2015-02-24: Always something new to learn

After turning into The Ravenous Destroyer Of Food the Mother In Law ceased complaining that I don't eat enough and that I am getting too skinny. Now the complaints are along the lines of how many vegetables I am eating.

I daren't tell her about the hotdog plan but burgers often have vegetables in them.

Food & Beverage Review: Buła i Społa

I think the name of the place is a play on words and also slang, it could mean "Mr Bread and Company", "Burgers and Fellowship" or "Bread rolls with the stuff that comes with rolls" (I have chosen translations to accentuate the different meanings).

The "Y" suffix just means plural. But "Burgery" is a great word we should steal back. "How are you feeling?" "A bit burgery actually" Also when I first got here I would always read it as "Buggery" which amused me a lot. I am more mature now.

This is the other "Best Burger in Białystok" place according to tripadvisor or yelp or something (the other one was Miły Burger).
I had grand ideas of deciding the draw and thereby fixing the internet.

I should have got the "Sam Burger"

First we must set a base rule which is going to possibly cause a rift amongst burger lovers. I like my burger meat to be charred up on the outside and juicy in the middle.
Beef is simply not consumed in large amounts in Poland. As far as I can tell the majority of any given persons beef intake will be in the form of burgers. This, I surmise, has lead to a lack of appreciation of the maillard reaction where the sugars and proteins go all brown and tasty. I think it happens most, and makes the biggest difference, in beef.

There is a surplus of newspapers in Poland. Makes for cheap wallpaper

So burgers here tend more towards the McDonalds style of burger. It is cooked and all but it doesn't have that special little kick of meat crust flavour that a burger specialist can deliver. This will immediately turn a lot of burger people off. I am okay with it but it does hurt the rating.
The choice is small. This is often a good sign in my opinion. Focussing on a few good things is better than focussing on having a million flavours. Plus it makes it easier for my little brain.
Ewa: Bacon & Cheese, Me: Double Beef. Chips with cheese on the side.

There may be a surplus of packing crates as well. It's a rather odd (and small - seats maybe 15 people) looking room.

Buns are toasted. This is vital in my opinion. Miły did not do this. Foolish Miły. The cheese appears to be that yellow stuff called cheese by Burger King et al. I approve, this is one place that particular substance is not only tolerated but almost required.

The chips are actually quite a small serve, maybe a cup, but we weren't here for them and the burgers are very large

Burgers are extremely juicy and there was lettuce. This will count as vegetables when we return home. Ewa prefers the garbage burger style which has half a vege garden on it but I am good with meat, cheese and sauce. The clientele while we were there was 2 guys and about 12 girls. Most of the Ladies ordered salads, they looked pretty good. Maybe that is where all the veges are used.

"Polish Burger" is one category where Ewa believe serving size is an important category. The rating is based on cranial comparison.

Maybe some tomato would have been good but it is is mid winter. I liked the alternate stacking style with the lettuce at the bottom, extra structural support. A good idea.

Like watching a snake eat an egg

All in all a pretty good burger. But a huge issue. The place is next to a school. Ewa believes this is why they don't serve vodka.
We have been places that don't serve vodka before. I am a mature (and even headed) fellow and no longer throw tantrums in these situations.

Fritz Kola. Is it racist to make fun of your own nationality using others derogatory epithets? Maybe it is an overcompensation.

They don't serve beer either. I stifled my response to this statement.
The German soft drink was good but this was a deal breaker for me. Burgers without beer don't count. And certainly you can't use the "Burgers and Fellowship" translation of the shop name if there is no beer.

Rating: 

7/10 (as a fast food place)

8/10 (as a specialty burger place, charring would be 9)

4/10 (overall. Only good for teetotallers and takeaways)

Whilst consuming our giant burgers a guy on the radio did a word for word semantic translation of an of entire song on the radio. It was a current pop song which includes lots of combustion metaphorical wordplay (burn for you, am on fire, loins aflame etc). He commented that even though some of this song was a little racy the majority of songs on the radio he would not try to translate before 10pm. I think he insinuated English speakers just like much dirtier songs.

Poland Prefers Purity in Pop

Post burgers we did Ewa's exercise for the day. This time the theme was "Let's find a bar"
Poland has a somewhat collaborative approach to pedestrian crossings. The driver decides whether it is safe to continue driving and the pedestrian makes sure the driver chose correctly.

Churches are often beside busy intersections. Coincidence? I think not.

Crutches and this cultural artefact meant Ewa was reluctant to cross the street for a beer but that hasn't ever mattered before, bars are plentiful in Poland.

Pedestrian crossings can also be visibly hard to distinguish

Except in this suburb, one bar and it was closed. Something is weird and wrong. I am afraid and my sweeping generalisations of Poland are being questioned!

I am going home to face a Polish Grandmother telling me off. Then all will be right with the world.