We all need a little bit of spice every now and then and for us burger lovers, that often comes in the form of meat between a bun. Some demand every element in their burger to be outright spicy whilst other can barely handle Hot Cheetos. For the latter, Spicy burgers have a bad reputation of turning those of us with sensitive taste buds into crybabies. That might be because for the past few years, the likes of the Reaper, Scorpion, Ghost pepper and what-have-you, have been terrorising the faint of heart! But fear not, now there’s a new spicy burger in town, that aims to change that conception.
Juan Diego Grech has been working in and out of kitchens for the past 6 years. One year ago he took over the position of head chef at Torri and together with his culinary team of burger makers, he has conceived a chilli burger in the middle of one August heatwave day. His aim was to make a hot burger that can be enjoyed by all. Did he succeed? We went to Sliema seafront to investigate further…
Historically known as the De Redin Tower, Torri was one of the thirteen towers built along Malta’s coastline during the mid-1600s. In the 1870s this tower was used for coastal service and was manned by members of the Royal Malta Fencible Artillery under the supervision of the Police. In the mid-1920s it was converted into a provisional kiosk, and it has been used so for the next thirty years. Extensive restoration works were carried out at the beginning of the new millennium bringing the tower up to its current state. New management reopened Torri last February, and the tower was cleared from the inside and new architectural lighting installed. What a history!
Inside the Chilli burger, there’s a 240gr beef patty, made from chuck roll, and seasoned with thyme & sweet onion. The patty is massaged with sunflower & olive oil before it’s grilled. Chuck tends to be on the lean side, but this patty is devilishly juicy. The patty goes on top of a toasty brioche bun, laden with tomato slices. Next up, there’s a layer of spicy caramelised onions that add a good crunch and chunks of vanilla-poached chilli peppers. These chillis are cultured in-house, and grown in the many planters found around Torri! They also add a bit more colour and design and structure to the whole burger. The vanilla flavour is very contrasting with the strong chillies, and we believe that they add a unique dimension that is seldom tasted in local burgers. It kind of works wonders here and enhances the overall burger experience. This burger does smell great! These veggies are melded in place with a smoked cheese fondue made from mozzarella, parmesan & nutmeg. This mellow cheese sauce is tasty and the slight fruity sensation helps cool down the chilli heat. This sauce is so good that we wish that the whole burger was covered in it! The final burger element comes in the form of a large heap of rucola, which adds a clean, peppery taste that contrasts the richness of the meat.
This is a chilli burger, and as such, there’s an evident percentage of fieriness present. However, this heat helps to push the other ingredients to another level of flavour. Once each bite goes past your throat, the heat gives way to rich, meaty, cheesy flavours, with a very uncommon vanilla aftertaste that is bound to please. Mind you, this is far from the chilliest burger we’ve ever come across, but the main concept is all about balance. This was made for those who like to savour their burgers without having their mouth scorched, even if it is laced with sublime chilli peppers. And if you’re still ultra sensitive to chillies, we have a quick hack… just put the coleslaw that comes as a side, inside the burger itself! For those who always kept back from trying out spicy burgers, now there’s a safe option to finally go for it!
