow down your fingers bite after bite you're not reaching for another napkin... Instead you feel safe, knowing that when the burger is finished, there's still pleasure at your fingertips. One lick at a time. All this and I almost forgot to mention the beautiful brioche buns.
 
Misc - don't be put off by the sweaty condensation dripping down the windows of the pub as you approach the front door... It's a student pub. Nuff said.

Meat 9.5/10
Bun 9/10

Brighton Burger Club Total Score for The Troll's Pantry: 89.5/100