# Living in Spain & opening a gourmet burger restaurant



## stevie.whitts (12 mo ago)

Hi,
I'm a UK national that has lived in Finland for the past 24 years permanently. I am in the process of applying for Finnish citizenship (don't as why it took so long), but at the same time also planning to move to Spain with my wife, with the likely location being Torrevieja, either late 2022 or then Spring 2023.
She is an estate agent and her current company's mother company has an office in Torrevieja where it is quite likely she will work.

Am I right in thinking that until any Finnish citizenship is approved, then my stay continues as per the current regulations, 90 days in 6 months. It makes no difference if i have documentation of pending citizenship for Finland (which would allow me to stay for a much longer period) which I don't imagine would be refused.

I'm also contemplating opening a restaurant (💁‍♂️, i know every man and his dog thinks about doing this, and many have), as far as i can see there are no decent top end Burger restaurants in Torrevieja (nor what i saw in Fuengirola). I currently work in a _gourmet _burger restaurant, own a Pub and Kitchen that serves only gourmet burgers and came 3rd in the country in a burger competition, so know what works. Just need to find a suitable venue.
But would appreciate any hints and tips, not necessarily horror stories but _advice_ as such.

cheers
Steve


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

What is your wife's nationality? If she is an EU citizen, you as a dependant of EU citizen will have the same right of residence, work etc. If she isn't, then you will need a visa to live in Spain longer than 90 in 180 days.


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

It is just my opinion, but my feeling is that a high end burger restaurant is not what most Spanish people would consider as a good way to spend money. Burgers in Spain are still seen as unhealthy fast food and of course cheap. Typically, when wanting to increase quality and spending, the Spanish have already got a vast offer of food and are unlikely, in my opinion to "adventure" with their choice.
I guess what I am saying is that you should possibly prioritize a touristy location for your restaurant and aim to make your money during the summer months as many coastal businesses do.


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## stevie.whitts (12 mo ago)

Joppa said:


> What is your wife's nationality? If she is an EU citizen, you as a dependant of EU citizen will have the same right of residence, work etc. If she isn't, then you will need a visa to live in Spain longer than 90 in 180 days.


She is Finnish. Thanks. That certainly makes it a lot easier.


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## stevie.whitts (12 mo ago)

Overandout said:


> It is just my opinion, but my feeling is that a high end burger restaurant is not what most Spanish people would consider as a good way to spend money. Burgers in Spain are still seen as unhealthy fast food and of course cheap. Typically, when wanting to increase quality and spending, the Spanish have already got a vast offer of food and are unlikely, in my opinion to "adventure" with their choice.
> I guess what I am saying is that you should possibly prioritize a touristy location for your restaurant and aim to make your money during the summer months as many coastal businesses do.


Thanks. Can appreciate that. I was certainly in the mindset that burgers would be the last thing i would be doing as a job, rather higer end restaurants and hotels (here in Finland), but at least here over the past few years, burgers head and above your usual MacDonalds and 5 guys offerings have become quite popular.


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## tardigrade (May 23, 2021)

Here in Valencia there are 5 or more "gourmet" burger restaurants plus all the national chains, spanish and foreign. Very over saturated for what is considered "fast food".


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

I live in Torrevieja. The centre is mostly full of Spanish folk. High end basically means expensive compared with other restaurants and Spanish pensioners in torrevieja do not do expensive burger restaurants. They prefer traditional spanish places for high end prices. There is a Good Burger restaurant down by the sea front ( next to a Finnish bar oddly enough) which is a bit more high end than Burger King but it is very quietoutside of the summer and is never full. They have another up by the cinema which does better but it's mostly just kids who cant be bothered to wait in KFC which is opposite. I only know of one foreign run restaurant in the town which has been going for more than 20 years and that's a Norwegian one near playa los locos and the reason it is still going is the owner won El Gordo!!!


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## tebo53 (Sep 18, 2014)

You can already get good quality burgers in a variety of outlets but if I go out for a meal I want something different than the usual burger King or McDonald's menu.

Steve


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## Max Rigger (Aug 2, 2020)

There are already a couple of upmarket burger places in Torrevieja have you checked them out?

'Gourmet' burgers have taken off in the UK, certainly in the bigger towns and cities but I'm not sure how well you'd do in Torrevieja given its dependency on seasonal tourism with many of the tourists looking for 'cheap and cheerful' options so you'd need to take a lot of money in the summer or build a loyal customer base from year round residents (or both) to sustain you all year round; you'd certainly not be able to charge Finnish prices or anywhere near.

I'd not dive in straight away, live there for a season and see whats popular and the sort of prices being charged before you dive in and spend a € really do your homework before committing, what looks great on paper sometimes just won't work out in reality.


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## tardigrade (May 23, 2021)

It could end up being a "fish & chips" shop, but sit down...

(e) I have seen it work in France.. The French loved it plus the expats from the area but quality has to be maintained. Just add a few "local" dishes.  (/e)


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## Max Rigger (Aug 2, 2020)

tardigrade said:


> It could end up being a "fish & chips" shop, but sit down...
> 
> (e) I have seen it work in France.. The French loved it plus the expats from the area but quality has to be maintained. Just add a few "local" dishes.  (/e)


The French do love their steak hache but don't call it a burger


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

tardigrade said:


> Here in Valencia there are 5 or more "gourmet" burger restaurants plus all the national chains, spanish and foreign. Very over saturated for what is considered "fast food".


Same in Málaga capital. Here is a link to one in Sevilla we have eaten at and enjoyed a couple of times (they have two branches in Sevilla, one in Granada and have just opened another in Málaga, not in the historic centre but in the University district).






Nickel Burger - Hamburguesería en Sevilla - Hamburguesas


Nickel Burger es una hamburguesería en Sevilla que aporta un punto diferente y canalla a las hamburguesas clásicas. Prueba algo diferente. Destapa Nickel.




nickelburger.com





We knew a young Italian couple who opened one in Nerja a few years ago and did really well, so much so that they expanded into larger premises with more terrace space, and employed more staff. Unfortunately that was their downfall as they moved premises only a few months before the pandemic hit, and with the much higher costs and no tourists around they just could not stay afloat so had to return to Italy.

We ended up eating at one in Madrid last November as the restaurant we had planned to go to for lunch turned out to have mega building works going on in the square outside - mine cost €14.50 and was nothing special. I bet it would be more now with the way prices have increased since the New Year.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Lynn R said:


> We knew a young Italian couple who opened one in Nerja a few years ago and did really well, so much so that they expanded into larger premises with more terrace space, and employed more staff. Unfortunately that was their downfall as they moved premises only a few months before the pandemic hit, and with the much higher costs and no tourists around they just could not stay afloat so had to return to Italy.


You mean Momo Burger? Yes they had to shut the place and returned to Italy, but have opened a place in Rome and seem to be doing well according to their FB entry.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Joppa said:


> You mean Momo Burger? Yes they had to shut the place and returned to Italy, but have opened a place in Rome and seem to be doing well according to their FB entry.


Yes, we keep in touch with them and are pleased they are doing OK there. We always liked Momo Burger.


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## ccm47 (Oct 15, 2013)

One has to remember that the French never perceive food as "fuel", they want a culinary experience, it is not unusual to pay €14:for a burger which looks very average. I don't ever order them! I can however get a 3 course freshly cooked restaurant lunch for €16 with drinks on top. McDonald's burgers therefore typically cost €8-€9 as they'd be shunned if they were any cheaper. Why sell cheap when nobody else does?
The other thing to remember is that French workers typically don't pay for a work day lunch themselves. Their company issues them with "tickets" to use in a restaurant of their choice, hence ambience and convenience to their place of work also play an important part. These restaurant tickets cannot be converted to cash so workers look for somewhere that enhances their self esteem.
The Spaniards just don't think about food in the same way.


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## tardigrade (May 23, 2021)

ccm47 said:


> One has to remember that the French never perceive food as "fuel", they want a culinary experience, it is not unusual to pay €14:for a burger which looks very average. I don't ever order them! I can however get a 3 course freshly cooked restaurant lunch for €16 with drinks on top. McDonald's burgers therefore typically cost €8-€9 as they'd be shunned if they were any cheaper. Why sell cheap when nobody else does?
> The other thing to remember is that French workers typically don't pay for a work day lunch themselves. Their company issues them with "tickets" to use in a restaurant of their choice, hence ambience and convenience to their place of work also play an important part. These restaurant tickets cannot be converted to cash so workers look for somewhere that enhances their self esteem.
> The Spaniards just don't think about food in the same way.


€8-9 for a mcdo burger?? Where are you and why do you let them rip you off. The prices are posted in every restaurant and probably average €4,50 for a big mac; even in Paris. With the mcdonalds or burger king application on your phone you can get even cheaper deals. Subway ( the most restaurants in the world) have their "sub of the day" @ €2... Lunchtime in any of these places are full.

The "ticket restaurants" you are talking about is just so the employer does not have to pay a full salary. Many tax breaks for the employer but none for the employee. It is a nice scam.


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## tardigrade (May 23, 2021)

The Big Mac index


Our interactive currency comparison tool




www.economist.com


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## ccm47 (Oct 15, 2013)

I too have a link France : Prix d'un menu chez Mc Donald (ou dans un fast-food équivalent) en 2022 | Combien-coute.net and French prices do vary. Not many people just have the burger so my price included some chips as the restaurants always include them.

Whilst McDonald's has been around for years we only got a KFC 3 years ago and, there is no Burger King, Subway or even Indian restaurant for 50km. 

Being in Spain îs, for us, an opportunity to taste different foods from around the world.

I disagree that the tickets are a scam, major employers provided an onsite canteen and these were introduced to help smaller employers ensure that their workers got an adequate meal. Historically if finances at home are really tight then children get fed something, then (stereotyping here) the major wage earner, with the other parent eating only what is left or even not at all. If part of your pay is a voucher for food then you eat that food and if you happen to be the lesser wage earner it can make all the difference to your health and well being. I consider that the tickets have been instrumental in improving the health of the nation post-war.


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## tardigrade (May 23, 2021)

ccm47 said:


> I disagree that the tickets are a scam, major employers provided an onsite canteen and these were introduced to help smaller employers ensure that their workers got an adequate meal. Historically if finances at home are really tight then children get fed something, then (stereotyping here) the major wage earner, with the other parent eating only what is left or even not at all. If part of your pay is a voucher for food then you eat that food and if you happen to be the lesser wage earner it can make all the difference to your health and well being. I consider that the tickets have been instrumental in improving the health of the nation post-war.


You can only purchase "pre made" meals using these in a supermarket; not really healthy the way the French love their salt.

It is a tax free way for the employer to make the employee seem they are earning a bigger salary when in fact they are not because instead being able to use these to purchase, healthy food to create a meal, they have to use them for a meal already prepared. That 14€ burger at the restaurant could have bought 3,4 or 5 homemade ones and the oven frites. How is that better?


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## Barriej (Jul 23, 2012)

tardigrade said:


> You can only purchase "pre made" meals using these in a supermarket; not really healthy the way the French love their salt.
> 
> It is a tax free way for the employer to make the employee seem they are earning a bigger salary when in fact they are not because instead being able to use these to purchase, healthy food to create a meal, they have to use them for a meal already prepared. That 14€ burger at the restaurant could have bought 3,4 or 5 homemade ones and the oven frites. How is that better?


I will jump on the 'tickets' bit in a mo, but.

When we lived in the Uk (left there 2020), Lots of these gourmet burger places were opening, in fact there are at least (or were) five in Brighton.
We did go to one but at £15.00 for a plain burger (ok hand made) and another £6.00 for chips (£8.00) if you wanted sweet potato ones. I think for the three of us there wasn't much change from £100.
Now I like food, good food, but we could get a home cooked three course meal in a family owned restaurant near home (Shoreham) for £16.00 each.

And to be honest none of the burger places ever seemed busy, now Wagamama's another story, queues around the block. And the food there is maybe at best above average.
Brighton and the surrounding area has a high living wage rate (and some wealthy older people) so something like this should have been a great idea.
The busiest places were the hotels and restaurants that served decent home style foods with a twist, the Italian and French places (oh and the curry buffet near the Laines)

While the OP may be successful, it doesn't sound like he has actually even visited yet, so for my 2c before getting a business idea, it might be wise to see what else is available in the town you are thinking of first.
Also what works in the Scandinavian countries may not work here, having spent time in Denmark and Sweden, the food industry is geared rather different to that in Spain.
Torrevieja is also one of the poorest (or maybe just has a massive retired population) and was once at the bottom of the earnings tables for cities in Spain. That may have changed but again, its something the Op would be wise to investigate first.

So now to 'tickets' Nothing new these. In the UK I worked for a large jewellery manufacturer who was based on an industrial estate and there were no canteen or restaurant facilities near, we got 'Luncheon Vouchers' you need to be of a certain age to remember these. 
We used to save them because the curry house across the road from west ealing fire station took them, so once a month we all went out for dinner, 30 of us..  

The last employer I had was Italian and they go to a 'workers diner' the company pays them an amount to a card each month (depends who and what you are within the firm) and being Italian the food is all freshly cooked and amazing. 
The same here in fact, I spent some time at the Cacoalat factory in Barcelona and for lunch the engineers go to a local petrol station that has a great little menu of the day cafe. 
Again they got an allowence for food.


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## Max Rigger (Aug 2, 2020)

Because of my job I've eaten Mc'D's all over the place from North America, Scandinavia, Australia and Europe and they are consistently average wherever you eat them; prices vary wildly country to country. In the UK a bigmac, fries and a coke will cost you about €10, go to Norway and it could be around €30. Fast burgers are just fuel on the go, need some calories fast then hit McD.

My favourite burgers are.......drum roll.....the ones I make fresh


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## xgarb (May 6, 2011)

A Bar and Grill style place opened a few years ago in Salobreña and is probably the most successful restaurant in the area. Even in the off season it can be busy.

I think it's still the only local place with an open kitchen (you can see the chefs working) in the style of modern restaurants. 

There's opportunities out there, you just need to know the market and see a gap.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Late to the party but I was in Cadiz all last week and had a fantastic gourmet burger, choice of three different kinds of beef and endless variety of toppings, washed down with locally brewed IPA on tap. The place was heaving, all Spanish. Paid €30 for the two of us and well worth it. So yes, there definitely is a market!


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

Alcalaina said:


> Late to the party but I was in Cadiz all last week and had a fantastic gourmet burger, choice of three different kinds of beef and endless variety of toppings, washed down with locally brewed IPA on tap. The place was heaving, all Spanish. Paid €30 for the two of us and well worth it. So yes, there definitely is a market!


In larger tourist areas, yes but even here we have at least 5 restaurants that serve excellent gourmet burgers. Cost here is about 25% less than there


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

Incidentally, was in Alicante airport yesterday. Large burger, chips and drink, 13.25 euros!!! At Christmas it was 10.50 euros. Inflation???


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## stevie.whitts (12 mo ago)

Hey all, 
Thanks for all the replies. Naturally, without a doubt I would be doing my homework and am currently in Torrevieja. Not necessarily to scope for locations etc. This is just an idea i'm toying with.
I've seen that Torrevieja has The Good Burger which from the reviews on TripAdvisor it doesn't seem to be too popular, the other place is Mats Burger that seemed to be for the younger generation. And i'm quite sure i'll pop in for a feed in both of these venues
It's not my dream role / idea to run a Burger restaurant, but for the last 2 years i've been doing it in 2 locations and it seems to be going well. I fully understand that Helsinki (the main location) and Karjaa (1 hour west from Helsinki) are completely different to Torrevieja. And Helsinki prices can never be charged, but Helsinki / Finland is much more expensive country to live in than Spain, and the salaries are also higher than Spain to reflect that.

Here's a link to the 2 places i'm at, so as to get an idea.
www.burgersandwine.fi








The Yard (@theyard_10300) • Instagram photos and videos


1,136 Followers, 113 Following, 141 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from The Yard (@theyard_10300)




www.instagram.com





Before even thinking about anything solid I will be doing all my foundation work and checking and certainly taking my time over it. I just also see so many places , here in Torrevieja and in Fuengirola where a restaurant is offering authentic Argentinian food and then the menu also has pizza, spanish, english, vegan and some indian offerings. and ultimately the overall quality is a bit meh. Whereas with some focus, the food can be so much better, but of course you're only then appealing to people who are specifically looking to eat that variety of food at that time.

thanks again for all your input.


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## tardigrade (May 23, 2021)

the good burger also has 2 for 1 thursdays.. It is considered fast food tho; not a €15 burger with a €4 pint, plus €10 salads...

Like some other poster said - Torrevieja is the poorest of the poor in the Valencia region; a new resto might have a blip of customers in the beginning but I would not do it as a first job (income).


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

tardigrade said:


> the good burger also has 2 for 1 thursdays.. It is considered fast food tho; not a €15 burger with a €4 pint, plus €10 salads...


I agree, definitely not gourmet burgers. Have only tried one once and would not go again.


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## dancingspider (Mar 4, 2018)

stevie.whitts said:


> Hi,
> I'm a UK national that has lived in Finland for the past 24 years permanently. I am in the process of applying for Finnish citizenship (don't as why it took so long), but at the same time also planning to move to Spain with my wife, with the likely location being Torrevieja, either late 2022 or then Spring 2023.
> She is an estate agent and her current company's mother company has an office in Torrevieja where it is quite likely she will work.
> 
> ...


What is a gourmet burger anyway? Some fresh lean meat, some herbs, some seasoning, a bit of topping and a fresh bun and fancy presentation. This is not what the Spanish will pay for. That is why there are none there...!


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## webmarcos (Dec 25, 2012)

Five Guys are opening up places in Spain - I think that's the type of "gourmet burger" place you're thinking of.
Five Guys Index
They do have some listed in Andalucia (Sevilla and Malaga mainly) , but primarily they are based in the big cities Madrid and Barcelona.


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## tardigrade (May 23, 2021)

There is one in Valencia. Almost next to the mayors office. Very expensive for a burger.


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## KVP (Apr 16, 2017)

webmarcos said:


> Five Guys are opening up places in Spain - I think that's the type of "gourmet burger" place you're thinking of.


Five Guys are as far away from "gourmet" as you can get. They are American fast food and while the one in Ireland has very nice fries, the burgers are worse than McDonalds...

Gourmet is where you get things like avocado and chorizo burgers, or chilli and lime type of thing...


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## dancingspider (Mar 4, 2018)

KVP said:


> Five Guys are as far away from "gourmet" as you can get. They are American fast food and while the one in Ireland has very nice fries, the burgers are worse than McDonalds...
> 
> Gourmet is where you get things like avocado and chorizo burgers, or chilli and lime type of thing...


Gourmet Burgers vs. Classic Burgers: How They Compare

From the link the key attributes of a so called, gourmet burger are:

Fresh meat not frozen, which goes without saying
"Under-season or over-season", but I don't really see why they have included that
Toppings, so your run of the mill burger has lettuce, tomato and cheese, so the gourmet version needs that extra special something like, "grilled onions, sautéed mushrooms, and freshly sliced avocado".
The bun should be homemade fresh, not just off the shelf type pumped full of nasty additives to extend life etc.
The 'It' factor or 'Wow' factor as I like to call it, which is what separates it from you bog standard burger


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## Relyat (Sep 29, 2013)

A similar, immeasurable, quality to that which identifies a "boutique" hotel.


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## dancingspider (Mar 4, 2018)

Relyat said:


> "boutique" hotel.


Again all we need to do is understand what defines a "boutique" hotel...

*"Meaning of Boutique*

The simplest definition of what a boutique hotel is “_a small, sophisticated, and fashionable business or establishment_“.

This simply means that a boutique hotel is — a small, stylish hotel, usually located in a fashionable location in the city’s urban district."

Here are some of boutique hotel’s most noticeable characteristics:


Smaller in Size
Unique in character
Gives a lot of attention to design
Located in fashionable areas
Personalized Services
Great selection of things to do


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## dancingspider (Mar 4, 2018)

OK, finally got around to it and made my turkey burgers...

*Ingredients *

1kg of turkey mince (was from the breast with no fat) 
1 egg, beaten 
4 cloves garlic, minced 
2 tbsp. of Worcestershire sauce 
I large onion chopped fine
Parsley 
Salt 
Freshly ground black pepper 
2 tbsp. of extra-virgin olive oil

I find that the olive oil is essential as turkey mince can be a bit dry.
Managed to get 13 off 100g burger patties out of the above

*Now to the OP (or anyone else for that matter), what would you do to the above burger patty recipe, to add that 'gourmet' touch?*


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## tardigrade (May 23, 2021)

dancingspider said:


> OK, finally got around to it and made my turkey burgers...
> 
> *Ingredients *
> 
> ...


Blue cheese and bacon or cheddar and bacon... Always bacon.


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## stevie.whitts (12 mo ago)

For a chicken burger i'd lean towards boneless chicken thigh. I currently have the following on offer:
Tandoori marinated chicken thigh, marinated cucumber, pickled red onion, tandoor mayonnaise, mint yoghurt and salad. In a soft brioche. 

Lovely


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## KVP (Apr 16, 2017)

stevie.whitts said:


> Tandoori marinated chicken thigh, marinated cucumber, pickled red onion, tandoor mayonnaise, mint yoghurt and salad. In a soft brioche.


Sounds delish! 
I do sort of hope the brioche bun trend stops soon though. The places that do it "right", its fine, but a lot of places are using them for a very large burger, with a lot of wet ingredients (tomato, wet pickles etc) and they just go soggy and break up in 2 mins. For those types of burgers you just need a good old fashioned heavier bun


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## KVP (Apr 16, 2017)

dancingspider said:


> OK, finally got around to it and made my turkey burgers..
> *Now to the OP (or anyone else for that matter), what would you do to the above burger patty recipe, to add that 'gourmet' touch?*


The places around here usually pair turkey burgers with a bit of bacon, onion, cranberry or citrus type sauce. I've had one that was done with some oriental themed crispy pickles pickles and fancy soy mayo and it was divine.


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## dancingspider (Mar 4, 2018)

*"Blue cheese and bacon or cheddar and bacon... Always bacon"**....* I do like bacon but not something I ever buy. The World Health Organization has classified processed meats including ham, bacon, salami and frankfurts as a *Group 1 carcinogen*. For that reason I tend to give processed meats a wide berth.... But I am sure bacon from time to time is no harm so I'll give it a try sometime. Blue cheese is a no no for me but happy to try cheddar or Brie.

*"For a chicken burger i'd lean towards boneless chicken thigh. I currently have the following on offer:*
*Tandoori marinated chicken thigh, marinated cucumber, pickled red onion, tandoor mayonnaise, mint yoghurt and salad. In a soft brioche." *To be honest I didn't anticipate you coming back with something like this! But all the flavours do work for me and it sounds delicious. You prompted me to do a quick search and found this which I will prepare sometime in the coming weeks.

Tandoori Chicken Burgers


*"with a lot of wet ingredients (tomato, wet pickles etc) and they just go soggy and break up in 2 mins."*  I always use something like lettuce or even cucumber to create a barrier to prevent a soggy burger. 
_
"*The places around here usually pair turkey burgers with a bit of bacon, onion, cranberry or citrus type sauce "* _I will give this a try! I will vary a bit what I complement the turkey burgers with to see what I think works best..


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## tardigrade (May 23, 2021)

good luck finding cranberries here. Though you might... 

As to the bacon, you only live once....


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## KVP (Apr 16, 2017)

tardigrade said:


> good luck finding cranberries here. Though you might...
> 
> As to the bacon, you only live once....


Most of the year shop bought cranberry sauce has to make do. Not as nice as homemade, but beggars cant be choosers.

Apparently the air we breathe now has microplastics than are making their way deep into our lungs.. hosed either way as I see it, so bacon is warmly welcomed into my home.


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## stevie.whitts (12 mo ago)

Happy to hear the tandoori chicken burger pleased.
I like a good brioche bun, there are potato buns, regular crappy buns and now Pretzel buns, but as mentioned above, you need a barrier between the ingredients, primarily the juices from the meat, and the bun.

Bacon. a food category of its own


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## tardigrade (May 23, 2021)

stevie.whitts said:


> Happy to hear the tandoori chicken burger pleased.
> I like a good brioche bun, there are potato buns, regular crappy buns and now Pretzel buns, but as mentioned above, you need a barrier between the ingredients, primarily the juices from the meat, and the bun.
> 
> Bacon. a food category of its own


It also needs to be buttered and grilled on a plancha. The bun that is...

The tandoori chicken sub at subway is their worst selling sub BTW..


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## stevie.whitts (12 mo ago)

tardigrade said:


> It also needs to be buttered and grilled on a plancha. The bun that is...
> 
> The tandoori chicken sub at subway is their worst selling sub BTW..


Yes, toasting creates that barrier.

Tandoori Chicken sub at subway is the worst selling. the venue says it all. Subway.....


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## tardigrade (May 23, 2021)

stevie.whitts said:


> Tandoori Chicken sub at subway is the worst selling. the venue says it all. Subway.....


Biggest restaurant chain in the world (locations)... Must be doing something right.


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## timwip (Feb 27, 2017)

stevie.whitts said:


> Yes, toasting creates that barrier.
> 
> Tandoori Chicken sub at subway is the worst selling. the venue says it all. Subway.....


Out of curiosity, who do you see as your clients in your gourmet burger place? Older expats on a fixed income or 45 million Spaniards?


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## stevie.whitts (12 mo ago)

timwip said:


> Out of curiosity, who do you see as your clients in your gourmet burger place? Older expats on a fixed income or 45 million Spaniards?


I see both as being clients, the residents of the town, in this case primarily Torrevieja. Persons willing to come and try a new restaurant that are then pleasantly pleased with the offerings, come back again, spread positive reviews via word of mouth.


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## timwip (Feb 27, 2017)

I live in Oviedo in the north. Here there are no "gourmet" hamburger places. However, there is one burger place that serves very good American style hamburgers with just cheese, onions, tomatoes and lettuce. They even have an Elvis statue outside. Their burgers are very good. The place is always packed with Spaniards by either kids in their 30´s or parents with their children. I don´t think that profile would go for tandoori chicken burgers.; however, they sure can pack an American-style burger place.

In summary, you need to determine who the clientele you want to attract are and then built your menu around them. Spaniards are not very adventuresome in their eating.


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## dancingspider (Mar 4, 2018)

timwip said:


> Spaniards are not very adventuresome in their eating.


Food in Spain is bland, period!

But everything else about Spain more than compensates for the lack of decent food here.


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## tardigrade (May 23, 2021)

They better be cheap burgers...









Some of Alicante's southern provinces earn the lowest income in Spain


TORREVIEJA, Elche and Benidorm in the south of Alicante province are near the top of the list when it comes to having the lowest income in Spain,




euroweeklynews.com


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## tardigrade (May 23, 2021)

They better be cheap burgers...









Some of Alicante's southern provinces earn the lowest income in Spain


TORREVIEJA, Elche and Benidorm in the south of Alicante province are near the top of the list when it comes to having the lowest income in Spain,




euroweeklynews.com


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