This is a burger joint with a twist. But while the food is gourmet standard, the service certainly falls short of the mark.

The Venue
Sat on Bustling Park Street, this is one of many glossy chain restaurants along this strip. From outside it evokes the American diner without being too brash.

You can peer in at munching customers through the huge windows, but the menu outside is set delicately in a silver frame which suggests a seriousness about the quality of food. These seeming contradictions sum up the experience of the Gourmet Burger Kitchen well.

The interior is fairly plain and little attempt has been made to create an inviting, relaxing feel. The chairs are uncomfortable, the lighting too bright – there is certainly nothing posh about the decor here.

The People
The atmosphere similarly reminds you that this place is not too far removed from the likes of Burger King and co. There is an unpleasantly loud buzz about the place, reminiscent of a school dinner hall, which makes it hard to relax or focus on conversation.

Waiters seem overly stressed, which spreads anxiety to the customers, and the service is both slow and sloppy. You get the sense that they would prefer to get you in and out as quickly as possible, yet they let themselves down with their distressingly leisurely pace. A ‘fast’ food joint this is not.

The Food
It's easy to be scathing about many features of the Gourmet Burger Kitchen, but you'll be hard pressed to be so about the food. These are possibly the best burgers availably anywhere and the choice will leave even the fussiest delighted.

As always there's a classic burger (£5.95), which comes with a great wedge of soft, well seasoned beef that melts in the mouth. The more adventurous have an abundance of options, with alternative meats like lamb (£7.75), chicken (£6.15) and chorizo (£6.95), and flavours include cajun, garlic mayo, pesto, chili, avocado, blue cheese and more.

Vegetarians are likely to be just as thrilled with five very different burgers to slowly agonise over. A good choice is the falafel (£6.45) which is moist and filling with a bean-like consistency.

But the real luxury is the butternut squash burger (£7.45), blended with a host of wonderfully posh ingredients including pecan nuts, parmesan and polenta. The result is a heavenly creamy, nutty and flavoursome affair which you are likely to still be fantasising over on the trip home.

Sides include decent salads, but here it’s all about the gorgeous chips which are crispy, fluffy, and are best consumed with one of their wonderful sauces (including some adventurous flavours such as smoked chilli mayo). These come at £1.55 which is a toe-curling price if you’re planning on getting a few of them.

The Drink
A surprisingly good drinks menu is on offer. There are a variety of red, white and rose wines. The house white – De Luc White – is inoffensive and a standard £3.20 a small glass. Far more interesting is the pricier Dashwood Sauvignon Blanc, £4.35 for a small glass, which hits you with tangy sharp berries and undertones of citrus.

The beers are not bad either and there is a good choice of small and large bottles. It’s worth trying the New Zealand brewed Mac’s Gold (£3.30) for the novelty, but there’s also good quality organic ale on offer, as well as a tasty cider (which is irritatingly not from Somerset but from South Africa).

Soft drinks include your standard Coke, Sprite, bottled water and hot drinks. Of note are the thick, gluttonous milkshakes which come in classic banana, chocolate and strawberry, as well as an alarmingly sharp lime flavour for the brave (£3.55).

The Last Word
If burger wars ever did rage, this place would reign victorious. But the venue has a cheap and seedy feel to it, the atmosphere is unwelcoming and, once the deliriously good food is gone, you’ll want to get out quick.