I love burgers and I love apple pies which is why I was excited to pass by Cow & Apple in Hamra today. It wasn’t hard finding the place since they’re located right in front of Crepaway so I didn’t get lost although I was expecting to. The place is located inside the entrance of a building and it’s pretty spacious with a bit of a school cafeteria meets burger joint look going for it. I thought the benches were pretty tight and claustrophobic but I really liked their lights and the menu scribbled on the kitchen window.
I got the menu and went through it and kinda got lost so I asked the waiter which burger was popular and he told me the #5 which included cheese, mayo, grilled onions, home made bbq sauce, lettuce, mustard and a 250 gram beef patty. He asked me if I wanted it cooked medium or well done, I chose medium.
The burger took around 15 to 20 minutes to arrive and I thought the presentation was good. The bun looked delicious and the patty was pretty thick so I couldn’t wait to devour it. I took my first bite and realized my burger was more well done than medium which was disappointing. Why do places bother to ask you how you want your burger if they’re going to cook it their way? The bun as I had assumed was really good, it managed to soak up the bbq and mayo/mustard sauce without getting soaked and it also had a slightly sweet flavor to it. The beef patty definitely wasn’t as good as Brgr Co nor as juicy but it was better than the very thin patty I had at CBJ two days back.
Now there is a slight twist with the ending since I ran into a bit of an issue with my burger. I was around 80% through my burger when I spotted what looked like a small hair. I decided to pull it out with my fork when I realized the small hair was actually not that small so I called the waiter and the manager came as well. They apologized and offered to make me another burger but I told them not to since I already had eaten practically all of it and I was pretty full. They told me then they wouldn’t charge me for it which I also refused since mistakes do happen and an apology was all I needed. They then insisted dessert would be on the house which I thought was ok since I wanted to try their apple pie anyway. I kinda felt bad for them since from all the people that could have gotten a hair in the burger it had to be me while I’m on my burger quest!
Over all though I was kinda disappointed and not because I found a hair in my burger but because I was expecting their burger to be better than this. If you’re in the neighborhood it’s not a bad burger to have but it’s not one I would crave or one that’s worth getting stuck in traffic for. One thing I think local burger joints should invest in is a good meat thermometer. Seriously if you can’t get that right then you should really hire a new cook.
I have been once with a friend of mind to check out the place and the smell inside was disturbing as apparently they have a butcher shop inside. It wasn’t well ventilated I guess or divided from the main restaurant.
Now as for feeling bad about them and and nearly defending them is surprising for me. As a consumer, it is your right not to pay for your meal(even if you refuse but pay) and file a complaint. Do not get me wrong: not because you are a bad person and like to make a big deal about it but because it is public health related and if every time something like this does not get reported there will never be proper improvement and hygiene would never be taken seriously.
Keep it up and looking fwd to read more about your culinary adventures!
What did you have for dessert? I had the apple pie and they served it as a warm-ish crust with cold chunks of apple inside
It was terrible!
I had the apple pie. It took forever to arrive and it arrived warm not hot. It wasn’t that great.
Where is your next stop?
According to my list I just have Burger Nation and Ferdinand left unless I’m missing a place.
did some research not long ago on burger joints in Beirut .. will cross it off my list 🙂
Look no further Mark, Brgr co c’est le número #1!!
Zaydoun!
As the new general manager of Cow & Apple I am terribly saddened to hear of your experience – unfortunately your experience seemed all too common based on what I’ve learned! This is why I’m proud to say that over the past month A LOT of changes have been made at Cow & Apple, and I would like to formally extend an invitation for you to give us a chance to make it right!
There were definitely some consistency issues in the past that we’ve worked tirelessly to correct. We’ve also completely redesigned our menu, staffed our kitchen with experienced chefs, and have just generally looked for every possible way we could improve to better serve even the most experience and discerning Beriut diner! I’m confident you’ll be more than satisfied on your next visit to Cow & Apple.
We look forward to having the chance to exceed your expectations!
Thanks,
Cow & Apple Management
First, thank’s so much for all the great work you do in elevating Beirut’s culinary consciousness! Blogs such as your help the local Beirut in so many ways – from our end, you help us to know where we’re falling short so we can always learn how to better serve our important customers!
As part of the new management team at Cow & Apple, reading this old review of a place I have come to be really proud of saddens me – I was horrified reading of your experience and I assure you that the new management team has been working tirelessly over the past month to ensure that every customer experiences us at our very best! We would be honored to have you experience the new Cow & Apple’s expanded menu, great food, and thoughtful service any time!
You can follow us on twitter @CowandApple and visit us on facebook to learn more about all the changes happening, and all the ways we’re looking forward to serving you and the rest of the Beirut dining community better!
Keep up the good work!
Sincerely,
Cow & Apple Management
Thank you Cow & Apple Management!
It is very true what you have said regarding the changes on different levels.
Few days back, I again passed by your restaurant and the place didn’t smell at all and when asked if a vegetarian burger have been added to the menu the staff was very keen on showing it to us as previously it didn’t exist!
Looking forward to try it in the near future!