Burganomix

Adelaide is definitely going through a burger phase, and personally, I hope it’s here to stay. The latest addition to the burger scene is Burganomix, offering classic, fresh burgers the way I remember them from my childhood. I ordered the Nomix ($16), basically the burger with the lot – patty, mayo, beetroot, fried egg, tomato, lettuce, pineapple, pancetta, onion, pickles (seriously, as if the beetroot and pineapple wasn’t enough of my favourite things on burgers) and chutney. Phew. Served on a cradboard tray with a small handful of fries, the burger was huge – both hands required! This is what burgers used to be like, packed full of fresh ingredients to the point where it’s hard to eat without making a mess. The patty was thin, but nicely herbed, and somehow all the fillings went together. Ok, she’s not the most sophisticated dame at the ball, but damn that burger was delicious. And the fries were perfect – soft inside, crispy outside. Don’t forget to say hi to Jack, the friendly proprietor, who takes the time to chat to all his customers. Yep, everything here is good and old-fashioned, just the way I like it.

Burganomix, 2/1 Colley Terrace, Glenelg SA, http://www.burganomix.com.au/

Ona on the Lawns

So… I may or may not have ordered the burger. Again. To start, I ordered a green apple, pineapple, lime and mint juice ($7.50), which came out in a large glass – the pineapple wasn’t too sharp and the lime was just a light hint, although I couldn’t really taste the mint. I couldn’t go past the buttermilk chicken burger ($20), and I was wowed by the piled-high stack that came out with fries on a board. The fries were amazing, with some sort of magical seasoning (mmm) and a herbed aioli that was just perfect. I wasn’t sure how to eat the burger, so I ended up pulling it apart – there was a whole lot of cabbage ‘slaw packed into the bun, with a tonne of runaway peas sandwiched into the upper half of the bread. Given the board was so full, I found it quite hard to eat, but everything was super tasty – I loved the mayonnaise spiked with sprigs of dill, and the chicken was beautifully tender inside the crisp buttermilk shell. It was hard to get a sense of the flavours all together, but I did enjoy the more unusual ingredient mix, and would highly recommend the fries.

Ona on the Lawns, Shop 4, Palmerston Lane, Manuka ACT, onacoffee.com.au/

Beef & Barley

With my passion for burgers, I was super excited about Beef & Barley opening on the Foreshore, offering burgers and craft beer. The menu has all of your classic burger needs, with some exotic additions (the Pedro, with chorizo and beef), but I stuck to the classic beef burger this visit – the American ($17), with beef, bacon, fried onion, cheddar, BBQ sauce and mustard mayonnaise. I must admit, I was really impressed by the service here – staff were eager to take my order and be helpful, creating a friendly vibe without being over the top. Burgers come with a serve of their beer battered chips; unusual, as they have a sweet dusting on top. I think this worked with just a little sugar, but was a bit much on some chips, and to be honest, it probably isn’t necessary as the flavour of the potato and batter alone are great. The burger had a huge patty cooked through and nicely charred, and whilst I would have liked more melt on the cheddar, it was really tasty and complimented the streaky bacon’s salty kick. The fried onions were magical (think a less oily onion ring) and the only thing missing was some pickles (which will be an option later down the track, I’m told). Oh yes, these guys have a winner.

Beef & Barley, Corner of Eyre Street and Kingston Waterfront, Kingston ACT, http://www.beefandbarley.com.au

Bread & Bone

I wanted to kick the new year off with a 10/10 post – a meal that I had completely, utterly loved. So, ladies and gentleman, here is Bread & Bone Wood Grill. I started with the Dark & Stormy cocktail ($12) – a perfect blend of rum, ginger beer and lime that packed a punch but at the same time was just right (so much lime!). On the waitress’s recommendation, I ordered the B&B Burger ($18), the house specialty. Cooked on their eponymous wood grill, the beef patty was done to perfection, blushing pink inside, and had fantastic flavour. To be honest, after my first bite, I didn’t deconstruct the burger in order to be able to give you a blow-by-blow – I devoured that sucker without another word. So, all I can tell you is that there is some sort of magic mayonnaise/sauce, lovely thin bacon and that the whole damn thing is so tasty you’ve made me want another one right now just thinking about it. The fries were also top grade, well-seasoned and super crispy. With flawless service, great atmosphere and heavenly food, add Bread & Bone to your must-visit list for 2016.

Bread & Bone Wood Grill, 15 Peel Street, Adelaide SA, no website

Little Brooklyn

Merry Christmas!  Here’s some #burgerweek goodness to help the celebrations! Little Brooklyn is one of those lovely places I always mean to spend more time at but rarely end up visiting, so I was excited to go back with friends for a catch up lunch on a Saturday afternoon. We started with a jug of sangria ($25), which was reasonably sized and packed full of fruit (oranges, blueberries and strawberries plus mint). I found it a little bit weak, given the amount of ice, but it was refreshing and tasty. For lunch I ordered the Big Brooklyn Burger, with angus beef, bacon, cheese, pickles, caramelised onion & brooklyn ketchup. I do love a good burger, and this didn’t disappoint. The beef patty was really thick and cooked to perfection (slightly pink inside, lovely!). Adding to the flavour, there were plenty of pickle slices (one of my favourite things), loads of ketchup and even more tastiness from the bacon. I also really loved the chips, which came with a small bowl of aioli, and the meal was so filling that I couldn’t quite finish my burger. The staff were friendly and the atmosphere relaxed – keep doing your good thing guys.

Little Brooklyn, 14 Jardine Street, Kingston ACT, http://www.cocu.com.au/little-brooklyn/

Hoi Polloi

#burgerweek continues! After seeing the incredible burger Bec from inexplicable wanderlust created at Hoi Polloi, I had to stop in to try it! We went on a weekday for lunch (they’re open from 11:30am-2:30pm daily), and I went straight to the burger specials menu. There are three options, designed at Hoi Polloi’s media launch, each inspired by a former Australian Prime Minister. Bec’s creation had some of my favourite burger ingredients – beetroot, pineapple, caramelised onion, cheddar cheese, beef and lettuce, served on a milk bun. We did have a bit of a wait for our meal, so I would recommend visiting when you’re at leisure to enjoy your lunch. The Full Yard burger ($19.90), inspired by Bob Hawke, was beautifully presented on a chopping board, served with a huge pile of chips and tomato sauce served in a jar. The chips were heavenly – perfectly seasoned and just the right balance between soft and crisp. More, please! The burger was equally satisfying – I loved the combined flavour of the ingredients, although I felt like the beef patty was a bit thin and commercial for the price (especially compared to somewhere like Parlour). Overall the balance of flavours was brilliant and I couldn’t believe how much beetroot was packed in there! Yum.

Hoi Polloi, Old Parliament House, King George Terrace, Parkes ACT, http://www.hoipolloioph.com/

Grease Monkey

To celebrate this week of Christmas, I’m celebrating my favourite foodie thing – burgers! Welcome to #burgerweek! I adore Grease Monkey. I really do. When my friend came to visit from Adelaide I took her straight from the airport to Braddon for a solid Canberra burger experience. On my quest to try all of their burgers, I picked the Pitt Stop ($15), stacked full of BBQ pork brisket and apple cider coleslaw and spiced up with a habanero mayonnaise. As always, Greasy’s didn’t disappoint, with the food coming out quickly and obviously freshly prepared. There was a huge serving of their delicious chips, which I’m not ashamed to admit I devoured – yes they were salty, but man, that seasoning is so good! The burger itself was also perfection – the BBQ pork paired with the milk burger bun was surprisngly and delightfully sweet, and the pork just melted in your mouth. I’d added pickes to the order (an extra $1), and they were chopped up and mixed into the coleslaw, which was perfect. The coleslaw was actually really great to balance the huge amount of meat. Every mouthful was a bite of happiness, and I seriously wished for a second stomach to be able to eat more. Nom nom nom.

Grease Monkey, 19 Lonsdale Street, Braddon ACT, no website