Zheltok
We hoped that Kyiv’s Zheltok cafe, styled as an American diner, would offer a classical delicious treat. And it almost does. On the menu one can find a bunch of burgers for every taste and budget, including beef BBQ burger (Hr 55), melting mozzarella steak burger (Hr 65) or chicken burger (Hr 60). We went for a classic beef burger. The visitor can also ask for a different bun for a burger - Zheltok offers rye or wheat buns with sesame.
It came in some 10 minutes accompanied with french fries and ketchup. The burger we ordered (Hr 65) appeared to be the most colorful among those we tried. Served with cherry tomato on the top of the burger, it was loaded with fresh iceberg lettuce, chopped onions, cheese, juicy bacon and beef cutlet that left a gentle aftertaste with every bite, perhaps because of the touch of mayonnaise inside. It tasted rich and moist, however, it could have used some more melted cheese to make it ideal.
Zheltok
11 Lva Tolstoho St.
8:30 a.m. – 12 a.m.
063-396-1010
The Burger
The restaurant is located at Arena City, Kyiv’s central shopping and entertainment complex, and is one of Kyiv’s new burger spots, The Burger, turns out to be good place for a substantial lunch.
We found at least 12 specialty burgers on the menu. The prices range from Hr 80 for the so-called children’s burger to one of the most expensive, the Arkansas burger, that comes with marbled meat for Hr 190.
At last we ended up picking a classic one (named simply the Burger) with a juicy beef cutlet packed in a squishy bun. Crispy iceberg and Boston lettuce, a double portion of cheddar cheese, fried onions, bacon and barbeque sauce add to the delicious taste and can easily satisfy a real burger hound. The vegetables were advertised to be locally grown while the meat comes from the US.
It came with french fries, light salad with cucumbers and cherry tomatoes, pickles, ketchup and mayonnaise. Served with unlimited Pepsi, it goes for Hr 95. However, those who order take out will get a 20 percent discount.
The Burger
1-3 Chervonoarmiyska St. (Arena City shopping mall)
10 a.m. – until the last guest, 24 hours on the weekend
384-2717
Beefy’s
The café is located not far from Kyiv’s Olimpiyska metro station. Even at lunchtime, Beefy’s is not crowded, it’s cool inside and smells of something delicious.
There are eight burgers listed on the menu that go for Hr 69 to 119, and all are served with french fries, ketchup and cabbage salad. All but the chicken burger have a grilled beef cutlet inside and it is possible to add ingredients to your burger to create a unique item. We chose not to risk it and instead got a classic one for Hr 69 with grilled beef cutlet, salad lettuce, marinated onion, tomatoes, Cheddar cheese, mayonnaise and ketchup.
The bun is soft and tender and so is the meat. There is just the right amount of toppings so they don’t fall out of the burger. And though the thing tastes as good as McDonald’s, it can surely keep one full for a whole day.
Beefy’s
65 Chervonoarmiyska St.
10 a.m. – 11p.m.
287-7755; 067-999-8881
True Burger Bar
It took the chef 15 minutes to make a classic beef burger for takeout, which seemed a little longer than it should have taken. A burger comes with fries and a little bit of cabbage salad as side dishes. The offered sauces are classic ketchup and prune sauce. There is no discount for take-away.
The beef burger (Hr 79) had a thick slice of beef, medium rare, accompanied with some marinated onions and little bits of potatoes and salty cucumbers. While the meat was good enough, the bun was a dissapointment. A little too firm for a burger, it was nearly tasteless and reminded us of cheap baton of bread. One expects more from a seven-dollar burger in Kyiv.
True Burger Bar
42 Bohdana Khmelnytskoho St.
9 a.m. – 11 p.m.
