No Brainer for street food in Bedale

My friend Rachael, who was hosting us, lives in Bedale, and has long talked about the brilliance of a street food cafe and takeaway in Aiskew, near Bedale.

It is called No Brainer – and after looking at the menu it certainly proved to be a no brainer for us too.

The evening menu offers a choice of burgers – classic smash burger and buffalo chicken; rice and noodle dishes; flatbreads and tacos; and loaded fries.

There is also a very tempting brunch menu which includes a full English, various options for eggs, and French toast. There are also coffees, cocktails and seasonal specials on offer.

For our Thursday night takeaway, I couldn’t resist the smash burger (£8), while Rachael opted for chicken gyros (£9) with a side of halloumi fries (£5); and our friend Charlotte chose Korean fried chicken loaded fries (£10).

The cafe is small, with around four small tables and a larger one with a sofa. It is a cosy space with a nice ambiance, and when I arrived for my takeaway it was quiet with only two other women enjoying a meal.

I arrived at our pick-up time of 7pm and only had to wait a few minutes before the food was brought out – luckily I had abandoned my car right outside due to the torrential downpour and howling winds, as they had run out of carrier bags for the boxed food.

After the short trip back to Rachael’s house, the food was all still piping hot and looked delicious.

My burger didn’t disappoint. The only way to eat it was with my hands – and it was perfectly gooey and messy.

It had two smash burgers, American cheese, fried onions, tangy pickle burger sauce , smoked bacon, and a fluffy bun.

I much prefer a fluffy bun to the brioche ones which are more popular now, as I find them a bit too sweet. This way, the contents could really do the talking, and it had a lot to say.

The American cheese was completely melted, and merged beautifully with the tangy burger sauce, while the onions and bacon added some extra bite and depth of flavour.

I felt I’d made an error in not ordering either sweet potato or halloumi fries – most unlike me and I can only put it down to a hasty order made earlier in the day when my mind was elsewhere.

Rachael said her gyros and halloumi fries were a generous portion, hot, fresh and full of flavour. She was really impressed with the quality and declared it a perfect mid-week treat.

The gyros consisted of Greek marinated chicken thigh, homemade tzakziki, fresh mint, rocket, red onion and plum tomato on a soft flatbread.

Charlotte’s Korean fried chicken loaded fries was topped with gochujang sauce, mayonnaise, spring onion and sesame seeds.

She said they were delicious, generous with the chicken, with plenty of sauce and really fresh ingredients.

It had been a difficult task to choose our dishes, and each of us had food envy from the other, so a return visit will have to be on the cards.

No Brainer

35 Bedale Rd, Aiskew, Bedale DL8 1BL

01677-632404

Open Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 3pm, 5pm to 9pm.

Ratings: Food quality: 9; Service: 7; Value for money: 9