Food and drink blog

Finally I decided to do something about it, and while my entire being revolts at the thought of passing a night at the said Hard Rock Café (Plaça Catalunya 21, 93 270 2305, burger €13.95), the burgers are as true to their American roots as it’s possible to get. The “legendary” 10oz special is a beast of a burger topped with bacon, cheddar cheese, pickles, lettuce and tomato all crammed into a soft, white, sesame bun and served with a side of fries and a crispy onion ring. Of course, getting in and out without your friends seeing you may prove a challenge.

Marginally safer in terms of street cred, I’ve long considered Café Viena (La Rambla del Estudis 115, 93 317 1492 www.viena.es, burger €5.90) to be the only acceptable place to eat on the Ramblas, and have been frequenting it sporadically for years for midnight feasts. It’s currently shut while it undergoes a little facelift to celebrate its 40th birthday, but opens again on May 18th. Anyway, when Mark Bittman of the New York Times proclaimed their ‘flauta d’ibéric D.O. Jabugo’ to be the best sandwich in the world I decided to see how the burger compared. Flauta standard it was not. Though plump and juicy, topped with a slice of cheese and a pickle in a toasted, plain white bun, it was just a bit too wet and mealy for my taste. Come to think of it there wasn’t much by way of taste at all until I slathered it in HP sauce.

At Flash Flash (C/ Granada Del Penedès 25, 93 237 0990, www.flashflashtortilleria.com), you get designer burgers in a posh, deconstructed diner atmosphere. They’re a bit radical in the sense that they come bun-less, and can be as raw as steak tartar (be sure to make your doneness preference clear) missing the point of the burger somewhat, but they have achieved cultish status among fans. It’s not quite my cup of tea, but they’re not bad if you fancy something abstract.