2013 Burger Cup: Biteapitta vs Rumi

The Beijinger Burger Cup is back for another year and this is your chance to vote for your favorite burgers before we arrange a face-to-face cook-off in August to determine the winner.

This year, we begin with Burger Battles: a series of face-offs pitting Beijing beef patties against each other. These will not necessarily reflect the ultimate match-ups in our Burger Cup bracket, but give burger fans and burger chefs an idea as to how the product may fare in the final competition.

Visit our website often for Burger Battles, updates on the Cup, and more on how you can participate in voting and other burger activities.

Round 8 pits Biteapitta against Rumi.

Burger Battle Eight: Biteapitta vs Rumi

Biteapitta: Known for good pitta sandwiches and Middle Eastern appetizers, less well known for its burgers. If I was to list Beijing restaurants by the number of time I've eaten in them, Biteapitta would probably make the top ten. And yet, I've never ordered the burger. Partly because the hummus and falafel pitta sandwich is so good, but partly because the burger just didn't seem like the thing to order. Still, our readers did vote it into a respectable 18th place in the 2012 Burger Cup. I was ready to be surprised.

The Burger: The Grilled Beef Burger is served in a pitta, with a slice of lightly flavored cheddar and a fried egg. I asked for it medium-done, which is exactly how it was served. You also get a choice of two sides. Fries seemed sensible, spinach patties seemed interesting, but I could alternatively have opted for a vegetable salad, mashed potato or majadra rice.

The burger arrives, and it smells great. Most importantly, the patty looks and tastes like it's been freshly packed together, no gristle, slightly juicy. It's a decent size, about average compared with other burgers in town. Sadly, the egg yolk isn't runny, but it and the cheese contribute to the flavor without overwhelming the beef. There's lettuce, tomato and a few hoops of raw onion on the side for you to dress your burger up if you choose to. There's also ketchup, and a salad dressing I didn't touch. The pitta is warm and soft, but a little too thin to restrain the burger. It disintegrates towards the end, which isn't a disaster, but on the whole I prefer a regular bun to a pitta.

The fries taste like they've been around a little too long, which is a shame as I think fresh from the pan they would be great. The spinach patties are chewy and rich in flavor, spilling green juice over the plate. The two sides make this good value for the price. Overall, a good burger, but it won't wean me away from that classic falafel and hummus sandwich.

Price: RMB 55.

Rumi: Appears as an even less likely burger contender than Biteapitta, with its focus on Persian stews, kebabs, and Middle Eastern dips and salads. Sneaked a top-half finish in the 2012 Burger Cup, but I had no idea what to expect from Rumi's burger.

The Burger: The Rumi Cheese Burger is the most straight-up option on the menu, promising cheese, sauteed mushrooms, onions and French fries. They don't ask me how I want it cooked – I'd expect a restaurant of Rumi's standard to offer this option without prompting from the customer.

This is a big burger. The bun, a standard-issue domed and sesame-seeded creation, is about average size, but the patty forces its way out at almost every point around the bun's perimeter. We're not talking biggest-burger-ever, but it's hefty, and actually quite heavy to lift. From the first bite, it impresses, crumbling away nicely with each subsequent mouthful. The thick, doughy bread plays a fine supporting role, holding things together, giving you something to bite into, then getting out of the way to allow you to enjoy the meat.

The patty doesn't taste as beefy as some, but it tastes good (thanks partly, I think, to the addition of some finely diced onion and possibly some garlic). It doesn't drip all over your hands, but there's just enough moisture to keep you happy.

The cheese is unconvincing – it seems like a melted processed cheese slice – and contributes little to the flavor. The thin-cut fries could be crispier, but they're pretty good, and there are tons of them (I couldn't finish them). Lettuce, tomato and red onion (as well as some very rough chunks of raw onion) are served on the side for you to add or eat separately. I enjoyed dipping the burger into the balsamic dressing, though I probably wasn't supposed to.

At the beginning, I thought they'd got the salt about right; as I was working my way through the last few bites, I really wanted some water. By the end, I had also started to sweat. While this is quite embarrassing, many meat-lovers will agree that this is often your body's way of saying "Damn, I enjoyed that burger." Enjoy this one, I certainly did.

Price: RMB 85.

The Decision
The Rumi Cheese Burger

These very different burgers from very different corners of the Middle East both performed well. I can see why they've performed credibly in the past, and although I don't I expect either to win this year, they deserve more exposure.

Biteapitta's was a decent patty, but fell short because of the flimsy pitta; unfortunately, I don't think pitta and burger are the best match for each other. Rumi's large portion doesn't quite justify the higher-end pricing, but it holds together well and keeps things simple, allowing you to engage in the kind of man-versus-patty battle that epitomizes the fun of burger-eating at its best.

Now, if they asked you how you'd like your burger cooked, Rumi's could be even better ...

Photos: Iain Shaw