Atomic Burger, 96 Cowley Road
Nestled between a dubious-looking fish and chip shop and a hairdresser that frankly could have Britney Spears (post-breakdown) among its clientele, at first sight, Atomic Burger seems like nothing out of the ordinary. Yet the interior of this humble burger gaff is out of this world. Niche action figures hang from the ceiling, the walls are laden with the kind of futuristic images that you’d find in a low rate nineties sci-fi film, and a projector pumps what can only be described as ‘retro’ film clips and adverts onto the back wall. On a first visit, it’s quite difficult to concentrate on the food. In fact, it’s difficult to concentrate on anything at all. Luckily, though, the burgers in this place are some of the best I have ever eaten, so I’ve been unable to resist going back for more.
The menu, claiming that ‘great burgers ain’t rocket science’, is truly expansive. The general gimmick is to pick a chicken, beef or veggie burger, then a topping, and finally a side. I go for the ‘Sergio Leone’ – my choice of meat plus chorizo, sour cream and lettuce – but there are fourteen other options to choose from, ranging from the bog standard burger to one with meatballs (yes, as a topping.) As the sides go, I find the onion rings a little large and greasy, but would recommend the garlic and chilli ‘Ski-fries’ which are fantastic. If you’re really intrepid you can GO ATOMIC. For an extra fiver you get twice the meat and three sides. I couldn’t handle it. Instead, I prefer the amazing margaritas (raspberry being the best.) Three down, and I feel significantly perkier than those who have been sent into a carbohydrate-fuelled orbit. The only downside of Atomic Burger is that eventually we all must come back down to earth.
