It’s a hot & sunny Saturday afternoon. We’re in the heart of Sliema and just done with our shopping spree. We head to the infamous Plaza Shopping Center, where not so long ago used to house McDonald’s. Funny clowns and screaming children are a thing of the past, as today a new Burger establishment, aptly named Just Burger, has taken over. Just Burger in itself is no new name on the local burger scene, as they were an established brand in the Paceville area, but they have nowadays moved into these larger premises in Sliema. We are here, because the very international team of Just Burger, spice up their menu with a new burger specialty every month of the year. Their current burger highlight is the Spinach burger… it’s officially called the June Burger, but we nicknamed it otherwise.
The June burger is made from a combination of very interesting ingredients. A bed of baby spinach leaves gives crunch, thin slices of soft tomatoes add acidity and sweetness to compensate for the overall saltiness of the burger, and real mozzarella cheese replaces the classic square of processed yellow cheese. We’ve just scratched the surface, as the June Burger has more to offer. Instead of bacon (a very burger-favourite topping), we are delighted with Serrano ham, a dry-cured Spanish specialty ham. This very crispy ham is on the salty side and adds a very particular flavour to the burger. A basil mousse goes on top; Very fresh, aromatic and minty. The basil recipe is very cherished even though it’s been only used in this burger so far.
At the heart of every Just Burger, we have a patty made from 140g of Angus Beef. Just Burger get their own fresh cuts of Angus beef and mince and create the patty in their own kitchen. They don’t add any spices to the meat, just salt & pepper. Indeed, the beef is juicy as we always anticipate, even though we asked for a well-cooked through burger. It lands a magnificent beefy punch to the rest of the vegetable ingredients. Well done kitchen dudes! The bun is made from a Swedish recipe and produced by a local bakery. They have a gluten-free bread option too, which will be very welcome by many.
This is a one of a kind burger in many ways. It’s the first time Just Burger have this item on their menu, and once June is over, they will concoct an entirely different burger. So if you are in Sliema, have young kids, and want to feed them more spinach stealthily, you know where to go!
