Burgers are highly personal. While we all have our favourites, it is impossible to decide which one is objectively the best of them all.

Many friends have described their idea of the perfect burger with more eloquence and passion than when describing their idea of a perfect mate. Naturally, there’s a burger out there for every kind of diner, thanks to a multitude of burger joints that have opened up to cater to diverse tastes.

The latest offering on the burger scene is the cleverly named, Oh My Grill.

The dining area

Situated on Karachi's Sehar Commercial Ave. in DHA Phase 7, the tiny dive was surprisingly easy to find.

The place was packed full with diners and people waiting for their take-away orders. OMG do not offer delivery yet, and the dining area only has 2 small tables, so take-away is the best option.

Since it was my goal to soak in the atmosphere of the place and garner an authentic eating experience, I forced my group of six to eat there. The twenty-five minute waiting time for the table and the food coincided perfectly.

The decor on the shelves

The decor is quirky and random (why is there a maple leaf cap?). Even then, the casual atmosphere works with the clientele.

It’s a busy spot, but there aren't many women there. Mostly there are guys hanging out, some outside smoking, since smoking is thankfully not allowed indoors.

The wifi password printed on the door was a nice touch.

Another wonderful thing was seeing your burgers being grilled in front of you.

Burgers being grilled. – Photo Courtesy Oh My Grill Facebook page

What was unappetising and disappointing however, was the large garbage pail in the dining area that was full to its brim. It's almost the first thing you see when you walk in so at the very least it should be cleaned out regularly.

Likewise, keeping the brooms and mops in plain sight in the kitchen area was not ideal. Transparency is a catch-22.

Back to the food. OMG have a fairly straightforward menu board with five kinds of burgers, divided into classic and gourmet.

The menu. – Photo Courtesy Oh My Grill Facebook page

When there are six people, all visiting for the first time, one a vegetarian, another an out-of-towner, and a third who would rather go out and smoke, nothing is easy. Thankfully, one of the owners was at the counter himself to make recommendations, and was very patient with us as we tried to decide and kept changing the order.

He chatted with us a bit about how they started the place and his passion for it clearly shone through.

When we inquired about a vegetarian option, he was flabbergasted and responded, "This is a burger joint, there is no such thing as a vegetarian burger anywhere!"

Although disappointing, it reinforced his desire to make "Oh My Grill" an ode to the burger in its classic form.

The 'Classic Single' consisted of a flavoursome beef patty with subtle herb undertones grilled to crunchy-edged perfection, a soft bun, lettuce and onion but no sauce to bind it all together.

Classic Single. – Photo Courtesy Oh My Grill Facebook page.

The 'Swiss Mushroom Melt' had a subtle but rich smokey flavour, but the cheese was hardly noticeable.

Swiss Mushroom Melt. – Photo Courtesy Oh My Grill Facebook page

The chipotle chicken was not available, so the only chicken option was the 'Grilled Dijon Chicken', which was thick and juicy but once again could have done with a bit of sauce.

The irrefutable highlight of the menu is the 'Gourmet Classic with Aged Cheddar.'

Gourmet Classic with Aged Cheddar. – Photo Courtesy Oh My Grill Facebook page.

At first glance, the bun seems too large but it flattened beautifully and settled sublimely around the succulent, juicy burger. It stayed together until the last bite without getting soggy – the balance of bread, meat, cheese, and onions let every flavour shine.

The beef slowly seared on an indoor grill, crusty on the outside, juicy inside, was perfectly cooked and judiciously seasoned, providing such an intense level of flavour and juice that any additional upgrades are almost unnecessary.

The aged cheddar, strong, nutty, and pungent, fully melted and softly hugged the burger. Unlike the Swiss cheese, it is one you can actually taste. Simple and classic, messy, creamy and gluttonous, this is the quintessential burger.

The fries on the other hand tasted like the frozen supermarket variety, and while those have their place, it is surely not with handcrafted gourmet burgers. Since they made the entirety of my vegetarian friend’s meal, she was dissatisfied, and reiterated that vegetables can be grilled too.

No plates or utensils were necessary. The rustic informal setting and food was refreshing and fun. The simple, honest approach to the burger was also appreciated.

Bear in mind, OMG is not for everyone. Those who load their burgers with condiments will feel let down. Those who prefer chicken to beef will also not feel catered to.

But if you are looking for a no-frills, undeniably decadent burger handcrafted with the best ingredients, "Oh My Grill" might just become your favourite.

Rating (4 out of 5):

Food: 3.5 | Ambiance: 3 | Service: 4.5 | Value for money: 4

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