First Impressions: Burgers Up @ Springfield

Living on the Northside I don't often venture far beyond the CBD but when I heard about Burgers Up I knew at some point I had to try it! Being on holiday seemed like the perfect time to drop in for a visit and seeing some family in Springfield was an extra excuse!

With a full range of burgers in both chicken and beef as well as something for the kids this homestyle burger shop really gives you a lot of choice for a very affordable price.

You can add extra meat, extra cheese, egg, pineapple, beetroot, lettuce, tomato, extra sauces and a bevvy of other stuff  which means you can make a different burger every time you visit if you want which is awesome.

The only thing (which I find odd) is that they don't have pickles on the menu which for me really makes a burger, however there is enough optional extras that you can add something to make up for that like jalapenos or pineapple and I'll admit with mustard on there I didn't miss the pickles as much.

Prices range from $4.90 for a standard beef burger up to to $10.90 for the epic Three's a Crowd and for extras they range from 40c for lettuce upto $2.90 for an extra beef patty which just makes it even more worth a visit as the pricing is so competitive!

I got the Three's a Crowd which comes with Double Beef, Double Cheese and Double Bacon but for some reason I thought it was a good idea to add pineapple, beetroot, cooked onion and an egg and mustard.

It was a great idea but it made the burger so big I couldn't eat it easily even with two hands, but I got through it! Next time though I won't add much to it.

The beef was as moist and tasty as I expected but the stand out was the bacon, its locally sourced and smoked and is quite thick cut for a burger which just makes it tastier!

I'm not sure how something like this would hold up as take away as the juice was just flowing out of it and the buns are quite soft, but if you can sit down and eat it quickly they are great burgers. (probably wouldn't be as juicy if you didn't have so much on it either!)

The Criss Cut fries? Omg, what a great invention...

These beauties were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside and sitting somewhere between a potato skin and a french fry, delicious and worth the extra to get them over normal fries.

Overall I was happy with the experience and if we are out at Springfield again I will probably use it as an excuse to return, if you live near there and haven't gone then I suggest you do.

First Impressions: Hello Harry @ Maroochydore (Sunshine Coast)

You'd be forgiven for thinking there wasn't much around the old Big Top site which has sat largely unchanged for the past 20+ years but the former shopping complex is undergoing a major face lift that should be completed in 2015.

Despite all the construction going on, you can't miss this burger shop on Ocean St in Maroochydore because Hello Harry's is packed with diners. 

As I drove past looking for a park I realized that Hello Harry's had to be popular with locals and tourists as it was almost full of hungry burger eaters before it was even 12pm!

With a no non-sense menu that is packed with tasty burgers (starting at $10!) as well as a seemingly endless list of changing specials this new burger joint is a great addition to the Coast.

I knew before I got there what I wanted and I wasn't going to change my mind (unless they ran out of beef but that's blasphemy). I went with Grass Fed Wagyu beef with double patties and bacon and I was not disappointed!

The burger came out looking ready to be devoured, bacon poking out and pickles gleaming away on their bed of beef and cheese. I was not disappointed as I consumed this tasty treat nestled between two halves of a house made brioche bun, mustard and mayo dripping out after each bite.

You get messy here but that that seems like the point and with an entire role of paper towel on each table there is no reason to complain about a lack of napkins.

The chips are also tasty with a seasoning that was unfamiliar but that matched well with the burgers.

I had to splash out and have a Salted Caramel shake and it was incredible and tasted exactly as a shake should. The creamy caramel flavour brought me back to what I remember them tasting like as a child (although I'm not sure I had salted caramel then!)

You can get beer here, they have some Monteith's and some international lager's but really I wanted a burger and a shake and I got both in spades.

The only negative I have to mention is that it was busy and the clearing of tables seemed to fall behind the wayside as I had to move someone elses mostly finished crap off the table and onto a spare seat to get it off our small table. It took about 20mins before it finally got cleared away from where I left it but they were clearly busy so I didn't think much of it.

I will be back next time I'm up the coast and may even use it as an excuse to go more often with my eyes set on a triple beef next time. That is, if I can convince the Mrs I won't die eating it!

First Impressions: Good Bar @ Mooloolaba (Sunshine Coast)

I grew up on the Sunshine Coast but since working and living in Brisbane for most of my adult life I have not returned very often, it seems there is now a few more reasons to visit the Coast!

One of those reasons is Good Bar, located in the busy but beautiful sea side town of Mooloolaba just a street back from the beach this new addition to the Coast is pumping out some great American inspired grub matched with some great local beers.

just water but cool coasters!

Good Bar's menu and theme is focused around holyness and the "good" food with the coasters and menu items following the theme, like the Brisket burger which is called The Transcendence.         There is a growing selection of local and international craft beers with a focus on cans. This is good to see as there is still a lot of stigma attached to canned beer in Australia which stems from smashing down 12 cans of what ever flavourless lager you had on hand. The truth is cans are actually better as they let no light in (which can affect your brew) and travel better than their glass brethren.

At the time I hadn't actually sampled any Brisbane's Green Beacon cans yet so was a no brainer to start with the tasty Windjammer IPA and moving on later to Moose Drool a well flavoured brown ale from Big Sky located in Montana in the USA.    There wasn't any taps at the time but hopefully this comes later because it'd be great to see some Sunshine Coast Brewery on tap in a local bar or even more beer from Brisbane.                                   

I ordered The Good Burger, a beef burger with two patties, cheese, ranch, pickles and ketchup. The rest of my party ordered The Transcendence (Briskett), The Carolina Crusade (pulled Pork) and The Good Reuben (Pastrami sandwhich).

Double Beef, Double Cheese

All the burgers come on soft and fluffy brioche bun's which work fairly well and each burger was generously portioned with meat with prices ranging from $13-16 and each coming with fries.

I feel the only thing that was missing off the menu (that is usually a staple) is the ability to add bacon, but other than adding it to the beef burger you don't really need it so it's not too disappointing to live without the deliciousness of bacon for a meal.

My burger was juicy and tasty although it seemed more like mustard than ranch which isn't a bad thing as it just reminded me of a really good double cheese burger, with tasty mustard and pickles which is one of my favourite things to eat.

All the other burgers went down well from what the rest of my group said, the only negative is that the Reuben seems to have some seriously thick bread, possibly too thick for the amount of meat.

Pastrami + Sauerkraut on Rye

Beef Brisket, BBQ sauce and Slaw

Pulled Pork, Jack Daniel's Sauce & Slaw

What we had is really just the beginning of the menu which contains heaps of awesome sounding meals, snacks, sweets and shakes. From peppers stuffed with chorizo and goats cheese to a Peanut Butter Jelly shake to Pumpkin Pie but all of this just gives me an excuse to revisit next time I'm up the coast.

It's great to see so many new options for food and beer popping up on the coast as they have done in Brisbane, I may have to go up more often!

First Impressions: Chur Burger @ Fortitude Valley

Chur is the newest kid on the burger block with a restaurant in Sydney and now one in old Brisbane town, on Constance street right next to Kerbside.

Not a bad little spot for a restaurant like this and I'm sure if you are a local or work in this area it will become your regular burger joint for awhile.

We went in for a quiet Wednesday lunch and were greeted by a friendly staff person who helped us order and confirmed that we were new to Chur.

The way you order is familiar, rock up read the menu, pick your burger, sides and drinks. The difference being you can have the beef your way with Medium Rare being the recommended level.

Chur is set out with an outdoor area with astro turf, some graffiti and some umbrellas which creates a nice relaxed vibe.

The indoor section is more restaurant-ish with a twist, everything is adorned with "Chur" and they have some neat seating with booths, low tables with big squared cushioned seats as well as high tables. There is also these cool stools that look like 2 buckets with a cushion inset into them.

Check out the gallery on their website and facebook page if you want to see some decor shots as there is plenty!

I had a beef burger with double meat and bacon which cost $16 which isn't bad and really I could have just added bacon to the standard beef burger and saved $4 (as the portions are generous) but being my first time I went all out.

The buns are all brioche which works alright for pulled pork but it really doesn't work for the beef, my bun disintegrated almost instantly and whilst the flavour of the beef was good I missed having a bun by about half way through and being the manly specimen that I am I refuse to use a knife and fork! (although you may have caught me drinking coke through a straw if you were watching)

The pickles though are incredible, nice long thin shreds of cucumber with a not too over powering brine take pickles to a new level.

The "chilli salt" chips were alright, fairly standard chips with a chilli salt but worked well with the burger.

My girlfriend enjoyed the pulled pork although from the little bit I tasted it had a very sweet BBQ sauce but she enjoyed it.

The drinks menu is alright, some craft beer (sponsored by MOA?) but almost entirely centered around lagers which is a bit disappointing as I'd have liked at least a pale ale but it is a minor thing with Kerbside next door and The Mill up the road.

I would expect with such great breweries in Brisbane that at least one tap could be local or some Newstead bottles or some such.

Overall not a bad visit to Chur and we will be back to try a couple more menu items.

Double beef, bacon, pickles and cheese

Getta Burger @ Carindale

Mild mannered coffee shop by day, hunger fighting burger shop by night!

Well not exactly but Getta Burger does share That Coffee Joint's shop opening for burgers from Midday Saturday and Sunday and from 4:30 pm Wed, Thur and Friday.

The location is somewhat inconspicuous, right next to Carina Leagues just back from Carindale Westfield and nestled in a small "blink and you'll miss it" set of shops next to a laundromat.

Making use of the amazing barbecue that it's sister business and staple Brisbane food truck That BBQ Joint pumps out Getta Burger has something for everyone.

The range includes a pulled pork, bacon, cheese and fries monstrosity that is the Getta Pig Out to the Getta Boss with smoked brisket, cheese, jalapenos and bacon as well more traditional beef burgers like the Getta Burger or Getta Lot.

Getta Pig Out w/ double bacon

Getta Pulled Pork w/ bacon

I haven't tried any of the "normal" beef patty burgers because it is nearly impossible to pass up the amazingly tasty brisket and pulled pork not to mention the bacon which is probably some of the best bacon I've ever tasted.

That BBQ Sauce is what ties most of the burgers together and it really is a great sauce, not too sweet (like BBQ sauce tends to be) but with a good smokey flavour that compliments not drowns the meat.

Getta Boss

You can also ask for the burgers without a bun which is perfect for us as my girlfriend prefers not to have the bun however the bun is quite tasty, good size with sesame seeds, crisp outside and soft inside.

If it isn't obvious from the photos the portions are huge and extremely generous for the price which ranges from $10 to $14 for the bigger burgers.

The shop itself is quite small though so don't expect to eat there if it's smack bang in the lunch period and if it is during this time I'd suggest calling ahead and asking if there is a wait time as it can get busy.

There has been some mention of Getta expanding to another shop, hopefully on the Northside which would reduce my trips over the gateway for this amazing food.

If you are local to Carindale (or don't mind a drive) like burgers and haven't checked it out yet then I suggest you "Getta" to it.

Getta Pulled Pork with and without a bun, side of fries

The Bun Mobile @ Bacchus Brewing

The growth of the food truck industry (in Brisbane and all over Aus) is no secret and there is a handful of great ones that have appeared over the past few years, one of those is The Bun Mobile.

From the name you would expect either some sort of hamburger place or Chinese steam buns, fortunately Bun Mobile is something in between which is part of it's charm.

The buns are light and fluffy with the texture of a steamed bun with both traditional and Asian inspired fillings. The standard menu consists of wagyu, pork and chicken all paired with different pickles, shoots, greens and mushrooms however they also regularly do specials which are usually worth visiting for on their own.

The specials for Bacchus Brewing's launch were Pork Belly with lettuce, cucumber, pickled carrot and fresh herbs and chicken with oyster mushroom, lettuce, cucumber, fresh herbs and a chorizo crumb!

I totally love pork, especially belly but hands down the chicken was the standout today.

I don't totally remember exactly what the dessert special was but it was delicious with a thick, rich, chocolaty brownie texture and warm chocolate sauce.

I should mention if you are looking for gluten and or dairy free they will also try and accommodate with the bun being replaced by extra lettuce and most of the fillings not having dairy.


If you haven't tried Bun Mobile, track them down and give it a go! Decent portion sizes and good value at around $8-10 depending on the bun.

Please also check out my Bacchus post as all this delicious food paired great with their beers.

The Burrow @ West End

After hearing nothing but good things about The Burrow I figured it was time to finally make an effort to visit West End and check it out!

After opening the door we were instantly greeted by 2 very friendly staff who let us sit anywhere we liked.

Being a cool but sunny winters day we decided to sit out side in the lane way. Graffiti on the walls and picnic tables to sit at, the atmosphere was great and I could see myself comfortably enjoying lunch, a few relaxed beverages or even a lazy Sunday Brunch sitting here.

We received excellent table service being brought menus and water shortly after sitting down, however it was a quiet weekday at 1pm.

The Bill Murray w/ bacon, beetroot and fried egg

My friends both ordered pizzas and I ordered "The Bill Murray" Burger which is a Wagyu cheese burger jarlsberg cheese, pickle relish, ketchup & "super-dooper" special sauce and I added Bacon, Egg and Beetroot.      
   

After about 20 minutes our meals arrived, well sized and looking delicious! My burger was juicy and tender with smokey bacon and a great sauce but the standout was the beetroot with its chunky pieces it was a refreshing change to standard canned beetroot you usually get on a burger.

The side of curly fries were golden and crispy and added up to a well sized meal and good value at $16 for the burger and $6 for the extra sides.

The pizza's were tasty too with some funny and interesting names like the "Cluck Norris" and great value too at $10-15.

But what about the beer? Well will with 4 rotating taps including a list of upcoming beers and a few pages of excellent bottled choices The Burrow fits in perfectly other craft beer bars around Brisbane.

The Bill Murray burger is enough to bring me back but I will also be trying the breakfast menu at some point as it looks equally awesome!

Sunshine Coast Brewery

I've been drinking local and international craft beer for around 10 years now, so it seems fitting that I return to my home town and the first brewery I ever purchased beer from!

I was in my early 20's when I last visited The Sunshine Coast Brewery and back then I purchased a carton of chilli beer which in my youth I thought was a good idea. I can say now that I'm older and wiser that attempting to drink a carton of chilli beer was an unwise decision.

Returning to the brewery with a more mature palette has been a blessing as I got to enjoy a tasting paddle which included their Hef, Dark (middy), Bitter Ale, Pilsner and Summer Ale. After this I was offered an extra taste in the form of a German style smoked beer called Rauch Bier which was quite nice but really is something you have a small amount of.

The tasting platter was excellent and let me know what was on offer and despite having a busy period over Easter which cleaned out a lot of their stock there was still a good selection. The standout beer for me was their Rye ESB (Extra Special Bitter) which is a fantastic hoppy explosion with a nice punch of rye. It reminds me a lot of the IPA style which is so popular right now and worth visiting the brewery for on it's own.

The only beer I didn't get to try that I was hanging out for was their Porter but I am sure I can order some when they have it bottled again or use it as an excuse for another visit!

The staff were very knowledgeable and seemed genuinely interested in listening to of their customers feedback and exchange beer related stories.

They were also nice enough to see if the Rye ESB was anywhere near being bottled again and whilst I couldn't get any during my visit the young man serving me went out of his way to give me a bevy of options to ensure I could order some if I wanted to, this type of service is fantastic and definitely only comes with passionate staff who care about the beer and their customers.

Whilst the main attraction is clearly the beers the food that is on offer is also very good with pub style mains and nothing costing over $17. They even do take-away!

I went with the chicken parm which was delicious and my party had another parm and a couple had beef burgers. We were all satisfied with our meal both in flavour and portion size and all agreed that the chips were the standout as they were crunchy and moreish! 

Overall a good experience and worth dropping in for lunch and a beer or five if you live on the coast or are visiting for any reason! 

Fifty Shades of Cutting Board!

Ok, so maybe not 50 different menu items but the new addition to the George St side of old Brisbane-town known as The Cutting Board has been delivering some extremely delicious menu items since late Jan.

This 'lineup and go' style take-away shop is an interesting mix of fast food meets American style cuisine meets good old Aussie carvery with a dash of your local coffee shop thrown in!

Ham, Apple/Fennel Salad + Veg

This somewhat unique mix results in a mostly positive experience as you not only get some great food like the roast ham with a side of fennel and apple salad, you also get this quality food fairly quickly.

However it can be daunting especially in the busy period (12-1:30 pm) to decide what to order because there is such a huge variety of food to order and a couple of spots from which to order. With one side for sandwiches, salad and various pre-mades and the other side for hot food and ordering burgers, aswell as a side window for quick coffee orders.

Reuben!

Choices range from standard American style fare like pulled pork, brisket, burgers and great sandwiches like the Reuben to healthier or lighter food choices like salads, steamed veggies, lean green curries or pork and beef meatballs.

Meatballs, Greek Salad + Veg

These are just some of the choices for lunch, they also do a rather fantastic breakfast menu with cooked offerings (eg. bacon & eggs) as well as muffins, wraps and toasties to go with your favourite coffee!

I was lucky enough to be the first person to get one of their sandwiches which was made in front of me on opening day, the staff were elated to fill their first order from this menu!

Calamari + Aioli w/ Caesar Salad

There is however a few changes that I think could help improve things but they are minor ones. The pulled pork and brisket can be taken with gravy either on a roll or with 2 sides in a take-away container, now this is fine however if you don't have gravy the meat isn't that flavourful on it's own. I would like to see another option possibly some kind of barbecue sauce or being able to have one of the salads on your roll with the protein would be excellent and would not really need to impact in cost or any extra preparation.

I would also like to see the condiment station that has laid dormant since the opening begin to get used, having a choice of pickles or different sauces is never a bad thing in my mind! That said, I am sure that they will continue to grow and improve their menu as they have already began to do so in their first 2 months of operation.

Though in it's infancy Cutting Board is on it's way with great friendly service and very well prepared food, making it great addition to the slightly neglected (food wise) side of Brisbane CBD.

"New Yorker" Burger & Fries