Fat Hippo, the popular North East burger chain, had unlikely beginnings. Starting out of a Victorian end terrace in Jesmond twelve years ago, the ambitious business plan has turned into the glutton's best friend.
Since a humble beginning in 2010, the startup has taken the North East (and more recently, the rest of the country) by storm, with 11 restaurants open across the UK, and more on the way.
The seven-year-old Durham branch is located in a gorgeous, darkly decorated, and definitely haunted grade II listed building. Ghosts or not, the building is certainly steeped in history, and the dark beams contribute a luxury you don't expect from a burger joint.
Recently, Fat Hippo has been delighting Durham's mouths and wallets with its £15 restarant week deal - which saw diners get a generous meal of starter and burger for a discounted rate.
Usually priced at about £13 a burger, Fat Hippo can't be described as a budget option for dining out.
But if you're going to be indulgent with your calorie intake, why not at least ensure the ingredients are high quality by splashing out a little bit?
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And sitting in one of the Fat Hippo's booths, in a truly indulgent fashion, I order myself a milkshake, burger and fries.
On the recommendation of the staff, I treat myself to a Great White Buffalo burger, which is packed with buttermilk chicken, American cheese, smoked bacon, hot honey buffalo sauce, and purple slaw.
Paired with handcut chips, and a milkshake inspired by Elvis Presley's favourite sandwich - crammed with banana, peanut butter, and bacon - it is a meal to be reckoned with.
I am reassured by Fat Hippo staff that there isn't 8,000 calories in my milkshake, though as I polish it off, I am not totally sure that I believe them.
Thick with peanut butter and ice cream, the milshake is colossal, though it is so delicious - sweet banana balanced with salty bacon - it goes down easily.
Despite its North East roots, the Fat Hippo brand has made its way down south to the metropolitan streets of London, and all the way up north to Glasgow.
No matter what city Fat Hippo sets up home in, it seems to be welcomed with wide open arms and wider open mouths.
When my burger arrives, it is not difficult to see why. The mammoth burger is stacked high with layers of fried chicken, cheese, and purple cabbage coleslaw.
The whole burger is delicious, but the hot honey is a standout, providing a little spice without overwhelming the tastebuds.
You wouldn't describe a Fat Hippo burger as "veg-heavy" in the same way you wouldn't describe Liz Truss as a "long tenured Prime Minister" - it's a big dinner that you need a nap after.
The burger is made of only the most premier ingredients, though. Tender chicken, quality cheese, tasty sauces, and soft toasted brioche - Fat Hippo burgers are different from McDonald's in more ways than one.
A friend once told me that Fat Hippo's burgers were "rapturous". Though I can't quite stretch my my hyperbolic food descriptions to include "the divine right of burgers", it was bloody tasty.
The Details
36 Saddler Street, Durham DH1 3NU
Phone: 0191 370 9699
Website: fathippo.co.uk
Ratings
Service: 9
Surroundings: 8
Food Quality: 8
Value for money: 7
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