Since opening in November, Hello Burger in Sidcup has fast built a reputation for its excellent burgers and cocktails. And now they have helped created one of each just for us.

Owned by Tony Adams - ITV This Morning’s Cocktail King and crowned World’s Greatest Bartender in 2008 - the restaurant combines well-cooked gourmet burgers with starters, hand-made desserts and great cocktails.

We have teamed up with Tony, his classically-trained French head chef Farouk and the guys at Hello Burger to create our very own bespoke Vibe Burger and an extra-special Vibe Sidecar cocktail. You can buy them both at Hello Burger now or have a go at making your own.

Discussing the burger, Tony said: “We wanted to do something that was ‘us’ and something that was ‘Vibe’ too. We didn’t want to do just a classic bacon-cheeseburger.

“What we have gone for is grilled courgette, which is the engine of it, with jalapeno puree. We have got that on the bottom of the bun.

“We have got a six ounce burger patty, grilled courgette laid over it in a cross.

“The chef said why don’t we fry the halloumi a little bit and change the texture and make it a bit crisp on the outside? It is still warm as opposed to gooey.

“It is very, very simple.”

He added: “We're very lucky to have a very talented Head Chef, Farouk, he's got loads of cool ideas.

“We've been planning our specials for the whole year, and it's really great to add the Vibe Burger to that. We wanted to use a jalapeño purée for a burger, we just weren't sure of the perfect combination.

“Farouk suggested a grilled courgette and grilled haloumi, it's slightly salty, and that would work well with the puree.”

The recipe uses Hello Burger’s signature six ounce patty and a fresh brioche bun that form the basis of all of their dishes (except the veggie burgers, for which Tony has a special recipe), lettuce and tomato.

Rather than changing the burgers and buns, Tony opts for variety with an exciting combination of sauces, cheeses and other toppings.

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Tony said: “What we try to do here is try not to mess with the beef at all. We buy great beef, salt and pepper and that’s it. We don’t plan any time soon to change that.”

When you have the world’s greatest barman creating your cocktail, you know to expect something special. And that’s what we got. A variation on the classic sidecar, the Vibe sidecar combines brandy and the apple and pear combo.

Tony said: “I wanted to do something that worked alongside the burger with the cocktail. I thought about tequila and rum because of the jalapeño.

“In the end, I wanted to do something quite refreshing and a little bit sharp, I went with a twist on a Sidecar. 

“The original recipe is brandy, triple sec and lemon juice; I twisted it with brandy based pear liqueur, Xante, with pressed apple and a bit of lemon.

“When we tasted it, just a dash of sugar syrup gave it a lift.”

Recipes

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The Vibe Burger – what’s in it?

  • 6oz beef patty
  • Tomato
  • Lettuce
  • Red onion
  • Grilled courgette
  • Homemade jalapeño purée
  • Fried halloumi.

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The Vibe Sidecar Cocktail – what’s in it?

  • 25ml brandy
  • 25ml pear liqueur
  • 25ml pressed apple juice
  • 25ml fresh lemon juice
  • Dash of sugar syrup

Shake well and serve over ice, garnish with a lemon peel and pear slice.

Go to helloburger.co.uk for more information about the restaurant.