When I agreed to volunteer for the duty in the ongoing Budapest Burgerwar™, I did so on certain conditions, the first being that I wouldn't have to pay Ft 3,000 for a burger at some high-end joint, even if it was on Chew's dime. That's not my war. But in the budget, take-out range, I believe I have a found a serious combatant, in the form of the "Big Burger" of Lazza Pizza Guru, which is attached to, but no longer associated with, District VIII hippie compound Darshan Udvar.

Switching from war to boxing metaphors, you might say that the Big Burger (Ft 800/€3.20) is a a Mike Tyson of a burger, and an "Iron Mike" in his rabid late stages - in other words, bite it before it bites you. The thing (all 500 grams of it) is pure burger muscle, cooked-to-order on a small grill by owner László Tömösvári, who also hand-grinds the beef. One shouldn't demand subtlety in a hamburger, and if the Big Burger wins you over, it will be out of sheer size (László had to press it down with his hands to fit it in the take-away pouch). I defy anybody to eat one without making a mess of their face and fingers. Yet it has no pretensions about replicating an American-style burger: the bun is an egg yolk-glazed, bakery-made kalács, and the beef comes with red onion and cucumber as condiments (unfortunately there were no fries to be had, and it was not offered with cheese, though this is a pizza joint, so it's a request easily fulfilled). The Big Burger may not be a first round knock-out, but it might be just crazy enough to prevail.

I should point out that I am a regular at Lazza Pizza Guru, my local go-to place for take-out pizza. I think their pizza will win them more fame than this unwieldy hungo-burger. The pizza itself is - in my opinion - the best pizza served by a parlor that is not also an Italian restaurant, and worth a visit for that reason alone. A take-out pizza is a mere Ft 1,050, and László, who mans the pizza ovens with his wife Tündér, have yet to disappoint in that contest.

How They Stack Up:

Meat: (9/10)
Bun: (8/10)
Trimmings: (6/10)
Service/Setting: N/A
Affordability: (10/10)
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Total Score: 8.25/10