By Neil Sowerby
I DIDN’T expect to like Filthy Cow. I resented that the louche and leftfield Lounge Ten had been replaced by yet another burger bar – and one seeming to out-filthy Almost Famous. All that ‘Ultimate Guilty Pleasure’ stuff, a 23-year-old whizz kid owner called Jordan, even the London PR’s phone number on the menu.
And the look of the place – farmyard-industrial crossed with Soho-neon full of nudge-nudge telephone box cards such as ‘Bulging beefcake, best bovine fun in town’ or, oo-er ‘Juggle my udders’.
The actual food is served at table in branded takeaway paper wrappers, too. For pudding the excellent Ginger’s Comfort Emporium ice creams come in little tubs. By the time it came I was hooked and was happy just to disregard the ludicrous mission statement (as if!) on the website:
“We are tired of London milking the limelight with the hottest foodie openings and newest food concepts, so have made it our mission to be the kind of back street burger pusher that can indulge your wildest (meat) fantasies! We go to great lengths to make sure our well-hung, prime beef burgers are the ultimate guilty pleasure and promise quality and indulgence served up with genuine passion and a sense of fun.”
I was happy to do so because I really enjoyed the savoury simplicity of their Filthy Classic burger – just £6, though french fries, onion rings and slaw add on at £2.50 apiece, and I couldn’t resist a bottle of Runaway Brewery’s exceptional pale ale for £4.50.
For £7.50 you get the Filthy Beast with Red Leicester and pancetta and for the veggies there’s the substantial Filthy Halloumi sarnie (£7). Pure filth then and unexpectedly fun. Monthly specials are promised – and needed. The very small menu is unlikely to lure me back very often.
Filthy Cow, 10 Tib Lane, Manchester M2 4JB. 0161 839 5498. http://www.filthyfood.co.uk
