Friday 22 / November / 2024
I’m a stickler for themed restaurants and my unconditional love for the creativity that goes into making these restaurants is seamless. While in Oman the old favourites continue to attract their patrons, when it comes to concept restaurants there’s a whole new list of options to pick from. From the ones portraying rugged garages and Shakespeare-inspired eateries to trains and forests, theme restaurants are growing in popularity. This week we take you on a camouflaged adventure as we visit Bunker in Qurum, where you will be sheltered only to feast on gourmet burgers in a celebratory ambiance.
ticking to the army-style theme, the restaurant has added quirky decorations taking us back to the war era. As I entered the place, I was welcomed in by friendly soldiers (waiters) who were sporting black tees and camouflaged pants. I chose a seat by the window at the left end corner of the place, and glanced around the interior, which had tables with camouflaged stickers, chairs in flashy red, toy tanks, miniature soldiers on walls, massive Jeep poster, wartime photographs, and more camouflaged creations on the ceiling. There were a couple of toy combat helmet for children to play.
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After having a word with the soldiers I found out that Bunker is not your typical American burger-and-fries joint. The owners took a creative approach with their menu by infusing Asian flavours such as Adobo Korean sauce in the mix. That triggered my excitement to another level. I couldn’t wait to order my pattice.
Bunker’s menu is short, simple, and polished, to say in a military lingo. I wasn’t sure if it was hunger or curiosity, but I ended up ordering a couple of sliders, a burger, and an energy drink.
The sliders’ presentation was precise, with camouflaged buns and miniature combatants guarding the burgers. The first was ‘the marine’; a shrimp slider deep-fried to crisp, and dipped in a piquant buffalo sauce. The sharp taste of the sauce gave this burger quite a character, and it tasted amazing. Then ‘the general’ arrived on a wooden flat-board; a beef slider topped with a bunch of mushrooms and mild-flavoured Swiss cheese. It tasted amazing. After the sliders I met the star of the show, the ‘blackout’; a juicy beef patty, topped with potato roast and smoky beef bacon, showered with Bunker’s secret sauce, sandwiched in charcoaled bun. This was my absolute favourite; the creamy taste of potatoes mixed with the beef juices and the sauce delivered all that you’d ever want in a burger — a burst of flavours. To seal the deal, I had an imported orange-flavoured Bomba energy drink that was bottled in a grenade shape glass. Not a huge fan of energy drinks but I had to get that grenade, and now it is sitting comfortably on my shelf at home.
The concept of Bunkers sets it apart from other burger joints in town, which makes it a great place to have an experience different to the usual classic burger joints. Do I see myself making this place a weekly ritual? Maybe, but one thing for sure is that whenever I would stop by I would have a great time. Apart from the Arabic music in the background, it was a fantastic experience, overall. Can’t wait to come back and explore the other options on the menu. —[email protected]
Bunker
Al Masa Mall, Qurum
+968 2234 4344
What to Order:
Blackout Burger OMR2.300
The Marine OMR2.350
The General OMR1
